ESET joins European project to combat inequalities in the technology sector

ESET, a leading company in proactive threat detection, is part of GENDEII –Gender and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Indicators for European and Latin American Technology Companies, and Related Training Strategies– a research project funded by the European Union with a strong Ibero-American component. The project brings together institutions from various countries and aims to reduce discrimination in recruitment and career advancement –including discrimination generated by artificial intelligence algorithms–.

The initiative unites 24 institutions from Europe and Latin America –including universities and civil society organizations– with the goal of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies and mainstreaming a gender perspective in the technology sector. The consortium involves more than 100 researchers, specialists, and institutional representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, Peru, Portugal, and Uruguay, and is led by the University of Córdoba (Spain).

ESET will be the only private company on the research team. This reflects the company’s strong commitment to inclusion, not only internally but also within the community.

“We are proud to be the only private company in this project, which reaffirms our long-standing commitment to sustainability and transparency. Diversity and inclusion are essential pillars of our organizational culture, and we believe they enrich development and drive technological innovation. We are excited to contribute our vision to combat inequalities and build a more equitable and just technology sector,” says Carolina Kaplan, Sustainability and Diversity Leader for ESET Latin America.

For four years, GENDEII will work on designing indicators and tools to strengthen inclusive organizational cultures, improve the management of diverse talent, and support innovation processes with a gender and diversity perspective. The project will seek to address growing challenges in the technology sector related to attracting and retaining talent, inequalities in access to and professional development, and the impact of biases present in some artificial intelligence systems used in selection and recruitment processes. The proposal focuses not only on workplace inclusion but also on creating organizational conditions that foster career development, avoiding all forms of segregation, through a comprehensive approach that also considers spatial accessibility and a critical analysis of AI use.

Among its main deliverables, GENDEII will develop a Gender and Diversity Indicators Manual for technology companies and an international training program for leaders and corporate teams. Both resources will be designed based on evidence derived from scientific research and through collaborative work with diverse groups of people who are still underrepresented in the workforce: women, LGBTQ+ individuals, migrants, people with disabilities, autistic and neurodivergent individuals, religious minorities, people of color, among others.

The international GENDEII project was selected with an excellent score in the European Union’s Horizon Europe program within the framework of the Marie-Curie Staff Exchanges Actions (MSCA-SE). This program is one of the most competitive and prestigious, with over 360 proposals submitted worldwide, and the project will receive approximately €2 million in funding.

In addition to its cross-sectoral approach, the project has an interdisciplinary focus: specialists from fields such as Psychology, Education, Civil Engineering, Law, Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology, Communication, Computer Science, Arts, and Business Management are participating. Its strength also lies in the fact that it promotes dialogue between academic and non-academic sectors of the global north and south.

As Dr. Débora Imhoff, Principal Investigator of the project, points out, “GENDEII is based on a central idea: diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and the mainstreaming of a gender perspective, not only contribute to reducing historical inequalities, but also strengthen innovation, improve work environments, collective well-being, and enhance the creativity and sustainability of organizations.” She further emphasizes: “The project places the contributions of a gender and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) approach at the forefront as a driver of innovation that improves talent management processes, decision-making, increases innovation, reduces turnover, and enhances corporate reputation. This perspective promises better business outcomes, expands market opportunities, while increasing employee well-being, improving the employability of historically excluded sectors, and fostering equity, pluralism, and inclusion.”

The GENDEII Project represents a commitment to the responsibility and dedication of all sectors of society towards sustainability and the promotion of more just, equitable, and democratic societies, in which ESET Latin America is very proud to participate.

Visit them at:

@ESETLA     /company/eset-latinoamerica      /esetla      /ESETLA      /@esetla.

For more valuable information on cybersecurity, also available in Venezuela: https://www.eset.com/ve/. And on social media: @eset_ve.

Information courtesy of ESET and Comstat Roland

(Main reference image source: Luke Hales on Unsplash)

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