#EFGinclusion Campaign #6:
The Italian National Council of Geologists (Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi, CNG) is one of the EFG’s National Associations in Italy and has the legislated authority to register professional geoscientists and regulate geoscience practice in the country. It is the largest national association within the EFG, representing more than 11,000 individual members from both academic and professional sectors.
The CNG has an internal commission called the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), or Pari Opportunità in Italian, which aims to eliminate discrimination based on gender (including marital status, pregnancy and breastfeeding), disability, family status, and race. The CNG also aims to eliminate sexual harassment, breastfeeding harassment, and any harassment or discrimination on the grounds of gender, disability and race. The Equal Opportunities Commission is comprised of various members dedicated to ensuring that these principles are promoted and applied.
The EOC emphasises the responsibility of different sectors within the CNG to foster equal opportunities through education, best practices, and promotion. Raising awareness and promoting equal opportunities and the principles underpinning relevant legislation are key to ensuring gender equality and diversity. One of the EOC objectives is to strengthen the CNG’s reputation as an independent, efficient, and effective organisation that respects individuals regardless of race, gender, or status.
The EOC maintains a complaints database and management system to facilitate the collection, analysis, and benchmarking of data concerning discrimination. Its members raise their voices whenever they detect discrimination within the CNG or in any other activities in which the CNG is involved.
The CNG represents 20 Italian regions, and there are differences in terms of population and education concerning equal opportunities across the different areas. Nevertheless, the CNG is striving to ensure inclusivity by offering related educational webinars, trainings, and meetings to address these topics.
If you would like to learn a bit more about the Equal Opportunities Commission of the CNG, you can read this interview with Alessandra Biserna from 2018, in which she talked about it: https://eurogeologists.eu/one-day-in-europe-italy-alessandra-biserna-about-cngs-equal-opportunities-commission
