What is gender equality when it comes to innovation?

Why equal innovation?

Statistics show that innovation projects where men and women have the same power to influence are more successful. Vinnova is also tasked with contributing to a more equal society and ensuring that the project we finance are equal, when applicable.

This is how you ensure gender equality in your project

Gender equality in the project group

Is the project's team or consortium equal (60/40) and do women and men have equal power and influence in terms of work effort and positions? If not, what conditions are there for you to work actively to improve gender equality within the project's team and consortium?

If not, what conditions are there for you to work actively to improve gender equality within the project's team and consortium?

Research shows that mixed teams are more effective and innovative. We encourage gender equality in project groups that receive funding from us.

When you apply for funding in one of Vinnova's ventures, you are encouraged to work for equal gender distribution between women and men at all levels in the project. You also need to consider that women and men should have equal opportunities for power and influence in the project. Consideration must also be given to how resources such as working hours or funding are distributed within the project.

If the project is not currently equal, you as applicant are invited to comment on this. For example, it may be that the gender distribution in the project group is not relevant at this stage of the project. You then need to describe long-term objective linked to gender equality and how in the implementation of the project you will work to get closer to this target image.

How equality aspects are assessed appears in the respective program's call text.

Equalized effects of the project

Many problems, results and solutions can affect women and men differently. You must have that perspective when designing the project's objective.

Are there differences in conditions, needs, term between women and men that should be investigated and addressed to ensure relevance or even open up new markets? Which norms linked to sex/gender need to be problematized? Is there a risk of stereotypical assumptions that can affect problem formulation, implementation and methods or solutions? In what way can the project's results contribute to increased gender equality?

Many problems, results and solutions can affect women and men differently. That perspective must be included when the project's objective is designed.
As applicant in one of Vinnova's calls for proposals, you are asked to investigate whether and how the gender dimension is relevant within the project. Gender describes the division of categories based on biological characteristics, usually female and male. Gender describes the social and cultural processes that create ideas about gender and that have significance both for social structures and for individuals' gender identity.

In general, it can be said that in project where people are involved (end users for example) it is likely that a gender perspective is relevant. This must then be treated as an integral part of proposal.

Including sex and gender perspectives in research can be about everything from including and analyzing differences between women and men (gender perspective) to establishing a problematizing and reflective approach to how gender affiliations are created and understood (gender perspective).

How sex and/or gender aspects are assessed appears in the respective program's call text. Gender and gender perspectives in the content of the research should not be confused with equal gender distribution in the composition of the research group or equal assessment of research applications.

Implementation

Have you established routines, roles or policies linked to gender equality in the implementation of your project?

Have you researched which methods, skills, tools and the like you will use to implement and evaluate your gender equality efforts.

If more knowledge about gender equality or gender and/or gender perspectives is needed, get help from experts or involve researchers in your project. Costs for this are eligible for support. You can also include training on sex/gender aspects in your proposal. These costs are also eligible for support.