Abengoa promotes and fosters equality between men and women and applies this principle in all of its human resource management policies (hiring, recruitment, training, performance review, promotion, compensation, working conditions, family-work life balance, communication and prevention of harassment), condemning all forms of direct or indirect discrimination for reasons of gender.

With the aim of furthering these values, Abengoa created an Equal Treatment and Opportunities Office (ETOO) within the Equality Framework Plan in 2009. The mission upheld by this corporate body is to advocate gender equality throughout the company, promoting, developing and managing the Equality Framework Plan and associated programs.

Abengoa also set up the Equal Treatment and Opportunities Committee, which, presided over by the Human Resources director and comprising the individuals in charge of human resources from the different business areas and geographies and the CSR director as permanent members, seeks to engage in global monitoring and further develop issues related to equal opportunities between men and women at Abengoa. The committee is scheduled to meet in 2013.

All Abengoa companies follow the guidelines of the ETOO and in 2012 every company was reviewed through internal control and monitoring visits, and there were no reports of non-compliance of any kind.
In 2012, female presence in director and managerial positions3 totaled 17.08%, up by 1.04% over 2011

In keeping with the principle of equality, the company’s compensation system ensures equal pay and equal treatment and opportunities by complying with legal regulations and the commitments and principles set forth in Abengoa’s policies, without making any distinctions with respect to gender in any employee category or geographical area.

Compensation at Abengoa is determined on the basis of employee capacity, performance and work quality.

Below is a comparison of the average gross salary between women and men for the same employee category in different geographical areas:

The table below shows the percentage difference between standard starting salary at Abengoa and local minimum wage (MW), taking into account the different employee categories, thus providing an indicator of the competitive salaries we offer.

Labor integration and equal opportunities is one of the commitments that Abengoa has acquired based on this principle. The company has implemented a variety of initiatives along these lines. Thus, in conjunction with the Focus-Abengoa Foundation, the company carries out an annual training program in administrative secretarial skills for the disabled in collaboration with the Sagrada Familia Foundation (SAFA) and the Regional Government of Andalusia.

Through its People, Education and Communities (PE&C) social development program operating in six countries, Abengoa promotes social integration of people with disabilities, providing them with education, training and welfare.⁴

Note 3: Employees in charge of a team of people (department heads, project manager, etc.)

Note 4: More information on PE&C can be found in the chapter titled Community.