Equality and nondiscrimination

The Research Council of Finland (RCF) is committed to promoting equality, nondiscrimination and diversity in all its operations. Our goal is that equality and nondiscrimination aspects are incorporated as integral parts of our day-to-day operations, core processes and their follow-up, especially in terms of our research funding and personnel.

The RCF’s gender equality and nondiscrimination work supports responsible science, excellent research and the sustainable development of the research community. The work is based on the RCF strategy and values, as well as on equality and nondiscrimination legislation.

In our research funding, we promote gender equality and nondiscrimination throughout the funding process, from the call texts to the review and the funding decisions. We take into account the differences between research fields, the different stages of a research career, and international and cultural diversity.

Our core principles:

fair and responsible researcher assessment. The assessment takes into account, among other things, career breaks, such as family leave, and must not have a negative impact on the applicant’s review.
diversity in peer review. We strengthen the diversity of reviewers and the gender balance in review activities.
taking equality and nondiscrimination into account in projects. Applicants are asked to describe how their project promotes equality and nondiscrimination. These aspects are part of the qualitative review.
impact assessment. Gender equality and nondiscrimination effects are systematically assessed in the introduction of new funding schemes and operating methods.

The RCF actively participates in national and international networks that develop responsible research assessment, such as CoARA and Science Europe.

See our application instructions related to equality and nondiscrimination.

The RCF is a responsible employer and promotes equality and nondiscrimination in its personnel in a systematic manner. Our goal is an open, safe and inclusive work environment where different backgrounds, life situations and needs are identified and taken into account.

Our personnel priorities:

a culture that supports nondiscrimination
recruitment practices that support diversity
equal pay

The personnel's experiences of the implementation of equality and nondiscrimination are regularly monitored, for example, with government personnel surveys and separate nondiscrimination surveys.

Key measures to promote equality and nondiscrimination 2026–2028

Theme	What we do
1 Enhanced effectiveness through communications	The equality and nondiscrimination perspectives and cultural diversity are considered in all external and internal communications. The equality and nondiscrimination contents on the RCF website will be updated, and we will actively communicate funding practices that promote nondiscrimination in research and research careers.
2 Equality in funded projects	We require applicants to describe how equality and nondiscrimination are taken into account in the project. These aspects are part of the qualitative review of applications and can be crucial when deciding between applications of equal merit.
3 Diversity of reviewers	We will strengthen the diversity in review activities in terms of gender, career stage, geographical background and other dimensions of diversity. We support the expertise of panel chairs and reviewers in equality and nondiscrimination issues.
4 Impact assessment in funding	We systematically assess the gender and nondiscrimination impact of new funding opportunities and systems before they are introduced and in their monitoring.
5 Staff diversity	The staff’s competence and understanding of equality and cultural diversity is increased through training and active internal communication. We require RCF personnel to complete equality and nondiscrimination training.
6 Staff diversity through recruitment	The recruitment practices for increasing staff diversity through recruitment are reviewed. The preconditions for language proficiency are considered on a task-specific basis. In the case of equal applicants, the possibility of positive action is utilised.
7 Equal pay	A gender and nondiscrimination impact assessment related to pay and remuneration measures is carried out, and the impact of the measures will be monitored as part of the pay survey.

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Equality and nondiscrimination