Promotion of equality and nondiscrimination at the Research Council of Finland

The core values guiding our activities are openness, transparency, reliability, equality and nondiscrimination. We fund high-quality, high-impact and innovative research in a responsible manner. In the context of responsible science, we take into account gender equality and nondiscrimination.

We actively contribute to the building of a transparent research ecosystem free of structures or operating models that treat people differently on the basis of gender or other personal characteristics or backgrounds such as nationality, language, religion, sexual orientation, family relationships, health or disability. Equality and nondiscrimination are among the most important horizontal principles of a transparent research ecosystem.

Promoting equality and nondiscrimination in research projects and in society at large is part of our responsible science framework.

RCF equality and nondiscrimination policy

• ensuring and promoting a balanced representation of the sexes
• in the composition of decision-making bodies
• among beneficiaries
• among experts/reviewers
• measures aimed at achieving a more even gender distribution also in research teams’ managerial roles: for example, in 2018, the Strategic Research Council added to its funding principles a balanced gender composition in consortium managements or evidence of steps towards a more balanced gender distribution during the funding period
• among our candidates for various committees and Finland’s representatives in international organisations
• among speakers and panellists at our events, nominees for Research Council of Finland Awards and researchers featured on our website or in interactions with the media

• eliminating and preventing structural inequality
• We allow for some flexibility in funding periods to allow for a better work–life balance and for other reasons related to statutory leave (e.g. long-term illness, military service and other special reasons).
• We assess gender and equality impacts when developing our research funding instruments and review practices.

• actively supporting the gender perspective and promoting nondiscrimination in research
  • All RCF-funded research must promote gender equality and nondiscrimination.
  • We systematically incorporate the principles of gender equality as well as a diversity perspective into the composition of review panels and pursue a balanced gender distribution of experts in panels.
  • Our review process and review forms take into account how the proposed research projects promote gender equality and nondiscrimination both within the project and in society at large.
  • To ensure a nondiscriminatory review process, reviewers are instructed to, among other things:
    • recognise bias and (hidden) prejudices, attitudes and values in themselves and their peers
    • ensure that career breaks due to family and other statutory leave do not adversely affect the review.
  • Our decisions factor in whether the proposed research promotes equality and nondiscrimination within the project or in society in general and whether the decisions support women’s research careers.
  • The effects of RCF funding on equality and nondiscrimination are tracked through statistics and studies.

• Our work and development efforts and cooperation in networks

• • Our efforts to promote equality and nondiscrimination aim at incorporating them as an integral part of our day-to-day operation and our core processes and their follow-up.
  • We are committed to developing our review practices in line with the recommendations for the responsible evaluation of researchers published by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies in 2020 (PDF). The recommendations emphasise the need to ensure nondiscrimination in evaluation processes and the proper instruction of reviewers.
  • We are also an active member of several international networks that promote equality and nondiscrimination in research funding.
  • We implement a regularly updated equality and nondiscrimination plan. In line with the plan adopted in 2024, we have introduced safer space principles. In addition to our in-house activities, the principles apply to the work of review panels and scientific councils and to all other RCF events.

Research Council of Finland Equality and Nondiscrimination Plan (1 Mar 2024–28 Feb 2026)

Our Equality and Nondiscrimination Plan applies to those working with our research funding as well as to employees at our Administration Office. The latest version of the plan was adopted by the Board in February 2024, and it covers the period from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2026.

The plan covers gender equality as well as discrimination within the meaning of the Finnish Non-Discrimination Act: Nobody may be discriminated against on the basis of age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, opinion, health, disability, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. Harassment also counts as discrimination.

Research Council of Finland’s measures for promoting equality and nondiscrimination in 2024–2025