The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) first research institute in Ireland to achieve Bronze award for commitment to promoting gender equality

Today, 30 August 2023, Athena Swan Ireland announced that the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is Ireland's first research institute to win a Bronze award for its commitment to promoting gender equality.  

Athena Swan Ireland is the Irish chapter of Athena Swan. It is committed to implementing the Athena Swan charter in this country, a framework used to support and transform gender equality in higher education and research.  

This designation means that ESRI leadership is committed to addressing gender inequality and implementing clear governance structures to do so. There are plans to embed EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) into the formal structures of the organisation, including the creation of an EDI Steering Committee, and capturing better data on gender, nationality, disability and other equality grounds within the Institute. An action plan will address priority areas and develop capacity across the equality grounds in the future. 

Helen Russell, Research Professor at the ESRI and head of the Social Research Division, chaired the self-assessment team for the ESRI’s application to Athena Swan Ireland. Professor Russell was a member of the expert advisory group to the recent Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality. She said of the ESRI’s achievement:  

“We are delighted to be the first research institute in Ireland to achieve Athena Swan accreditation. Gender equality is relevant not only for people’s experience in the workplace but also for organisational performance. It is also a core concern of our research work at the Institute. The Athena Swan process has underlined the importance of consultation, collecting data and evaluating policies to promote equality in the workplace.”