EQUALITY & INCLUSION PLAN

Prior notes:

• Inclusive Language: To simplify reading and save space, this text does not use explicit reference to both sexes through the systematic and symmetrical marking of grammatical gender so that the use of the masculine form invariably also refers to the female form.
• Concepts: According to the World Health Organization's definitions, “gender” is a social and cultural construct that encompasses psychological factors and the roles, behaviors, activities, and expectations that society assigns to individuals based on their sex, while “sex” refers to an individual's biological characteristics.
• Balanced Representation: Equal representation of men and women in team composition, leadership positions, and research project participation is essential.
• Recruitment and Retention: Implement impartial and transparent recruitment practices. Avoid gender/sex bias in candidate selection to promote equal opportunity for all applicants. Create an environment that supports the retention of talented researchers from diverse backgrounds.
• Career development: Provide training and career development opportunities for all team members, regardless of gender/sex. Ensure that men and women have access to mentoring and training programs.
• Work-Life Balance: Promote policies and practices that support work-life balance, including parental leave, flexible working schedules, and other measures.
• Inclusive and Gender-Sensitive Language: Appropriate use of neutral and inclusive language in documents, communications, and presentations to avoid gender stereotypes and promote a culture of respect, except when the study or context is specific to one of the two sexes (examples: menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, prostate, andropause).
• Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation: Define and implement regularly monitored gender/sex equality indicators, such as analyzing data on promotions, salaries, and project participation.
• Awareness and Education: Development of workshops, lectures, and events to raise awareness in the research community about the importance of gender/sex equality and to encourage critical reflection on cultural norms and challenges faced by women and other gender minorities in research and society.
• Research and Promotion on Gender Equality in Sport: Develop National and European I&D projects that stimulate the implementation of policies and programs to address gender/sex inequalities in sports participation and decision-making. Promote respect for biological diversity between the two sexes inherent to Sport.
• Collaboration with other Institutions: Participate in networks and collaborations that promote gender/sex equity in research and share best practices and lessons learned with other institutions.

In order to operationalize it, SPRINT intends to implement the Gender Equality Plan (GAP) (Directorate-General for Research and Innovation - European Commission, 2021), in line with the proposals of Horizon Europe 2020-2025.

• Inclusion of People with Disabilities: Promote and develop the practice of physical activities and adapted sports in schools, whether informal or formal, regular or not, throughout life, as well as research and knowledge transfer.
• Social inclusion through Sport and Physical Activity: Develop the promotion of social inclusion and integration, equal opportunities in education and employment, the development of skills, critical and creative thinking, the valorization of the educational power of sport, the fight against discrimination, civic participation and the strengthening of social cohesion. This is aimed at all participants, especially those from contexts of greater socio-economic vulnerability.
• Violence in Sport: The guidelines for SPRINT contemplate the investment in small training courses on crowd control, violence prevention and vandalism to ensure a safe, protective, and welcoming environment in sports and at any other mass event, based on scientific research.

SPRINT also intends to reinforce the promotion of the implementation and operationalization of the Ethics Flag which is the responsibility of the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth, I.P. (IPDJ, I.P.) and the National Plan for Sports Ethics (PNED).