Equality is a commitment at TMA
At TMA, equality is a goal that we continually strive to achieve and improve. On International Equal Pay Day, we reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and the creation of an inclusive and fair work environment. In this article, we share our experience and the policies and actions we implement to ensure that each employee, regardless of gender, has the same opportunities for professional growth and development. And we share Laia’s story, an important milestone that breaks barriers in our company, contributing to equity in access to jobs. Continue reading to find out more.
INTERNATIONAL EQUAL PAY DAY
September 18 is International Equal Pay Day (proclaimed by the United Nations), a key date to highlight the importance of equal pay for work of equal value, taking into account factors such as skills, working conditions, qualifications and levels of responsibility. The main objective is to reduce and end the gender pay gap.
Days like this are crucial to continue reflecting on equality in the workplace. Despite progress in many sectors, the pay gap is still present in many work areas.
In addition, various studies have shown that equal pay promotes greater employee satisfaction and retention, reducing turnover and improving team cohesion. By addressing wage inequality, companies contribute to equity and strengthen their work environment and their own competitiveness in the medium and long term.
At TMA we focus on equality because of the social importance it has as a fundamental right that must be achieved and protected and because of the positive impact it has in business areas. This article aims to share our experience and offer a perspective on how we work in this area.
AT TMA WE ARE COMMITTED TO EQUALITY
In each and every one of our areas, from selection to promotion, salary policy, training, working and employment conditions, occupational health, work time management and conciliation, we assume the principle of equal opportunities between women and men, paying special attention to indirect discrimination, so that apparently neutral practices do not put a person of one sex at a disadvantage compared to people of the other sex.
Our corporate ethics focuses on ensuring that the principles of equality guide all our processes. This mission translates into the creation, promotion and maintenance of conditions that promote a safe and inequality-free work environment.
ACTIONS WE TAKE TO PROMOTE EQUALITY
We have implemented inclusive hiring policies so that all people, regardless of their gender, have the same opportunities to access employment and can develop professionally in the company.
Our selection policy includes the active promotion of female candidates in technical and management roles.
In addition, we have developed internal initiatives and protocols that support transparency, diversity and inclusion.
Equality Plan
Equal opportunities are a fundamental priority at TMA.
We have an Equality Certificate that endorses our commitment to gender equality and the creation of an inclusive work environment with the aim of advancing towards achieving real equality between women and men.
To this end, we have an Equality Plan to ensure, promote and guarantee gender equality and which includes key areas such as the selection and hiring of personnel, training and professional development, the reconciliation of work and family life, and the prevention of workplace harassment.
To ensure proper implementation, we have an Equality Committee that oversees the development, application and evaluation of the equality measures included in the Plan.
A key figure is our Equality Officer, whose role is crucial in coordinating and supervising equality initiatives and providing support and advice to employees, ensuring that they are respected in all areas of the company.
Communication Channel
In order to ensure the safety of all persons who have a relationship with TMA (workers, clients, suppliers, etc.), we have a specific Communication Channel to collect queries or complaints that arise regarding our business code of ethics.
In this way, we facilitate the possibility of reporting any irregularity, non-compliance or behaviour contrary to our values as a company.
All communications collected through this channel will be treated with absolute confidentiality and will be investigated in depth. To ensure transparency, management is carried out through the external company Adeplus. To date, no complaints have yet been received through this channel.
Code of Ethics
In our Code of Ethics we define the values and principles that we consider important in TMA and establish the rules to promote transparency, integrity and respect in the work environment.
A clear and well-communicated Code of Ethics helps prevent inappropriate conduct and ensures that any deviation from these principles can be addressed effectively and fairly.
In the context of equal pay, a code of ethics reinforces the company’s commitment to fair and equitable practices, ensuring that all employees are treated equally and without discrimination.
Harassment plan
At TMA we have a plan for preventing and addressing harassment in the workplace because a harassment-free work environment is essential to promoting a culture of equality.
This plan sets out clear procedures for reporting and addressing any form of harassment with the aim of ensuring that every employee feels safe and respected.
Without a safe and respectful environment, equal pay and gender equity policies would be insufficient, as our employees would not be able to fully develop or be fairly evaluated.
Therefore, the harassment plan is a key part of our comprehensive commitment to equity and equality in the workplace.
Non-sexist language manual
We have a non-sexist language manual, in which we establish the guidelines for using inclusive and respectful language that does not perpetuate gender stereotypes or exclude anyone based on their gender identity.
It is an essential tool to promote inclusive and respectful communication at TMA.
It is a document that provides clear guidelines on how to avoid the use of expressions that perpetuate seemingly neutral expressions but that often create gender stereotypes or can exclude any group based on their gender identity.
The use of non-sexist language in internal and external communication allows us to move towards a more inclusive and equitable work environment, where all employees feel valued and respected.
In relation to this, all internal communication and all manuals and documented processes have been thoroughly reviewed to make the necessary modifications and ensure that inclusive language is used in all of them.
It is a decisive action for the elimination of unconscious biases and promoting a corporate culture that favors equality and minimizes the gender gap that is often promoted through language.
In the framework of the International Equal Pay Day, it is essential to remember that equality is achieved with fair salary policies and also with a comprehensive commitment to ethics and inclusion in all areas of the company and language is a decisive tool to promote equality.
Transparency
We show with total transparency the policies that we carry out when developing our activities.
To this end, we have made public on our website the Policy Declaration, the Integrated Manual of Quality, Environment and Safety and Health at Work and the Business Code of Ethics, so that they can be consulted whenever necessary. These documents can be consulted from here.
Regarding internal communication, we report on all the decisions that are adopted in relation to this to promote awareness and sensitization in favor of equality.
WE PROMOTE EQUAL ACCESS TO JOBS
Our team is made up of more than 330 people and our leitmotiv is to continue promoting an inclusive hiring and promotion policy.
Although 89% of our employees are men and 11% women, there is a growing trend in the number of women occupying positions of responsibility at TMA. Currently, several women hold senior positions and manage teams and some of them are part of the Management Committee.
We promote equal opportunities and equal access to any job so that more and more women access leadership positions or positions traditionally held by men.
The trend to demasculinize jobs is present in our selection processes and we are making it a reality.
As we celebrate International Equal Pay Day, we reaffirm our commitment to continue implementing and improving measures to advance towards salary policies that guarantee a work environment where gender equality in access to jobs and positions of responsibility is a reality and a growing trend.
LAIA, THE FIRST WOMAN IN TMA’S CRT AND ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS EQUALITY
In the framework of International Equal Pay Day, at TMA we want to share a story that marks an important milestone and breaks barriers in our company, contributing to equity in access to jobs.
Laia has joined TMA’s Waste Recovery and Transfer Centre (CRT), becoming the first woman to hold this position in 60 years.
At 45 years old, she has been a pioneer in a historically male environment, performing key tasks in the classification of plastic, paper and cardboard, as well as the separation and traceability of materials.
Her dedication and desire to learn, as well as her commitment to teamwork, reinforce TMA’s mission, making it possible to valorise recyclable materials and directly contributing to the Circular Economy and environmental protection.
With extensive experience in sorting chains, Laia has managed to quickly adapt to her new role and to the team of people working at the CRT.
She highlights that “my colleagues are always willing to help me when I have questions” and that she has created strong bonds of friendship at work.
For Laia, being a woman in this environment has not represented an obstacle, but rather an additional motivation: “I am happy to be the first woman in this position. It makes me feel proud and motivates me a lot. We are a team, and that makes me feel good; in addition, every day I am learning new things.”
Laia’s story is a real example of how gender barriers can and should be overcome. Mutual support between colleagues and equal opportunities are essential to create inclusive spaces where talent, effort and dedication are valued equally, regardless of gender.
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF SALARY EQUALITY AT TMA
To ensure salary equality, we have taken various actions.
On the one hand, we carry out a salary analysis based on seniority, training, experience in the position and specialization, and we are actively working to ensure that our employees are remunerated equitably, leaving no room for gender discrimination. This allows us to know the salary reality of TMA and identify and correct any salary discrepancies and thus promote equity at all levels of the company.
Likewise, we collaborate with external consultants to carry out audits that validate our data and processes and allow us to identify areas for improvement to continue implementing actions that promote equality.
In addition, we offer all employees the same training and promotion opportunities so that, regardless of their gender, they can progress and develop their potential and skills.
All these actions allow us to maintain high standards of equity and move towards increasingly equal salary policies.
Looking to the future, our commitment to equal pay remains a priority.
We are developing a new Equality Plan and its corresponding action plan and we will inform employees in detail of all the measures that are proposed and the actions that are going to be carried out in terms of equality.
Our goal is to move towards equal pay and gender equality and, in addition to being a benchmark company in good practices in waste management, we also become a benchmark in equality policies.
It is time for all of us to take concrete steps to close the pay gap and ensure a more equitable future for all people in the workplace.
WE CARE FOR PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
At TMA we are committed to doing our job well in everything related to waste management, respecting the environment, and we are also committed to taking care of the people who are part of our company and those with whom we work.
For this reason, we will continue along the path of equality to provide all people with the same opportunities, with the same treatment and respect, for an optimal work environment.
We are much more than comprehensive waste management.