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Diversity and Anti-Discrimination - Key Values for us
At AWI, we see diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values of our community. We are committed to creating a workplace where all employees—regardless of their background, identity, or life circumstances—feel respected, valued, and included, and are empowered to reach their full potential. Diverse perspectives enrich the way we work together, foster mutual learning, and contribute to our success as an institute.
Contact
Women's representative and equal opportunities officers
Gleichstellung_EqualOpportunities@awi.de
Dr. Gerit Birnbaum, Pia Schliefke, Kelly Gomez Campo
Representative body for severely disabled employees
Anette Tillmann
International Office
Andrea Bleyer
Family Office
Winfried Hebold-Heitz
Staff council
personalrat@awi.de
Inclusion officer
Alexandra Krämer
Gender equality
- Target agreements and measures to promote equal opportunities: We pursue specific targets and quotas to promote gender equality, especially in management and research positions.
- Women's representative and equal opportunities officers: Is an important contact persons for all issues relating to gender equality and the promotion of women at the institute.
Links and downloads:
Act on Equality between Women and Men in the Public Service of the State of Bremen (in German)
Gender Equality Plan
Gender Equality Plan - Statistics
Compatibility of work and personal situation
- Family Office: We support employees with children or family members in need of care through personalized advice and family-friendly working conditions, including flexible working hours and remote working options.
- Family-Friendly Support: We provide guidance on childcare, pregnancy, parental leave, and returning to work, offering individual support and flexible solutions to help employees balance their professional and personal lives.
More information is available on the Family Office page
International employees
- International Office: We support international employees with visa and residence permit applications, relocation to Germany, and administrative processes such as registration with local authorities. Assistance is also available for accompanying family members, housing, and other practical or intercultural matters.
- German Language Courses: Our International Office offers in-house German language courses for employees and their partners.
- Networking: Events and exchange opportunities promote cultural exchange and help international colleagues build connections and feel at home at AWI.
More information is available at the International Office page
Inclusion of people with disabilities
- Representative for severely disabled employees: Elected every four years by employees, the representative body advocates for and supports employees with disabilities and severe disabilities.
- Workplace Accommodations: We are committed to providing individual workplace accommodations and tailored solutions to ensure an accessible and inclusive working environment.
- Continuous Improvement: We continuously evaluate and revise our processes through consulting and collaboration in various networks, including Inklupreneur, the EAA, the Working Group on Employment of the “Netzwerk Inklusives Bremerhaven” (Inclusive Bremerhaven Network), and employer exchanges among companies in Bremerhaven.
Neurodiversity in the workplace
- Inclusive Workplace Design: We are committed to creating working environments where neurodivergent employees can thrive by providing tailored accommodations and practical support, including assistive tools where needed.
- Awareness & Inclusion: We raise awareness of different communication styles and ways of working, and promote inclusive practices throughout the employee journey.
LGBTQIA+
- Fieldwork & Expeditions: We provide training and information to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in fieldwork and on expeditions.
- Pride Month: We organize workshops and events during Pride Month to foster exchange, learning, and visibility.
- Preferred Name: Employees can use their chosen name in most internal IT systems.
Diversity in recruitment
AWI pursues an inclusive selection process that focuses on knowledge, expertise, and skills, regardless of gender, socio-cultural background, nationality, race, religion, ideology, disability, age, sexual identity, or sensory needs. As part of the project “OpenAWI”, we are actively committed to diversity-sensitive recruitment and provides the foundation for diversity monitoring.
Inclusive Leadership
Since July 2026, 15 managers and team leads have been participating in our Inclusive Leadership Train-the-Trainer Program. Across five modules, they develop expertise in inclusive leadership, self-reflection, communication, mindset, and facilitation skills. The program also builds a network of multipliers who will share their knowledge with colleagues and help strengthen inclusive leadership across the organization. The program is delivered in collaboration with the DEIB consultancy Be!longing Consulting.
In addition, we offer:
- Flexible working hours and working models, including up to 50% mobile working
- Psychosocial counseling
- Conflict management
- Mediation
- Company doctor
- In-house rehabilitation management
The complaint office under the General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz - AGG)
The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG, in German) is the German anti-discrimination law. It protects employees from discrimination on the basis of age, gender, chronic illness or disability, religion, sexual identity or on racist or anti-Semitic grounds.
Violations of the AGG can take many forms, e.g. sexualized remarks, lack of consideration for chronic illnesses, no further training for older employees, etc.
Do you have the feeling that you are being or have been disadvantaged or discriminated against? Any suspicion of discrimination is systematically investigated at AWI. In the event of incidents, AWI employees and applicants can contact the AGG complaints office at any time in confidence.
1. What is the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG)?
The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) is the German anti-discrimination law. The law applies in the working environment, in everyday business and when looking for accommodation. The scope of application of the AGG includes all phases of the employment relationship, from the job description to recruitment, promotion and termination, and applies to all employees.
2. What are the grounds of discrimination?
A total of 6 grounds of discrimination are enshrined in the law:
- Gender
- Disability or chronic illness
- Age
- Racist or anti-semitic grounds (ethnic origin)
- Religion and ideology
- Sexual identity
3. What is a complaints office under the AGG?
Please note: An AGG complaints office is not a collegial advisory service for those affected, such as the staff council, the women's and equal opportunities officer or other contact points. A complaint triggers an obligation for the employer to act in the event of existing discrimination or the suspicion of existing discrimination - irrespective of whether the persons concerned wish to have it investigated.
Section 13 AGG stipulates that every employer must set up a competent body within the company to receive complaints from employees who feel disadvantaged or harassed by their employer, superiors, other employees or third parties.
4. On what grounds can a complaint be lodged?
The decisive factor is that the person concerned has the subjective feeling that they have been discriminated against or harassed on the basis of one of the characteristics mentioned in Section 1 AGG (gender, disability/chronic illness, age, racist and anti-semitic grounds, religion/ideology and sexual identity) and that this event is also related to the employment relationship.
Specifically, the AGG distinguishes between the following forms of discrimination or harassment:
1. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favorably on the basis of a ground of discrimination than a person in a comparable situation is, has been or would be treated.
2. Indirect discrimination occurs where an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice may put a person at a particular disadvantage because of a ground of discrimination referred to in point 2, unless that provision, criterion or practice is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary (positive action).
3. Harassment is discrimination where unwanted conduct related to a ground of discrimination referred to in point 2 has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Examples of harassment:
- derogatory and demeaning comments about origin, skin color, speech impediments, physical attitudes, disabilities or religion and the wearing of religious symbols
- Jokes and teasing, etc.
- derogatory looks and gestures in connection with discrimination characteristics
- Exclusion or harassment of work colleagues in connection with discrimination characteristics, e.g. through deliberate information gaps, spatial isolation, ignoring or assigning offensive, humiliating tasks
- Racist or anti-semitic behavior
- Physical violence in connection with discrimination characteristics
4. According to Section 3 (4) AGG, sexual harassment is unwanted conduct that is sexualized and gender-related. This ranges from unwanted looks and sexual innuendo to physical touching. Sexual harassment is characterized by violation of dignity and undesirability. All sexual harassment is prohibited in the workplace, regardless of whether the person causing the harassment intended it - it's the effect on the harassed person that matters. Unwantedness also exists if a person is or was under pressure to endure or reciprocate a sexual act. Sexual harassment can be divided into three categories: verbal, non-verbal and physical harassment.
Examples of sexual harassment:
- verbal: sexually suggestive comments and jokes
- verbal: intrusive and offensive comments about clothing, appearance or private life
- non-verbal: intrusive or suggestive looks, unwanted messages with a sexual connotation, posting pornographic material
- physical: unwanted touching (patting, stroking, pinching, hugging, kissing), even if the touching appears to be accidental
- physical: repeated physical advances, e.g. pushing and shoving
- physical: physical violence and any form of sexualized assault up to and including rape
5. Who can turn to a complaints office?
Complaints include both the personal, daily interaction between colleagues, as well as the behavior of superiors and the employer in general.
Not only affected employees can turn to a complaints office, but also trainees, freelancers, as well as people who are applying for a job or whose employment relationship has already ended.
6. How does a complaints procedure work?
Please note: During the complaints procedure, an external law firm assists with the hearing of the persons involved and the legal assessment of the facts of the case.
0. possibility of a confidential consultation with the AGG complaints office
1. submission of a written complaint
2. preliminary examination (Is there a reason for complaint under the AGG? If not: feedback to the person making the complaint and, after consultation, forwarding to a competent contact point if necessary)
3. implementation of the complaints procedure (external support from a law firm)
a. Hearing of the parties to the conflict, examination of immediate measures
b. Clarification of the facts incl. hearing of witnesses
c. Evaluation of the results
d. Recommendation of measures to the Executive Board
e. Communication of the results of the investigation to the parties to the conflict by the AGG Complaints Office
f. Communication of any measures imposed by the AGG Complaints Office
4. review of the effectiveness of the measures, if applicable.
7. How can I contact the complains office?
If you would like to contact the competent complaints office in accordance with § 13 AGG, please contact agg.beschwerdestelle@awi.de or:
Eva-Katrin Landscheid
Eva-Katrin.Landscheid@awi.de
0471-4831 2333
Katharina Kramer
katharina.kramer@awi.de
0471-4831 2252
We're a partner of the project TandemPower. Together, we are standing up for stereotype-sensitive career guidance!
We are making a statement for greater inclusion in the workplace! Together with Inklupreneur we are making workflows and structures even more inclusive and needs-oriented.
We are part of the Action Days Schichtwechsel (engl. Shift Change) and DUODay.
We join the cross-school project "mint:pink goes BHV". Together, we want to get schoolgirls interested in science and technology and give them a hands-on experience of STEM subjects.