The Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee at the BSRC Alexander Fleming was founded in 2021 as the Gender Equality Committee. Its creation followed Law 4604/2019, which promotes gender equality and gender mainstreaming in public policies, and aligned with recommendations from the European Institute for Gender Equality.
In 2023, with the passing of Law 5019/2023 (Article 58), the Committee's role was officially expanded. It was given a clear operational framework and broader responsibilities to include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) across the Center’s activities.
Our Role
The Committee serves as an advisory body to the Administrative Board of BSRC Alexander Fleming. Its mission is to:
• Promote gender equality
• Combat discrimination based on gender, race or ethnicity, religion or beliefs, health or disability status, age, and sexual orientation
• Prevent and address sexual harassment and all forms of harassing behavior
These goals apply to all levels and all operations of the Center — from research to administration.
What We Do
Our key responsibilities include:
• Strategic Planning
We design action plans to promote equity and prevent discrimination in research, education, and administration.
• Policy Recommendations
We propose concrete measures to promote inclusion, prevent harassment, and combat all forms of exclusion.
• Monitoring Progress
We track the effectiveness of implemented measures and recommend improvements as needed.
• Awareness
We provide resources to help our community understand and address issues of discrimination and harassment.
• Community Engagement
We support seminars, lectures, and research initiatives on gender, equity, and inclusion. We also promote the integration of gender perspectives in research and innovation.
• Research Support
We encourage and contribute to studies related to our mission and fields of expertise.
• Reporting & Support Systems
We help develop clear mechanisms for reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment and work with the Board to ensure appropriate support is provided to those affected.
FLEMING GEC: Who we are (2024-2027)
Chair: Marietta Armaka, Principal Researcher, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, FLEMING
Vice chair: Antigone Dimas, Principal Researcher, Institute for Bioinnovation, FLEMING
Member: Christophoros Nikolaou, Principal Researcher, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, FLEMING
In compliance with the relevant requirement, all training sessions and awareness-raising events on gender equality—including topics such as unconscious gender bias and other gender-related issues—are designed to ensure the active participation of all target groups. This includes both decision-makers and staff members across all thematic areas. The presence and engagement of each group are considered essential to fulfilling the obligation and achieving the intended impact of the initiatives.
Fleming is fully committed to ensuring the successful implementation of its Gender Equality Plan by dedicating specialized resources and the expertise of its staff. This includes the active involvement of the members of the Gender Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee (GEC), who provide guidance and support for the execution of the plan. Anyone can contact directly with the members of the Committee at
The center's strategic commitment highlights its dedication to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, where gender equality remains a central priority. To this end, the members of the committee dedicate two hours each week to internal discussions that focus on the issues addressed by the Gender Equity and Anti-Discrimination Committee. These discussions are fundamental to raising awareness and ensuring the ongoing engagement of the research community in gender equality matters.
The GEC members collaborate closely with the Human Resources (HR) department to gather relevant staff data, ensuring full compliance with GDPR regulations. They utilize the center’s internet infrastructure and storage space to securely manage and store this information. Furthermore, any materials or updates considered necessary for dissemination are shared via the center’s intranet, ensuring that relevant information is accessible to all employees in a timely and transparent manner.
In addition, GEC’s members actively participate in a nationwide network, contributing to and learning from a broader collective effort to advance gender equality across research institutions throughout Greece. The Greek Network of Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committees in Research Centers and Independent Research Institutes (GEARnet) was established in April 2022 and was immediately endorsed by all Research Centers and Institutes across Greece. Today, it comprises 15 member organizations, representing a combined workforce of over 10,000 individuals. The Network maintains close collaboration with the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, the Greek Innovation Lab for Women, the corresponding network of Greek Universities, and the Hellenic Association of University Women (ELEGYP). Representatives from these entities frequently participate as observers in the Network’s monthly general assemblies.