Giza Baliabide Estrategia– HRS4R

European Charter for Researchers & Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of researchers

The European Commission adopted the European Researchers' Charter and the Code of Conduct for Researcher Recruitment , drafting two documents aimed at researchers as well as employers and providers of public and private sector funding. Both documents have become key elements of European Union policy, making research an attractive career and stimulating economic growth and employment in Europe.

Specifically, the European Charter for Researchers outlines the functions, responsibilities and rights of investigators and their employers. The aim is to ensure that the relation between these parties contributes to successful performance in the generation, transfer and shared use of knowledge, as well as the professional development of researchers from the early stages. 

Moreover, the Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers was drawn up to improve enrolment, so that selection procedures are fair and transparent. The researcher's merit should be measured not only by the number of publications, but also by a wider range of evaluation criteria such as education and teaching, supervision, teamwork, knowledge transfer, management and public awareness-raising activities.

To help accommodate the research institutions to the Charter and Code principles, the Commission set out a procedure through which those institutions interested in including them, could design their own Human Resources (HR) Strategy.

HRS4R in POLYMAT

POLYMAT endorsed the European Charter for Researchers and The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C) implementing the 40 principles.
HRS4R is a mechanism to support the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C).
This procedure consists of five steps:
1.    Preparation of a rigorous Internal Analysis.
2.    Publication of the Institution Strategy in the corporate website to maintain and improve the Charter and Code. 
3.    Evaluation and approval of the Strategy by the Commission. 
4.    Application and continuous self-assessment of the process by the institution
5.    And finally, have the Strategy and its deployment evaluate externally by the Commission every four years after initiating the process.

Since the beginning of this project it is has been clear for POLYMAT that persons are the key factor for success, especially in the research sector. We truly believe that a professional and personal satisfaction push any organization towards the excellence. In this sense, POLYMAT focus its efforts in supporting researchers at all stages of their careers, providing adequate facilities, professional development and support and a good work environment, all based in our core values. The implementation of the Charter and Code has given us the opportunity to analyze, through a participation process, a lot of key aspects, realizing that some important ones need to be improved. We really hope that the actions chosen will help us to continue developing and growing in the quality of POLYMAT´s people management system.

Polymat seeks to maintain a culture of integrity and legal compliance and has therefore developed an effective Organization and Management Model (Compliance Plan) which applies to the whole organization and shows its commitment to compliance with applicable law.

Polymat´s management applies through example, and ensures that others apply, the organization's core values, standards of corporate governance, ethics and relations with all stakeholders defined in this manual or in the established Organization and Management Model as a whole.

The HRS4R Strategy is embedded at the POLYMAT strategic plan and its Compliance Plan.

The outcome of that process was the Internal Analysis and the HRS4R Action Plan 2017. As a result, in July 4th 2017, POLYMAT was awarded the "HR Excellence in Research" logo and recognition. The award reflects our commitment to continuously improve our human resource policies in line with the European Charter for Researchers, the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and our commitment to achieve fair and transparent recruitment and appraisal procedures.

Currently, and two years after obtaining the "HR Excellence in Research" award, POLYMAT has carried out the self-assessment process for reviewing and improving the previous Action Plan.

As a result, in September 2019, POLYMAT has conducted a new Internal Analysis in order to elaborate a new Action Plan for the next 3 years (2019-2022).

Plan Review (2019-2022) was approved February 12th 2020 by the European Union assesors. Very good feed back obtained.

Open, Transparent And Merit-Based Recruitment Of Researchers (OTM-R)

Open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R) is one of the pillars of the European Charter for Researchers and in particular of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. OTM-R brings benefits to researchers, institutions and a country's research system. More specifically, OTM-R makes research careers more attractive, ensures equal opportunities for all candidates and facilitates mobility. Overall, it may contribute to an increase in the cost-effectiveness of investments in research.

POLYMAT has analyzed, assessed and integrated the recommendations and principles of OTM-R into its internal recruitment policies.

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Code of Conduct

POLYMAT C&C Internal Analysis and Action Plan 2017

POLYMAT OTM-R policy ENG

POLYMAT política OTMR- ESP

POLYMAT HR Action Plan Review 2019-2022

POLYMAT HR Action Plan Renewal 2023-2025

Plan Execution Evidences