The policy’s keywords are equality, knowledge and ambition.

The purpose of the Icelandic Medicines Agency’s Human Resources and Equality Policy is to lay the foundation for the Agency being an attractive workplace for capable and ambitious staff with diverse skills, knowledge and experience considered necessary for the Agency’s operations.

The policy applies to all activities of the Icelandic Medicines Agency.

Policy and objectives

The Icelandic Medicines Agency always has capable, highly educated and ambitious staff and provides them with opportunities to develop professionally. Staff have the education and experience required to undertake the diverse tasks assigned to the Agency under the legislation governing its activities.

Working environment

The Icelandic Medicines Agency aims to create a safe and empowering working environment for its staff. Emphasis is placed on effective information sharing with staff and on constructive communication based on respect. The Icelandic Medicines Agency emphasises a flexible working environment and attendance at the workplace, so that staff can maintain a balance between work and private life. Rules on staff attendance are set out separately in the Agency’s attendance policy.

Equality and equal pay

The Icelandic Medicines Agency aims to ensure that equality among the public and staff is respected and that equality is in accordance with legislation on equal status and equal rights in the labour market. This includes, among other things, ensuring that staff of the Icelandic Medicines Agency receive equal pay and the same terms and conditions for the same work or work of equal value. Staff are not discriminated against on the basis of sex, age, religion, opinions, nationality, race, sexual orientation, financial status, descent, family ties or other status. This applies in particular to recruitment and changes in position or terms of employment. All staff of the Agency receive equal pay and the same terms and conditions for the same work or work of equal value.

The Icelandic Medicines Agency undertakes to:

• Implement a certified equal pay management system based on the ÍST 85 standard, document it and maintain it through continuous improvement, monitoring and response.

• Comply with applicable legal requirements and other requirements in force that affect the equal pay management system, and confirm annually that they are being followed.

• Conduct a pay analysis at least annually, comparing the same work or work of equal value and thereby examining whether any unexplained gender pay gap is measured in pay by gender, and present the main results to the staff covered by the review, unless personal data protection interests prevent this.

• Respond to deviations and opportunities for improvement through continuous improvement and monitoring.

• Conduct an internal audit of the processes of the equal pay management system.

• The effectiveness of the equal pay management system is addressed in management review.

Communication

The Icelandic Medicines Agency aims to create a working environment and culture in which staff wellbeing is promoted. This is done through targeted prevention, clear procedures and support. It is also done through a prevention and response plan for bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and violence, hereinafter referred to as EKKO. The prevention and response plan defines resources and measures, supports prevention and sets out procedures in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 46/1980 on Working Environment, Health and Safety in Workplaces, and Regulation No. 1009/2015 on measures against victimisation, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and violence in workplaces.

Professional development

Emphasis is placed on professional training, continuing education and professional development among staff in order to ensure the knowledge and skills necessary for successful performance, to ensure that the Agency is at all times as well equipped as possible to carry out the tasks assigned to it, and not least to promote staff development and job satisfaction. Development interviews are conducted regularly within the Agency and are intended, among other things, to encourage discussion of lifelong learning and professional development.

Indicators

• Certification of the equal pay system.

• Work is carried out in accordance with the Agency’s equality plan.

• Staff surveys in which job satisfaction is measured on the basis of defined factors, with the objective that job satisfaction is measured within the defined strength range.

• Annual staff interviews are conducted with all staff, where their wellbeing and views are discussed and the need for professional training and continuing education is assessed and responses are determined.

Information sharing

Information on the results of implementation and monitoring of the Human Resources and Equality Policy is provided regularly on the Agency’s internal communication channels, as measurement results become available.

This policy is presented to all staff of the Icelandic Medicines Agency and is also available on the Icelandic Medicines Agency’s website.

Entry into force and review

The policy is issued by the Executive Director of the Icelandic Medicines Agency following a proposal from the Agency’s Human Resources Manager and approval by the Executive Board. The policy applies from the date of confirmation by the Executive Director, as recorded through the document approval process in the management system.