This Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Policy and its supporting process represent an essential operating principle for Optimal HR in Action. Optimal is dedicated to fostering a work environment characterized by diversity and a culture of inclusion, ensuring that all personnel feel like equal members of the organization and its operations. This policy aims to build upon Optimal's existing commitments, such as its Gender Equality Plan (GEP), to promote a broader culture of respect, fairness, and equal opportunity for all individuals within and interacting with Optimal. This Policy takes effect from 15/07/2025.
To ensure a common understanding, the following definitions will guide this policy:
The term "diversity” refers to the recognition, respect, and appreciation of unique characteristics and the coexistence of people with different genetic or acquired traits. Key pillars include gender, age, race/color, disability/chronic condition, ethnic/national origin, and sexual orientation/gender identity. Optimal embraces the richness that diverse experiences, backgrounds, and contributions bring to its workforce, significantly enriching its organizational culture and enhancing performance.
Equity entails the fair treatment of all individuals regardless of their personal or social characteristics. Equity presupposes that everyone has the same opportunities and rights and is treated fairly in all aspects of their lives, including work and education.
With Inclusion we define the harmonious coexistence of all individuals within the social fabric, without discrimination. It is an active effort to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging and full participation within a group, community, organization, or society. Optimal's commitment to inclusivity ensures that all employees, regardless of gender, feel valued and empowered.
Refer to forms of behavior, acts, practices, or threats thereof, which aim to, lead to, or may lead to physical, psychological, sexual, or financial harm, whether manifested individually or repeatedly. Optimal, as a Human Resource company, particularly emphasizes protection against violence and harassment in the workplace, aligning with relevant legislation.
Defined as the unfair or unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on specific characteristics, such as gender, age, race/color, disability/chronic condition, ethnic/national origin, and sexual orientation/gender identity.
The establishment of this comprehensive DEI Policy is deeply connected to Optimal's fundamental values: integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
Integrity fosters a culture of openness and accountability, ensuring transparent processes and fair evaluations in promoting DEI.
Collaboration promotes active engagement at all levels, recognizing that achieving DEI is a collective effort from every department and person within the organization.
Inclusivity ensures that all employees feel valued and empowered, embracing diverse experiences and backgrounds to enrich organizational culture and performance.
Financial Sustainability reflects Optimal's long-term vision, where integrating equity and equality practices contributes to maintaining financial resilience.
Continuous Improvement incorporates dedication to self-reflection and ongoing review of processes and practices for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of DEI strategies.
This DEI framework will continuously align Optimal's practices with evolving regulatory frameworks and globally recognized standards for promoting equality.
Optimal is committed to fostering a workplace environment that is inclusive, diverse, and fair, free from discrimination, intimidation, or harassment, promoting transparency and creating equal opportunities for all. Every individual connected with Optimal will be respected and valued.
Optimal's commitment to inclusivity ensures that all employees feel valued and empowered, and collaboration is a collective effort across all levels and departments. This fosters a culture of respect and dignity for every individual within the organization, with responsibility for upholding these principles resting with each department and division.
Optimal is dedicated to the fair and impartial treatment of all employees and to providing equal professional opportunities. This applies equally to its existing workforce and to job applicants.
Specifically:
Optimal, as a leading recruiting firm, ensures that job advertisements for open positions published through internal and external channels list the required knowledge and skills for each role without mentioning specific characteristics (such as gender, age, ethnicity/nationality, social/family status, religious beliefs, etc.), in adherence to relevant legislation.
Optimal ensures that all employees have equal access to training and skill development programs. With a primary goal of lifelong learning, Optimal aims to foster understanding and integration of DEI principles in the workplace. This includes promoting training initiatives regarding gender equality.
Optimal's compensation and benefits system is structured to ensure equal pay for work of equal value, in an equitable and fair manner, avoiding any discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity, color/race, age, disability/chronic conditions, national/ethnic origin, or any other legally protected factor, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
The offboarding process is governed by respect, professionalism, and transparency, ensuring fair and equitable treatment and providing necessary support during transitions. Optimal recognizes employees' contributions and commits to protecting their dignity and rights in accordance with DEI principles.
Optimal is committed to ensuring a work environment that accommodates individuals with diverse needs, consistent with its commitment to diversity and equal opportunities.
Optimal promotes work-life balance as a key part of its organizational culture, supporting flexible working models (e.g., parental leave, work-from-home flexibility) and identifying suitable benefits for personnel with caring responsibilities.
Optimal aims to support women’s participation in decision-making bodies and embed equality, diversity, and inclusion principles into its governance and strategic planning. Optimal's Gender Equality Plan includes indicators to track the number of women managers over the total number of managers annually.
Optimal is committed to "gender proofing" career advancement within the organization, including monitoring balanced participation of men and women in organizational events, courses, and activities.
Optimal implements measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, by increasing gender equality awareness, promoting training initiatives, encouraging reporting of gender incidents, and ensuring the use of non-sexist language in all official correspondence and digital material.
Optimal HR ensures all stakeholders are informed through the publication of this document on its website and other means of communication optionally (social networks, press releases, etc.). On the implementation and progress of their commitments regarding acceptance and respect for diversity, equality and inclusion during the reporting period of the report. Similarly, through communication channels, initiatives, actions and partnerships with bodies are made public regarding relevant issues which have been implemented or planned.
Optimal's Gender Equality Plan includes objectives for increasing gender equality awareness and encouraging personnel to report gender incidents. Optimal is bound by the broader legal framework promoting gender equality, including protection against gender-based violence, and implements measures against it. This implies appropriate reporting and complaint procedures, adhering to legal requirements for confidentiality and data protection.
The way of submitting internal complaints/reports regarding deviations from this Policy may be made anonymously (by mail, telephone, e-mail) and anonymously (by mail). The available channels for submitting complaints/reports are as follows:
- By telephone, by calling the numbers +30 210 3259350
- Email paroni@optimalhrgroup.com
- By post: to the address Tzavella 67, Halandri 152 31 with the reference "CONFIDENTIAL" to the attention of the Director of Human Resources, Mrs. Vicky Paroni.
This DEI Policy will be reviewed periodically. Optimal's HR Department, under the supervision of Ms. Vicky Paroni, will conduct a 360-degree evaluation on an annual basis, encompassing both quantitative (e.g., KPIs) and qualitative (e.g., employee surveys, interviews) data to assess progress and ensure continuous improvement. The next 360-degree evaluation is scheduled for July 2026. The Human Resources Department will maintain an electronic record of complaints in accordance with personal data protection regulations.
The Human Resources Department maintains, in accordance with the provisions of the General Regulation 2016/679 on Personal Data Protection and Law 4624/2019, an electronic file in which complaints are recorded.
Effective implementation of this DEI Policy requires clear responsibilities across the organization.
Human Resources Department: Responsible for drafting, modifying, implementing, supervising, and monitoring this policy. This includes organizing and delivering training, receiving and resolving reports of deviations, and monitoring evaluation indicators. The HR Department of Optimal is responsible for keeping the DEI Policy up to date.
Executive Directors: The CEOs are responsible parties for various objectives, including promoting flexible working models, establishing suitable benefits, and embedding DEI principles into governance and strategic planning. The DEI Policy is also approved by top management (Mr. Menelaos Kyriakopoulos).
Legal Services Department: Provides advice concerning this policy and in cases of doubt regarding the matters described herein, consistent with Optimal's adherence to legal frameworks.
Department/Division Heads: Responsible for ensuring the principles and application of this policy within their respective areas, as collaboration entails collective effort from each department.
All Employees, Partners, and Suppliers: Optimal's stakeholders, including employees, partners, and suppliers, are expected to comply with this policy based on relevant information provided to them. Any department or division that enters into agreements with partners and suppliers is obliged to inform them about this policy to ensure their compliance.
