Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) have been part of our core values ever since Melkweg opened in 1970. We aim to be an organisation that is a reflection and representative of society as a whole, to give space to creativity and offer a safe environment. We make room for various, valuable stories and views that exist in Amsterdam and believe the world is a better place when our differences are celebrated. 

Vision  
Because DEI is an interwoven part of our identity and foundation, we actively oppose exclusion of any kind, create opportunities within Melkweg and encourage awareness of what it means to work inclusively. We want everyone to feel welcome, to be able to be themselves, and make sure no-one is excluded. 

We continually aspire to be an inclusive organisation and to become more inclusive. The Code Diversity & Inclusion (in Dutch) helps us to focus on four main areas of interest, known as the 4 P's Program, Public (Audience), Personnel and Partners. In these areas we are aware of different aspects of diversity, such as gender, age, religion, physical and mental (dis)abilities, (cultural/social) background, ethnicity, sexual preference and personal circumstances. We aim to strengthen our organisation by utilizing our differences. To enhance this even further we offer courses on various subjects such as (cultural) awareness and professional behaviour, we research and measure how employees experience inclusivity within the organisation and initiate actions on the subject of DEI. 

To make sure everybody's voice is heard, we have two DEI groups in Melkweg. The first mainly concentrates on policy making, the second functions as a sounding board. Periodically the first group present new policies, ideas and concepts to the sounding board group, which consists of a broad representation of almost all departments. The sounding board gives advice and makes suggestions that can be further researched. Furthermore, every team formulates DEI goals in their yearly plans. This way we enhance our support base for DEI themes and are able to involve a cross section of our organisation. 

These are our DEI values: 

We are curious
Everyone should be allowed to be who they are. We acknowledge and hear each other through close listening. We are open to visible and invisible diversity. We experience and learn from each other. 

We celebrate differences
Our programming is diverse, and we are open to work together with many different groups, subcultures and communities. We work with various partners and encourage them to also educate themselves on DEI. We are a learning organisation, agile and always in development. We believe individual choices about different customs and convictions contribute to a more diverse and inclusive Melkweg. As an example: employees can choose (holi)days that are important to them and exchange them with other holidays. 

We are committed to social safety 
Our Code of Conduct is leading in the way we act and make our decisions. It helps us do our work carefully and with integrity. We pay attention to a safe and comfortable work environment, there is no place for discrimination and exclusion. Unwanted behaviour is not tolerated and there are consequences when the rules agreed upon are not followed. In the event of unwanted behaviour such as bullying or discrimination an employee can contact their supervisor and/or confidant (internal and external)

We are committed to equal opportunities  
In order to ensure equal opportunities for everyone our recruitment process is as impartial as possible. We offer (future) employees training, courses and other opportunities to develop themselves professionally within our organisation.