#GenderEqualOlympics: advancing gender equality, diversity and inclusion among the IOC staff
Advancing gender equality, diversity and inclusion is a commitment that starts at the heart of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as an organisation, and this includes its staff.
Since 2017, great progress has been achieved in the IOC administration in Lausanne:
- Among the IOC workforce (804 employees) in 2024, there are more women (57 per cent) than men (43 per cent). In 2017, women already represented 57 per cent of the workforce.
- In 2017, women accounted for 36 per cent of senior managers, and today, in 2024, they represent 50 per cent.
- In 2017, women accounted for 18 per cent of directors, and today they represent 30 per cent.
- In 2017, there were 47 nationalities at the IOC; now in 2024, there are employees from 74 different countries.
Building on Olympic Agenda 2020 and leading by example, the IOC has adopted and implemented an IOC Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan for its administration in order to achieve this progress.
As a purpose-driven organisation, gender equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded in our DNA and are central to everything we do. As an equal-opportunities employer, we are intensifying our efforts, and continually seeking to foster a diverse workforce and create a workplace where everyone is respected and valued, belongs and feels supported to be their best.
Initiatives to foster gender equality, diversity and inclusion
To support the promotion and development of diverse talents within the organisation, the IOC is offering greater flexibility in working hours and several training and development opportunities at all levels. A mentoring programme was launched a few years ago to connect with peers or leaders within the organisation and learn from them. The IOC is also launching specific mentoring and coaching programmes for women with external mentors, and for young parents.
An employee-led voluntary community group on gender equality, inclusion and diversity has also been launched to build a safe space for employees to connect with others and advocate for improvement where needed.
Ambitious targets and commitments for the Olympic Movement
Going beyond the IOC administration, and to steer the collective efforts for gender equality and inclusion, the IOC has fixed two key commitments to be achieved by the end of 2024:
- Consolidate the Olympic Games as one of the most effective global platforms for promoting gender equality, inclusion and diversity.
- Lead by example and support the acceleration of women’s meaningful representation in governance, leadership and decision-making bodies in the Olympic Movement.
To guide its work towards achieving these commitments, the IOC set concrete objectives for 2021-2024, providing a framework to mainstream gender equality across the IOC’s three spheres of responsibility:
- the IOC as an organisation,
- the IOC as the owner of the Olympic Games, and
- the IOC as the leader of the Olympic Movement.
The objectives cover five focus areas in which the IOC is driving collective action: participation, leadership, safe sport, portrayal and resource allocation.
Through these objectives and the IOC’s leadership, the Olympic Movement will continue its commitment to helping create a more gender-equal world through sport.
Learn more about the IOC’s Gender Equality and Inclusion objectives.