The German Roentgen Society (DRG) has produced a special podcast episode to mark the third anniversary of its Diversity Group.
In the podcast produced by the society's #diversity initiative, Prof. Dr. Bettina Baessler from University Hospital Würzburg, speaks with former DRG President Prof. Dr. Joerg Barkhausen, his successor Prof. Dr. Konstantin Nikolaou, and Dr. Katharina Ronstedt of University Hospital Halle about the group's past milestones and future goals.
"The goal of the charter is to achieve a cultural change," said Barkhausen, noting that a significant achievement was the signing of the Diversity Charter in spring 2021. This employer initiative aims to promote diversity in companies and institutions, providing a practical guide for implementation.
Also of note is a mentoring program for women that has led to the establishment of a Women's Network within the DRG. "The DRG Women's Network has gained increased attention in recent years, and that's precisely where it belongs," said Baessler. Additionally, the group launched the #yeswecantoo initiative, producing podcasts documenting developments, and introduced a gender quota for female speakers at the 2022 RoeKo meeting, with Dr. Kerstin Westphalen becoming the first sole female congress president. The strategy was also adopted for the 2023 meeting.
In the podcast, Ronstedt underscored the importance of fostering work environments where colleagues belonging to the LGBTQ+ community can openly discuss their partners and families. She also addressed the issue of colleagues feeling pressure to keep disabilities secret out of fear of discrimination.
You can download the podcast episode free of charge here. Also, the second part of this discussion was published on 5 February.
Coming soon on AuntMinnieEurope.com will be a video interview with Dr. Anagha Parkar, chair of the European Society of Radiology (ESR) subcommittee on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
