Women in leadership
In line with the strong commitment of President von der Leyen to ensure gender balance at all levels of management, considerable progress has been made in this respect over the past years.
Female representation increased since 2019 (data on 1 January 2026):
European Commission
- Senior management: 46.9% female in senior management (37% in 2019)
- Middle management: 50.2% female in middle management (42% in 2019)
- Overall representation: 49.5% female
Executive Agencies
- Middle managers: 47% female
- Directors: 4 out of 6 are female
This unprecedented increase in female representation at management level required the combined efforts of all Commission departments. It was achieved through talent development programmes for female staff and specific targets for Directorates-General, while ensuring that all appointments were based on merit.
The principle of making gender-balanced first appointments at middle management level was closely monitored and helped to ensure sustained gender equality.
Diverse staff
The Commission – working in collaboration with the European Personnel Selection Office – actively seeks a more diverse pool of candidates. It also regularly reviews selection and recruitment processes and procedures to fight unconscious bias and ensure fairness.
It supports staff with disabilities or impairments through reasonable accommodation to create the conditions for a smooth and fulfilling workplace for everyone.
In addition, the Commission upholds a zero-tolerance policy regarding discrimination on all grounds towards its staff members, as enshrined in the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union.
Measuring progress and driving improvement
The European Commission regularly conducts surveys with a goal of collecting equality data to create better policies and provide better support to colleagues who might need it. The goals of these surveys are to:
- assess the current situation;
- identify areas of improvement;
- measure progress;
- collect data for evidence-based human resources policies;
- update the Commission’s diversity and inclusion Action Plans, focusing better on the needs.
Surveys on diversity, inclusion and respect
Fact Sheet on the Diversity and inclusion in the workplace - Action Plan 2023-2024
Action Plan 2023-2024 - Fact Sheet on the Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
