GOOD³W officially kicks off

The GOOD³W (Gender-Oriented Objectives for Diversity in the Wood Sector) project officially entered its implementation phase during the consortium kick-off meeting held in Rome on 2–3 July. Bringing together employers' organisations and trade unions from Italy and Bulgaria as well as CEI-Bois, the meeting marked the official launch of three years of collaboration aimed at promoting greater gender equality and diversity within the European woodworking sector.

Designing the cornerstone of the project

As leader of Work Package 2, CEI-Bois presented the first proposal for the project's Survey Mapping and Toolkit, one of the project's key deliverables.

The Toolkit goes beyond a traditional questionnaire. It establishes a common methodology that will allow comparable information to be collected across participating countries while remaining practical and accessible for SMEs.

The proposed approach combines:

• surveys of employers and employees;

• targeted interviews;

• the identification of good practices.

Together, these activities will provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing women's recruitment, career development, leadership opportunities, work-life balance and participation within the woodworking sector.

During the kick-off meeting, partners reviewed the proposed approach and discussed several opportunities to further strengthen and refine the Toolkit before the launch of the European data collection campaign.

Presenting the European woodworking sector

CEI-Bois also presented an overview of the European woodworking industries, highlighting both the sector's economic importance and the challenges it currently faces.

Labour shortages, demographic change and need for skilled workers are placing growing pressure on companies across Europe. Against this background, improving gender diversity is not only a question of equality, it is also an opportunity to widen the talent pool, improve the attractiveness of the sector and strengthen its long-term competitiveness.

From evidence to practical solutions

One of the ambitions of GOOD³W is to move beyond simply describing the current situation.

By combining quantitative data with the experiences of employers and employees, the project will identify concrete barriers, showcase successful initiatives and develop practical recommendations that can be used by companies, employers' organisations, trade unions and policymakers.

The project will also collect examples of good practice from across Europe, helping to demonstrate how companies are already creating more inclusive workplaces and attracting a more diverse workforce.

Looking ahead

The coming months will focus on refining the Survey Mapping and Toolkit before launching the first surveys and interviews across participating countries.

The results will form the evidence base for the next stages of the project, including the identification of good practices, the development of practical tools and recommendations, and actions supporting social dialogue on gender equality within the woodworking sector.

Through GOOD³W, CEI-Bois is proud to contribute to building a more attractive, inclusive and resilient future for the European woodworking industries.