Inclusive Excellence at the AO Foundation

At the AO Foundation, our mission is to foster a culture where Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) are integral to our workforce and communities. We are committed to recognizing and embracing the unique differences of everyone, ensuring equitable opportunities, and removing barriers to access. 

The AO Inclusive Excellence Focus Group (hereafter “IEFG”) is a voluntary, multi-disciplinary group of employees from different departments and regions established in early 2024. The IEFG initiates, manages, and implements initiatives and projects AO-wide around DEIA.

Inclusive Excellence Plan 2026-2028
 

We are combining our enduring DEIA initiative, “Inclusive Excellence,” with the requirements of Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation, as of 2026. This Inclusive Excellence Plan not only ensures compliance with Horizon Europe requirements for grant applications, but also reinforces our dedication to our Inclusive Excellence initiative from past years. In April 2026, the Inclusive Excellence Plan 2026-2028 was approved and is fully supported by the AO EC, available to all our employees internally on AskMyHR and publicly here:

Inclusive Excellence Policy – for our employees across the AO
 

To strengthen our global commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and a safe working environment, we have introduced updated Inclusive Excellence Policies. These policies define expectations for respectful conduct, outline support channels, and describe the process for reporting any personal integrity violation.

• The Inclusive Excellence Policy – Switzerland (in force since March 2025)
• Inclusive Excellence Policy China (in force since January 2026)
• Inclusive Excellence Policy Hong Kong (in force since January 2026)
• Inclusive Excellence Policy Brazil (in force since January 2026)
• Inclusive Excellence Policy Colombia (in force since January 2026)
• Política de prevencion del acoso sexual laboral Colombia / Policy for the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace Colombia (in force since January 2026)