© Franziska Peter
Family Support
We are dedicated to equal opportunities
Our Counseling Services
Important contacts, links and guidelines
The Max Delbrück Center aspires to provide a good working environment for all staff – through an outstanding infrastructure and open scientific exchange, but also as a research organization characterized by tolerance, respect, diversity, professionalism, personal integrity, and good interpersonal relationships.
When people work together, problems are not only inevitable but also normal. What’s important is to find amicable solutions early on in order to ensure high motivation and productivity as well as everyone’s well-being. This requires respectful and trusting communication.
The Max Delbrück Center has a non-discriminatory culture in which all individuals are met with equal respect and value. Neither ethnicity, place of origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age nor world-view should lead to personal or professional disadvantages. The Max Delbrück Center opposes any form of behaviour that violates the dignity of its staff members and provides prevention, information and assistance to avoid or solve such infringements.
We encourage everyone to address any conflicts that may arise and, if necessary, involve senior staff or other points of contact. When problems occur, the Max Delbrück Center offers points of contact (see left column) that staff can trustingly turn to for help and advice.
Guidelines and rules
Guideline against discrimination, bullying and harassment
At the Max Delbrück Center we collectively shoulder the responsibility of providing all staff a workplace free of harassment, bullying, and discrimination. To this end, the Guideline against discrimination, bullying and harassment has been in force since 01.01.2020.
This interim Guideline is part of a Code of Conduct (to be developed) that sets out standards of conduct and describes expected behavior of Max Delbrück Center employees. The code of conduct is based on a mission statement (to be developed) which, among other things, represents the values of the Max Delbrück Center.
We also recommend the guidelines issued by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency.
Guideline for leadership
The guidelines were jointly developed at the Max Delbrück Center. They set out six leadership principles: Excellence requires leadership / Leadership is performance / Courage to innovate / Promoting diversity and thinking diversely / Trust through honesty and appreciation / Taking responsibility and acting responsibly.
The guidelines are part of the project "Development and Establishment of an MDC Leadership Culture" launched in 2020. The guidelines were approved by the Board of Directors.
Rules for good scientific practice
Honesty with oneself and others is one of the fundamental principles of science. The Max Delbrück Center places a high value on compliance of our researchers with the relevant rules.
The Research Ombudsman is the first point of contact in such matters.
Ombudsmen for issues of good scientific practice
Key contacts and links
Staff Council
The Staff Council is the independent advocate for all our employees, responsible for representing their interests to the employer. It is comprised of 13 members, who are elected every four years by our staff. The role of the council is to support and advise all staff members and to function as an intermediary between employees and the Board of Directors.
Chair
Certified conflict advisor
Further Staff Council members (Training in preparation)
Please send an email to: personalrat@mdc-berlin.de
AGG-Beschwerdestelle (Complaints Office)
According to the General Equal Treatment Act, anyone who feels discriminated on the basis of racism or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity can turn to the AGG Complaints Office.
AGG Complaints Office at the Max Delbrück Center
Welcome & Family Office
Representation of women and equal opportunities
Equal opportunity for men and women is important to us. There is still a balanced proportion of women and men during the dissertation period. However, the percentage of women drops during the postdoc phase – and women only hold 15 to 20 percent of senior research positions in Europe. This leads to a huge waste of talent in research and the workforce. We as a research organization equally value the potential of both sexes and seek to leverage this potential. The Women’s Representative and her deputies are working to make equal opportunity a reality, for example, by improving the compatibility of career and family.
A project called “LIBRA” has examined how gender equality has been addressed so far in Europe while also looking into what can be done better. The Max Delbrück Center has participated in this project as a member of the EU-Life alliance.
Women’s Representative
Graduate Office
PhD students can, for example, contact the Graduate Office with general questions or reach out and discuss issues with representatives from their own ranks. In addition, the PhD Ombudspersons are available to assist with any difficult situations. They are impartial and independent, are elected by the study body, and provide support and informal advice. The Ombudspersons work with those affected to find strategies to resolve their conflicts. They can also arrange meetings and facilitate contact with other official mediators. Whatever is discussed remains confidential if the student so chooses.
Head of the Graduate Office
PhD Representatives
Helmholtz Juniors
Postdoc Office
The postdoc representatives are a support network for postdoctoral students at the Max Delbrück Center: postdocrep@mdc-berlin.de.
Further information on the Postdoc Association at the Max Delbrück Center.
Please send an email to: postdocoffice@mdc-berlin.de
Ombudspersons for PhD students
The Ombudspersons are impartial and independent, are elected by the study body, and provide support and informal advice. They work with those affected to find strategies to resolve their conflicts. They can also arrange meetings and facilitate contact with other official mediators.
Technical Assistants' Representatives
Disabilities Officer
Marion Posselt-Hofmann
Youth and Apprentice Representatives
N.N.
External contact points
Psychosocial Counselling
Dipl. Soz. Sylvie Tappert
Please send your appointment request to:
- sylvie.tappert@therako.de or
- by phone under 030/ 28 37 25 71
Mireille van Veenendaal
Dipl.Sozpäd., systemic therapist and non-medical practitioner for psychotherapy
Therapeutic contact person for German-speaking employees of the Max Delbrück Center
- Practice: address: Rykestrasse 4, 10405 Berlin, always on Wednesdays from 3.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
- Online: always Fridays from 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
- mvveenendaal@hotmail.com
- www.therako.de
- https://therako.de/mireille-van-veenendaal/
Company Physician
Information about and the address of our company physician Dr. Christ you can find here
Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
The advisory offices of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
Header image: Katharina Bohm / Max Delbrück Center
