Commissioner for Equal Opportunity

Together, they work to promote equality, help employees balance family and work, and address sensitive and stressful situations in the workplace. They serve as points of contact for all employees. In this interview, they discuss what motivates them in their work, why trust is essential, and what equal opportunity means to them personally.

When Saskia Lange took over as BfC in 2021, there were no longer any serving representatives at Fraunhofer ISIT. She was nominated for the position and ultimately elected. “Without really knowing what to expect,” as she says today. The necessary seminars and training sessions followed afterward. In the 2026 elections, Magda Karczewski joined as deputy BfC. “I talked a lot with Saskia and found the work interesting,” she says. This ultimately led to the decision to take on the role together with Saskia.

Their motivation for this work also has a personal dimension. Both work in a technical and scientific field where women remain underrepresented. “We are women ourselves, and there are still relatively few women in technology,” says Saskia. That’s why it’s important to her to show others what opportunities are available to them. At the same time, she wants to ensure that these opportunities are equally available to everyone.

For Magda, too, collaboration is central. “It’s important that everyone feels comfortable here and that there’s a point of contact for those who have a problem or don’t feel comfortable. That you don’t have to deal with it on your own,” she says.

The BfC’s work covers three key areas: gender equality, balancing family and career, and preventing and addressing difficult or boundary-crossing situations in the workplace. Employees can reach out to the two of them with a variety of concerns. No one needs to know in advance whether their specific issue actually falls within the BfC’s scope of responsibility. An initial conversation can help assess the situation and, if necessary, find the right person to contact.

Confidentiality is particularly important here. “I don’t think there’s anything more important,” says Magda. Information is not shared without the consent of the person involved. The two also discuss a matter with each other only if the person in question agrees. Anyone who prefers to speak with just one of them can do so at any time. “You can say quite clearly: ‘Saskia, I’d like to talk to you,’ or ‘Magda, I’d like to talk to you,’” explains Saskia. The other person then steps aside. Confidentiality is maintained.

The two encounter such patterns of thinking not only in their professional lives. They are often so taken for granted that they go unnoticed at first. Both therefore emphasize that no one is free from unconscious assumptions. What matters most, they say, is to become aware of these assumptions and to continually question one’s own preconceptions.

In their view, this is particularly relevant in technology and science. In many technical fields, there are still significantly more men than women. “It doesn’t mean we can’t do it or that we can’t be just as good,” says Saskia. For both of them, it is therefore important to create opportunities and not to assign people specific roles based on preconceptions or stereotypes.

At Fraunhofer ISIT itself, the two now experience their day-to-day work as a matter of course and on an equal footing. Once someone is working at the institute, gender plays no decisive role in daily interactions. Employees take on the same tasks and are assigned based on their job responsibilities. From their perspective, the challenges often arise earlier—for example, when choosing a career, applying for a job, or dealing with the expectations others have of them.

Much of the BfC’s work remains behind the scenes. In addition to discussions with employees, it also involves many behind-the-scenes processes. The BfC is integrated into specific processes; for example, they review documents and support administrative procedures. “It’s like an iceberg,” Saskia says, describing the work. What’s visible from the outside is only a small part of it. Much of it happens behind the scenes. But it is precisely this work that is important to ensure that equal opportunity is also taken into account in day-to-day operations.

A concrete example of this is a new quiet room for pregnant women and mothers at ISIT. The room offers the opportunity to retreat in peace during work hours—for example, if experiencing discomfort during pregnancy, or for breastfeeding and pumping. It can be locked, thus providing the necessary privacy. For Saskia and Magda, the room is a good example of how a specific need can lead to a practical improvement. “I would have loved to have something like this when I was pregnant,” says Saskia.

The two haven’t set a single major goal for their current term. Rather, they want to build on what has already been achieved and further develop the existing opportunities. “All we can really do is continue to educate and inform people and be there when someone needs something,” Magda summarizes. Especially when it comes to balancing family and career, the key is to maintain and further expand good structures. This will also help create favorable conditions for future employees.