SAES has formally joined the Diversity Charter in Madrid, an initiative promoted in Spain by Fundación Diversidad and supported by the European Commission, reinforcing its commitment to equal opportunities, inclusion and diversity management. As a strategic state-owned company specialising in underwater acoustics and technology, SAES’s participation highlights the important role the public sector can play in fostering more diverse and inclusive workplaces across the technology and industrial sectors.
José Javier Mármol Peñalver, President of SAES (Sociedad Anónima de Electrónica Submarina, S.M.E.), and Esther Corbalán Fernández, Director of People and Culture, have formally signed up to the Diversity Charter, an initiative promoted in Spain by Fundación Diversidad and supported by the European Commission, further strengthening SAES’s commitment to equal opportunities, inclusion and diversity management.
The signing ceremony, held at Fundación Diversidad’s offices in Madrid, marks the addition of another public sector company to the Diversity Charter, highlighting the role that public organisations can play in fostering increasingly diverse and inclusive workplaces.
SAES is a strategic Spanish state-owned company specialising in underwater acoustics and technology, with more than 35 years of experience in the defence, security and environmental sectors. Headquartered in Cartagena, in the Region of Murcia, with an additional site in San Fernando, Cádiz, the company employs 141 professionals.
SAES is joining the Charter at a time when women remain underrepresented in the technology and industrial sectors. Against this backdrop, the company has made steady progress: women now account for 21.3% of its workforce and 25% of both senior management and middle management positions.
José Javier Mármol Peñalver, President of SAES, said: “Joining the Diversity Charter reaffirms a commitment that we at SAES have been building on for more than twenty years, underpinned by a corporate culture based on equal opportunities, respect and inclusion. In 2025, the Region of Murcia recognised this work by awarding us the Equality Distinction, acknowledging the effective implementation of measures in recruitment, equal pay, work-life balance and the prevention of harassment. For us, this recognition demonstrates that these policies are having a tangible impact across the organisation.The Diversity Charter now broadens this commitment to diversity as a whole and connects us with a European community of organisations that share the same principles. In a technology company such as ours, bringing together different perspectives and experiences enables us to strengthen our talent and enhance our ability to address the challenges of the future.”
SAES also undertakes a range of initiatives aimed at promoting equal opportunities and diversity across the organisation. The company has an Equality Plan as part of a broader strategy that places talent, inclusion and employee wellbeing at the heart of its ongoing development.
By joining the Diversity Charter, SAES becomes part of a community of organisations committed to advancing management approaches that recognise individual differences as a source of talent, innovation and growth.
Sonia Rio, Managing Director of Fundación Diversidad, said: “The fact that a public sector technology company such as SAES has joined the Diversity Charter demonstrates that diversity must continue to advance across all areas of our economy. The public sector also has an opportunity to lead by example and foster workplaces that embrace different perspectives and experiences. This commitment is particularly important in the technology and industrial sectors, where achieving greater diversity remains one of the key challenges.”
SAES’s decision to join the Diversity Charter also comes at a time when the Charter itself is evolving. From 1 October, Fundación Diversidad will update its ten principles to address the new challenges facing organisations and broaden its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
