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Commission follow-up flags gendered phrasing in Siemens recertification materials
Summary
At its July 21 meeting the Urbana Human Rights Commission heard a follow-up that Siemens's recertification materials contained wording that appeared to assign certain jobs by gender; staff say the HR author characterized the wording as anecdotal and welcomed feedback and revisions.
On July 21, 2026, the Urbana Human Rights Commission received a follow-up on Siemens's recent two-year recertification after commissioners raised concerns about wording in a company's good-faith-efforts letter.
Tom, a staff member who called the roll and presented the update, said one phrase in the letter "about women didn't seem all that interested in the outside construction type work" prompted questions at the May meeting. Tom said he reached out to the human-resources staff member who drafted the letter; she told him the language was anecdotal and reflected comments collected from recruiters rather than formal analysis.
Tom said the HR staffer "welcomed the call" and "appreciated the feedback," and that she plans to consider alternative language and include changes in the next report to the commission. He described the exchange as collaborative and said she may reach back with further information for the commission.
Tom also noted Siemens's work involves automating building systems such as door locks and lighting, and said the HR staffer is still learning the job responsibilities and how those technologies operate in different facilities. The officer present told commissioners she will bring related items to the committee next month for further review.
The commission took no formal enforcement action at the meeting; commissioners directed staff to continue engagement with the HR author and to report back on any substantive revisions or findings at a future meeting.
