We have put forward a number of initiatives to ensure gender balance and promote the involvement of women in crystallography at all stages of their career, based on “Ten Simple Rules to Achieve Conference Speaker Gender Balance” [Martin JL (2014) PLoS Comput Biol 10(11), e1003903. https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003903].

Organization issues

1. A person in charge of gender balance (gender balance advisor) has been appointed to analyze and develop policies that ensure a fair gender balance.
2. We have developed statistics on women attending crystallography meetings (see below) to a) set gender balance aims b) analyze evolution of the community.
3. Based on the statistics, we have developed a speaker policy, setting up the statistical minimum to be looked for by chairs in their session organization. This policy will be provided to all chairs. Of course, the statistics are an average among different fields. Hence, in cases where the chairs are not able to follow the stated balance, they should provide the organizing committee with a report of names considered that explains the <30%.
4. We have developed a family friendly conference. Accompanying attendees for people with children and children will be issued at no extra cost. Moreover, onsite childcare service & activities, nursing & kids room, tours for families and a family welcome reception will be organized. Children will be allowed in sessions.
5. A special entry on the ECM32 webpage will be devoted to the organization issues related to gender balance. The speaker policy will also be made public via de website.
6. In order to provide visibility to these and other initiatives for Women in in Crystallography, the general microsymposium "Women in Crystallography" will be organized. This microsymposium will not be focused on science, but rather on the problems, biases and possibles solutions for Women in Science in a format similar to the Power Hour promoted by GRC conferences.
7. Support from the private sector for women attending the meeting will be searched by the gender balance advisor. Two options are being regarded:
   1. women students to promote them participating in the events
   2. attendees who are bringing their family, helping with their travel & lodging expenses.
8. After the conference, these initiatives will be critically analyzed and a report will be provided to the organizing committee in order to analyze the outcome and possible ways of improving the initiatives.
9. ECM31 in Oviedo, Spain was a first test to realize these ideas with great success. In this spirit the organisation of the ECM32 wants to go on. The outcome will be made accessible for future ECM’s and IUCr meetings.