Gender equality: tips for mobilizing your company

Gender equality: what are your legal obligations and how can you go further?

Equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of French and European law. It implies respect for the dignity, rights and freedoms of each and every individual, as well as the fight against gender-based discrimination.

Companies have an essential role to play in promoting gender equality in the workplace, whether in terms of access to employment, pay, training, career development or work-life balance.

Beyond simple legal imperatives, it's important to explore ways of transcending these obligations to truly establish a culture of equality within your company.

From the law on the index of professional equality (Egapro) to policies to combat gender-based violence and harassment, there are numerous measures to guarantee genuine parity within your organization.

Gender equality is not only a question of social justice, it is also a factor of economic and social performance for companies. By promoting diversity, mix and inclusion within their teams, companies can improve their attractiveness, creativity, innovation, productivity and competitiveness. They can also meet the growing expectations of their customers, partners and stakeholders, who are increasingly sensitive to gender equality issues.

Professional equality index or Egapro index

This index is an essential tool for assessing and promoting gender equality within companies. Egapro is based on four or five indicators, depending on the size of the company:

• the pay gap,
• the difference in the rate of individual increases,
• the difference in promotion rates,
• the percentage of employees who receive a raise when they return from maternity leave,
• parity among the ten highest earners.

The index is calculated on 100 points, and companies must achieve at least 75 points to comply with the law. Companies that fail to meet this target must implement corrective measures or face financial penalties.

Gender-based violence and sexual harassment

Violence and harassment based on gender and sexuality are persistent problems in many working environments around the world.

Such unacceptable behavior can have serious consequences for victims, both emotionally and professionally. It is therefore essential for companies to take proactive measures to prevent and manage such situations.

To begin with, it's important to recognize that violence and harassment based on gender and sexuality can take many forms, from derogatory remarks and discriminatory behavior to acts of physical or sexual violence. 

No form of abusive behavior should be tolerated in the workplace.

To promote a safe and inclusive working environment, companies need to put in place clear policies and effective reporting procedures.

All employees must be informed of their rights and of the resources available for reporting incidents of violence or harassment.

In addition, gender and sexuality awareness training can help promote mutual respect and understanding within the company.

In addition, managers and executives must play an active role in promoting a culture of equality and respect.

This can include organizing awareness-raising sessions, setting up gender equality working groups and appointing people responsible for monitoring and managing cases of violence or harassment.

Finally, it is crucial that companies treat all complaints seriously and confidentially, ensuring that victims are supported and that appropriate action is taken against those responsible for misconduct.

By implementing these measures, companies can help create safer, more inclusive and more respectful workplaces for all their employees.

Parenthood in the workplace

Corporate parenting is a topic of growing importance in the modern business world. As more and more employees juggle family and professional responsibilities, companies need to adapt to effectively support their parent employees.

First and foremost, it's essential for companies to recognize the unique challenges faced by working parents. From maternity and paternity leave to flexible working hours, parents' needs can vary considerably depending on their family situation. Companies that offer generous parental leave policies and flexible work arrangements are more likely to attract and retain talented employees.

Furthermore, corporate culture plays a crucial role in supporting parenthood in the workplace. Companies that value work-life balance and encourage a culture of support and understanding between colleagues are better placed to create a parent-friendly working environment.

This can include initiatives such as mentoring programs for new parents, internal support groups and company-organized family events.

Managers and executives also have an important role to play in promoting corporate parenting. They need to be sensitive to parents' needs, and ready to offer extra support when required.

This can mean being flexible about working hours, enabling remote working where possible, or offering resources to help parents balance work and family.

In conclusion, it is essential that companies foster a work culture that respects and supports their employees' parenthood.

This means recognizing and supporting a diverse range of family models, including single-parent families, adoptive families and LGBTQ+ families.

By creating an environment where all employees feel respected and supported in their role as parents, companies can foster a positive and productive working climate for all.

How can you mobilize your company around March 8?

March 8 is International Women's Rights Day, an opportunity to raise awareness and mobilize your company around the challenges of professional equality. But how can we ensure that this day is not just a symbol, but a real lever for change? Here are a few ideas for organizing concrete, effective actions.

- Take stock of the situation within your company. This involves measuring the gaps between women and men on a range of indicators, such as pay, representation on decision-making bodies, access to training, work-life balance, and so on. This data is used to draw up a diagnosis, identify areas for improvement and set quantified targets.

- Raising awareness and training employees and managers. It's important to make everyone in the company aware of the stereotypes and discrimination that can affect women in the workplace, and to give them the tools to deconstruct and combat them.

Workshops, conferences, training courses and testimonials can be organized to address these issues.

- Valuing women's career paths and skills. The aim is to highlight women's talents, recognize their contributions and encourage their professional development.

Mentoring, coaching, networking and internal promotion initiatives can be put in place to support women in their careers.

- Involve social partners and external stakeholders. It is essential to create a collective dynamic and mobilize all the players involved in the life of the company, such as unions, customers, suppliers, associations, etc.

Charters, labels, agreements or partnerships can be signed to demonstrate a commitment to professional equality.

- Communicating on actions and results. It's important to make the company's initiatives to promote equality between women and men visible and effective.

Internal and external communication media, such as newsletters, reports, websites or social networks, can be used to disseminate best practices and success stories.

Create a special event around Women's Rights Day

March 8 is International Women's Rights Day, an opportunity to highlight the struggles, successes and aspirations of women around the world. But how can we turn this date into a moment of awareness and commitment without falling into the trap of "social washing"?

Social washing" refers to the practice of presenting a socially responsible image without taking concrete action for the common good. This is the case, for example, of companies that advertise their support for women without implementing any real measures to promote professional equality, gender diversity or the fight against discrimination.

To avoid "social washing", initiatives around Women's Rights Day must therefore be genuine and meaningful, i.e. they must reflect the company's values and commitments, be part of a sustainable and coherent approach, and have a positive impact on the women concerned.

One way of creating a highlight around Women's Rights Day is to organize or take part in corporate challenges. These are collective challenges designed to mobilize employees around a common goal linked to the cause of women.

For example, we can imagine a sporting, cultural, solidarity or creative challenge that raises funds for a feminist association, raises awareness of a specific issue, or showcases female talent.

There are many advantages to a corporate challenge:

- It creates a collective, unifying dynamic within the company, strengthening the sense of belonging and team cohesion.

- It stimulates employee motivation and commitment, giving them the opportunity to challenge themselves, have fun and feel useful.

- It enhances the company's image and reputation, demonstrating its commitment to a societal cause and promoting its actions to internal and external stakeholders.

In conclusion, promoting gender equality within your company is an essential step not only to comply with ethical and legal standards, but also to foster an equitable, inclusive and productive working environment. By implementing the tips and best practices discussed in this article, you can create a corporate culture that values diversity, encourages mutual respect and enables everyone to achieve their full potential, whatever their gender.

By investing in fair recruitment policies, gender awareness training programs, initiatives to close the pay gap and measures to prevent violence and harassment based on gender and sexuality, you can position your company as a leader in promoting gender equality.

Together, as business leaders, human resources managers, managers and employees, we can work hand in hand to create a future where gender equality is not just a goal to be achieved, but a tangible reality in every workplace.

By taking a proactive and committed approach to gender equality, we help build fairer, more prosperous and more resilient organizations for all.