E-Convention in Burgundy-Franche-Comté

On March 23, 2021, the Parity Network organized its first event in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté as part of Equality Month.

Kildine Bataille, regional development delegate in charge of social engagement and the digital transition in Burgundy, and Camille Santos, director of communications and the Banque de Bourgogne, both ambassadors for the “Un Une” Parity Network, organized a virtual conference to present the Parity Network and the challenges facing our region.

La Poste Group created the “Un Une” Parity Network to promote gender equality within the company. The “Un.e” Parity Network is both a physical network, led by ambassadors from all business units and across the country, and a virtual network accessible via an intranet site.

“The Parity Network was launched in October 2019. It is an inclusive network of men and women at La Poste Group who are committed to advancing gender parity, driving change, and promoting values of progress to support our Group’s performance,“ explains Cécile Courtaud, head of talent development within the Group’s HR Department and national coordinator of the “Un Une” Parity Network.

In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, this opportunity for sharing and discussion provided a chance to assess the state of gender parity within the Group using key figures: “For the third consecutive year, La Poste received a score of 94 out of 100 on the Gender Equality Index thanks to its efforts in the area of equal pay.

Please note that women account for 52.5% of the total workforce, and their representation in management now stands at 51.5%, including 39.1% among strategic executives and leaders. I dare say it’s only 39.1%, because gender equality in the workplace comes to an abrupt halt right at the threshold of power.

“Professional equality within our Group is, of course, an integral part of our new strategic plan: ‘La Poste 2030: Committed to You,'” notes Kildine Bataille, regional development representative in charge of social responsibility and digital transition in Burgundy.

VISIBILITY, AWARENESS, AND DIALOGUE

Participants discussed gender parity and the initiatives implemented by the company. Laurence Hulin, Director of Diversity and Equal Opportunity at La Poste Group, highlighted the commitments outlined in the agreement on professional equality between women and men dated July 25, 2019, as well as the results achieved: “Under this agreement, we have set the following targets: we aim to have 45% women in Group A by 2022. The good news is that we reached this threshold by the end of 2020. For Groups B and C, the target is set at 40% women, and we are currently at 39.1%, so we’re also on track!”

Camille Santos, Director of Communications for the La Poste and Banque network in Burgundy and ambassador for the “Un Une” Parity Network, shared with us the strategy implemented at the regional level: “At the regional level, we aim to pursue two areas of focus: the first is to raise awareness of gender parity and its challenges among local decision-makers and recruiters by adopting a strategy to influence our local governing bodies through both formal and informal meetings. The second priority is to raise awareness among all La Poste Group employees about gender parity and, in particular, to encourage female employees to have the confidence to apply for jobs, make themselves known, and gain recognition.”

The discussions continued on topics such as gender equality and parenthood, sexism in the workplace, and gender equality and men.

Stéphane Challine, HR Director at BSCC in Bourgogne–Franche-Comté, explained the importance of gender parity within teams: “Women make up more than 55% of our total workforce. Gender diversity is the norm here. The postal carrier profession has become significantly more female-dominated in recent years, thanks to changes in work schedules and equipment. Today, the distinction between men and women within the team—beyond perhaps adjusting equipment to fit body size—is not an issue, and we handle every situation the same way, whether it involves a man or a woman.”

SHARING EXPERIENCES WITH ZONTA CL

These remarks were supplemented by those of Sophie Gondellier, a member of the Zonta Club in Dijon, a service organization that brings together professionals and decision-makers working together to advance the status of women through advocacy, service projects, outreach to young people, and fundraising and product drives.

“La Poste is one of the companies that chose to participate in the fundraising campaign to address period poverty, and on behalf of Zonta, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to La Poste’s management.

“It’s with companies like this one that we can continue our efforts!” says Sophie Gondellier.

Link to the Forum article: Click here!