December Editorial by Aurore Mayer: Continuously Revitalizing the Culture of Gender Parity and Diversity

We tend to think that achieving gender equality is a long-term process. Looking back, we can certainly take pride in certain advances: equal political rights have been won over the course of history (in France, at least), economic disparities are narrowing from one decade to the next, the vast majority of business leaders are now convinced of the positive effects of gender diversity on corporate performance, and more and more women are holding positions of responsibility… Indeed, everything suggests that each new generation is succeeding in setting new standards that enrich our culture of gender diversity.

As a result, we might be tempted to leave it to future generations to resolve the issues that—despite our determination and efforts—continue to hinder progress toward gender equality: the persistence of gender stereotypes, the tendencies toward self-censorship that continue to hold back the ambitions of far too many women, and the effects of inequalities within households on the glass ceiling…

But can we really be content to simply trust the younger generations to find solutions to the problems that we’ve been unable to solve?

The challenges of diversity cannot wait for time to pass and for resistance to fade. Because diversity is not so much a generational issue as it is a matter of regeneration. In their book *Regenerate*, which has just been published in France, Ben Haggard and Pamela Mang invite us to draw inspiration from the remarkable ability of living systems to adapt to changing contexts and to make use of all available resources to sustain themselves and evolve. Living organisms do not rely on the future to solve their problems! They are constantly reinventing themselves in the present.

What if we viewed gender diversity as a regenerative culture? Then we could build on everything we have at our disposal to bring it to life and help it grow every day. And here at La Poste Group, we have the assets to turn gender parity into a vibrant movement that’s adapted to the challenges of our time: an inspiring mission, committed leaders, a “Un Une” Parity Network bolstered by its dynamic local chapters, a creative spirit, and motivated talent!

Aurore Mayer, Director of the “Un Une” Parity Network