Parity Network Awards: A Successful Year for the Network and Numerous Recognized Initiatives

On December 9, the second annual Parity Awards ceremony, organized by the Parity Network “Un Une,” took place. Fourteen projects were nominated, making the selection process so complex that it led to the creation of a new award: the Espoir Award. The ceremony also provided an opportunity to look back on a year—2025—that was rich in events and initiatives across the entire Group.

Marie-Aude Dubanchet, president of the network and deputy chief executive officer of La Poste Group in charge of communications, opened the ceremony by reflecting on her tenure:
“2025 was a great year for our network.”

This milestone is indeed significant: 700 ambassadors—twice as many as two years ago. She attributes this result, among other things, to efforts to strengthen governance structures, particularly through the establishment of a Steering Committee and regional delegations. Her goal: “To know where we want to go and how to get there, by bringing all the branches and subsidiaries across the country on board,” she explains .

In 2025, the network had set several priorities:

• Become a more integral part of the Group’s initiatives, particularly through increased participation in institutional events (Mayors’ Fair, Women Referees Committee, etc.)
• Expand international activities, highlighted by our first participation in a roundtable discussion for La Poste Europe.
• Propose a concrete initiative to support women’s careers by launching a mentoring program, whose first cohort has chosen to name itself after Anne-Laure Bourn in honor of an inspiring woman at La Poste and the Network.

Marie-Aude Dubanchet concluded by looking ahead to 2026: “We will build on this momentum and strengthen the work we began this year.”

The ceremony featured powerful speeches and was hosted by Aurore Mayer, director of the Parity Network.

Marie Carmen Estepa, Head of Transformation for the National Accounting Department of La Poste Group (Centre-Val de Loire) and network ambassador, shared her experience with mentoring: “When you’re a mentor, you’re also a mentee. The program offers this sense of sisterhood and companionship that women have still benefited from far too little.” She encourages those who are still hesitant: “Joining the network means taking a chance, giving yourself permission, and learning together.”

Laurent Motuelle, regional director for Mormalisis (Hauts-de-France), explained how his management team—which historically consisted of 85% men—has now achieved full gender parity. Coming from a priority neighborhood, he says he is driven by the concept of equal opportunity. Avoiding the use of algorithms in recruitment, systematically including women in management training programs, and working to foster a positive team culture are the key ingredients of this success. This includes, in particular, the introduction of a “Walk in a Woman’s Shoes” day, which has helped raise employees’ awareness of gender stereotypes and everyday sexism by fostering debate and discussion.

Next, Marie-Laure Raffin, establishment director in Tulle (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), shared an inspiring story: her early days as a mail carrier even though she didn’t know how to ride a bike, and how her coworkers taught her… During her speech, she emphasized the importance of having a supportive network to overcome imposter syndrome: “Doubt sets in, a shadow falls… and then there are those people who say, ‘You’re on the right track.’” ” She shared, with great emotion, the example of her mother, her very first role model, who acknowledged the difficulties without ever giving up. “Bamboo bends but does not break,” she concluded.

Artist Nicolas Ly then offered a moment of reflection—a true shift in perspective—as he discussed his journey as a singer-songwriter and the role women play in it. For him, artistic sensibility sometimes makes it possible to subvert the codes imposed—particularly those surrounding masculinity: “We breathe, we add nuance, we see things differently.”

Valérie Décaux, the Group’s HR Director, then took the floor to thank the network members before handing over the proceedings for the awards ceremony: “You are the ones who help shape the Group’s policies; sitting alone in an office, there’s not much one can do, so thank you!” And now, on to the awards.

The Impact Award was presented to the Operations and Regional Development Division for its “Parity” program , which identifies women on the Dex Executive Committees who have the potential to advance to leadership roles and provides them with support over the course of a year to enhance their visibility and establish them as role models for all female employees.

The “Prix Espoir,” a new addition to this year’s event, recognized La Poste Immobilier for its #Respect project — an initiative to raise awareness about everyday sexism, gender stereotypes, and domestic violence—which resulted in the creation of a charter and several certification programs. The award recognizes an initiative that arose from an incident of sexism experienced within the company, which was transformed into a constructive and collective response.

The Initiative Award recognized the Fraud Prevention and Combating Division for its quarterly after-work events for women in the industry. These events provide a space for discussion and networking, filling the gap left by the absence of a women’s club in this sector.

The “Coup de Cœur” Award went to Docaposte Tunisia for its “La preuve par l’exemple” project, which is dedicated to promoting gender parity at every stage of the career path among the 90 employees in this division—most of whom are engineers, and more than half of whom are women.

Finally, the “ Un Une” Parity Network Grand Prize was awarded to the Un Une Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes delegation for its program “A Different Perspective on Gender Parity in AURA,” which combines awareness-raising initiatives, urban walking tours highlighting prominent women, and support for women who are far from the job market. The entire initiative was led by a volunteer steering committee composed of men and women deeply committed to these issues.

The ceremony came to a close on an emotional note, fueled by the testimonials and success stories shared. Nicolas Ly provided a final musical interlude with his rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” —a poetic way to celebrate the collective strength of the network.

And if you weren’t able to watch it live, you can still watch the entire event: The “Un Une” Parity Network Awards Ceremony

I can’t wait for 2026!