SPIE joins forces with Naval Group and Legrand to promote gender equality in the workplace

Cergy, 23 September 2021 – SPIE France, a subsidiary of the SPIE group, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, has joined forces with Naval Group, the European leader in naval defence, and Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure, to organise on 23 September a day dedicated to gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace entitled: Diversity and Inclusion: Welcome to the Club!

The event, which is being organised by the So’SPIE Ladies mixed network, the elle@Legrand network and other players involved in promoting gender equality within Naval Group, will bring together some sixty participants and will be divided into two main sections focusing on the exchange of good collective practices and the role that each one can play as an individual, regardless of gender, for wider inclusion.

The day will be introduced by Olivier Domergue, Managing Director of SPIE France, Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, Managing Director of Services of Naval Group, and Christelle Roulet, Sales Director of Legrand France. Its stated objectives are to make the most of the experience brought by each participant, to learn together and to shake things up when it comes to gender equality.

Programme:

- Conference focusing on “Feedback, proven ways to drive forward gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace” by Isabella Lenarduzzi, Managing Director of Jump, a social enterprise that works with organisations and individuals to stamp out gender inequality in the workplace and foster a more equal society.

- Workshops addressing action plans on 4 topics:

· The involvement of men
· Transforming the corporate culture for greater inclusion of women and all forms of diversity.
· Smashing the glass ceiling and breaking down the obstacles hindering women’s careers development.
· Recruiting and retaining women in technical professions.

- Personal development workshops:

· “Breaking down stereotypes, choosing your challenges and rising to them in a professional world”, led by Murielle de Potesta, Manager of the Samskara Transmission coaching centre, and Muriel de Saint Sauveur, President and founder of the company, Women Masterclass.
· “How can I be a better ally for gender equality as a man?”, led by Patric Jean, who directed the documentaries La Domination masculine [Male Domination] and La Raison du plus fort [The Rule of Might].

"We are convinced that a diverse company, representative of the world and society, is more successful. Through this first collective step, we are joining forces to move the lines, attract female talent to technical fields and keep them within our companies," says Christelle Roulet, sales director of Legrand France.

“In the technical and industrial universe, which is still very male-dominated, the promotion of gender equality is essential. Combining our strengths and sharing our experiences will allow us to progress more quickly and achieve our objectives more effectively,” adds Olivier Domergue, Managing Director of SPIE France and France’s sponsor of the So’SPIE Ladies network.

SPIE France intends to keep this momentum going and has set itself a target of increasing the proportion of women in the extended Management Committee to 35% by 2025.