Translations

An increasing number of women join Eau de Paris

2. Human Rights

Diversity, equal opportunity, and fighting discrimination

Sector Energy / Water

Year 2007

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Eau de Paris is trying to replace Human Resources at the heart of the

organisation. In 2001, the human resources department of the organisation decided to work on the issues of bullying and prevention of discrimination in agreement with trade unions. The social dialogue culture of Management and Trade Unions made it possible to examine such issues to prevent situations of conflict and tension. So, in 2001, the organisation set up a commission in charge of ethics, which made it possible to initiate a social dialogue on the issue of Social Responsibility, equality at work and diversity management

Objectives

Recruiting at least 25% more women against employment figures for the previous year.

APPROACH

- Actions intended to raise awareness and train staff in how to handle diversity issues,

- Internal communication actions on the challenges of equality at work and diversity via the Intranet.

- Concrete actions in terms of recruitment to apply non-discrimination principles, including:

Employment monitoring, to compare women’s employment rates to women’s application rates.

Excluding any form of - direct or indirect - discrimination in

selection modes, and in position descriptions or titles.

- The Human Resources department also studies conditions under which
certain positions traditionally held by men can be progressively assigned to more women (or vice versa).

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Relying on complementarity between men and women more to conduct affairs.

Improved quality for certain technical services provided by women.

Benefits

Problems inherent in discrimination are better perceived by employees - both at work and in private life.

Women’s employment rate has increased from 10% in 1990 to 25% in 2004.