Study on non-legislative initiatives for companies to promote gender ...

Gender equality initiatives 113
etc.), and career development tools (networking, coaching, sponsorship, etc.). In its
methodology, this course takes into account the learning concepts of women.
Under the initiative of IBM Corporation’s European Women Leadership Council (EWLC)
the Blue Talent Programme, a new development programme for high potential
women, has been launched. The programme is aimed at IBM’s top cadre of women
managers who are recognised by their Senior Leadership Team as having the potential
and ability to contribute strongly to the business's future success. The purpose of the
programme is to recognise, motivate, develop and promote the company’s high
potential women. Blue Talent is a rotational programme that is not prescriptive, but a
framework enabling individuals to develop and manage their own career. Activities
include professional training, building relationships & influencing, authentic leadership
programme, executive shadowing (accompanying a senior executive), personal
coaching sessions as well as networking opportunities (both within-company and
externally). Group sessions are scheduled quarterly, with coaching and executive
shadowing sessions being organised at a time most suitable for individuals. The
progress and advancement of the women is monitored throughout the length of the
programme and also tracked once they have departed Blue Talent.
At Dell Inc. and IBM Corporation, a number of development programmes encourage
female workers respectively employees to advance in the organisation. Through the
Taking the Stage initiatives, both companies offer communication and confidencebuilding
training to women in junior management, while mentoring programmes are
also in place for high-potential women employees. These trainings are given by
women.
3.7 Training
Before sending (new) employees to job specific training most of the multinational
companies have implemented procedures to familiarise their new employees with their
diversity culture (including gender aspects) or provide persons who have reached
management level with specific training on diversity and inclusion (D&I) issues.
Besides getting acquainted to corporate values, such diversity trainings also have the
purpose to raise the individual’s awareness on prior unconscious behavioural patterns
that might have to be re-thought.
L’Oréal SA, e. g. has decided to focus its action in the area of diversity on the six
priority points of nationality, ethnic origin, social origin, gender, disability and age. The
overall idea behind such a diversity approach often is that the company wants to reflect,
in their teams and at every level, the diversity of their clients. L’Oréal SA has elaborated
a specific Diversity Training for Managers that aims to involve, give responsibility to
and help managers in implementing the Group's diversity policy by clarifying the
diversity concept, by helping participants identify barriers on a personal and organisational
level and by providing participants with tools to construct an action plan. The
Diversity Training for Managers is obligatory for all employees working in management
positions as well as for future managers. The training also includes a module that deals
with (unconscious) gender stereotypes strategies and individual approaches to
overcome these are developed; based on theory (definitions, legal context, etc.) and
using situational approaches (case studies, role playing, etc.).
A discrimination sensitivity training (that also deals with gender issues) is as well
offered at PSA Peugeot Citroën SA, where this training is mandatory for all employees.