SUCCESS THROUGH DIVERSITY, A DAILY CHALLENGE

In 2020, Deloitte identified what many had already noticed: diversity is a performance factor. According to the firm’s survey, companies that are committed to inclusion have a 60% greater chance of improving their productivity and profits. But how can we move from intention to action? How do you make diversity a reality? An answer in seven points.

1 A Complex Mission

Age, origin, gender, sexual orientation... tackling the issue of diversity is never easy, explains Anne-Laure Thomas, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion France at L’Oréal. «My work is based on the law. In France, there are 25 different criteria for discrimination. In order to clarify, my work focuses on several themes: gender equality, disability, social and ethnic origin, age, physical appearance and sexual orientation. These six areas allow me to deal with a wide range of situations. My priority is to work closely with HR in order to ensure that no employee is a victim of discrimination when they are recruited, and also in their daily lives and careers. This development is in line with a fundamental trend in society: today, seven out of ten French people believe that, in addition to economic issues, companies must also take on social issues.

2 The Key Role Of Governance

The involvement of top management is crucial for the success of diversity policies. In this respect, the Deloitte study gave a mixed result: in 2020, only 40% of managers and HRDs felt that general management should be the main promoter of diversity and inclusion. The L’Oréal group has been involved with the subject for twenty years, the Executive Committee regularly discusses the issue and its members attend the events we organise relating to diversity. It’s a way of embodying a policy, of leading the way. The zero tolerance that we claim in terms of discrimination is not only displayed: it is carried to the highest level. This creates a climate of trust that allows everyone to feel legitimate in expressing themselves.

3 BRINGING EVERYONE ON BOARD, FROM MANAGERS TO EMPLOYEES

What remains is to encourage everyone to claim ownership of diversity issues. It is a question of infusing the culture of openness and benevolence into everyday life,» explains Anne-Laure Thomas. Since the employees concerned are in the best position to discuss these issues, we mobilise them to increase the number of testimonies and actions on our sites, from the head office to the factories.» Lucas Amaral Lauriano, a teacher and researcher at IÉSEG, confirms that «employee participation is essential. When they are involved in defining priorities and implementing concrete measures, they understand, accept and commit themselves more.» But beware: everyone’s commitment also depends on the involvement of managers. «Each employee must feel that his or her managers are ready to listen to their difficulties and to take on unexpected questions or situations. A rapid response to a concrete case strengthens the commitment of employees.

4 Betting On Training

The fight against clichés or stereotypes that can lead to discrimination requires a considerable training effort, but one that is necessary to break down certain preconceived ideas: to take just one example, who knows that 80% of disabilities are invisible? At L’Oréal, each new employee spends a whole day being trained in diversity issues. This is a real challenge for managers, but an essential step, says Lucas Amaral Lauriano: «Training helps to align employees with the vision and values of the company, while clarifying issues that are not necessarily clear to everyone, such as the meaning of the acronym LGBTQIAP+, which is sometimes unfamiliar to the very people it concerns.»

5 A Long Effort

Among those dangers that threaten committed companies, one of the most serious is believing that the essential has been acquired. «It’s a long-term process that must never be abandoned,» insists Anne-Laure Thomas, recalling that gender equality is the best example of this: «The issue of sexism shows that nothing can be taken for granted. There has of course been enormous progress but certain clichés remain.

6 Measuring The Accomplished Progress

Any policy in favour of diversity can be evaluated using different indicators. Some are legally required, such as the census of people with disabilities or the equality index, that provide an annual assessment of the pay gap between men and women in companies with more than 50 employees. Others can be implemented by HR departments, but Anne-Laure Thomas suggests going further: «to ensure that L’Oréal does not practice any discrimination in recruitment, we have organised several testing campaigns with the help of a specialist firm. In addition to the relevance of this external and objective view, it is an excellent way of evoking several different criteria.»

7 Taking On New Themes

As society evolves, the notion of diversity is constantly changing. New expectations are emerging and previously taboo issues are being expressed more openly. Following these trends is essential for companies, explains Anne-Laure Thomas: «the obstacles to diversity are not necessarily related to old issues, but also to more recent subjects such as the mental health of young people or that of women. Certain issues that were previously rarely or poorly expressed, such as pain linked to endometriosis, are making their way into the public debate, and therefore into companies. A good example of this is the support provided to women during the menopause,» emphasises Anne-Laure

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Thomas, «30% of work stoppages among women over 45 is linked to the symptoms that affect some of them, and it is possible to imagine ways of adapting. Then as now, diversity has not finished evolving. «The idea is not to do too much, but to accompany those who need it.»

80 % OF HRDS AND LEADERS SEE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (DELOITTE, 2020)