(Newsletter #15) Reducing gender inequalities at work: Is this the best we can do?

If this issue had been prepared last year, its title would probably have been more positive. But let's not turn a blind eye: the latest reports from the Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes or the Cour des comptes, to name but a few, point to a clear slowdown in improvements, policies and ambitions in terms of gender inequalities in general, and at work in particular.

What do our reseachers' latest work say on the subject?

In this newsletter, they offer different points of view, reflecting the complexity and variety of the issues at stake. Numerous regulations clearly make it possible to score points, either directly, for example through quotas, or indirectly, on the subjects of sexual and gender-based violence. But our contributors say that it is prejudices, behaviour, everyday choices, in short individual transformations and corporate cultures, and everything in between, that make the (real) difference.

In the fields of health, culture and research, in terms of leadership, economic inequality and violence: not stopping there means never ceasing to want to understand, learn, equip and evolve. That's what this issue is all about, so happy reading!

Don't forget that all these articles are available in French on edhec.edu.

5 questions to Marine Koch and Laura Lacombe on sexual and gender-based violence at work

An interview with Marine Koch and Laura Lacombe - Research Officers within the EDHEC Diversity & Inclusion Chair

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) affects workplaces more than we think, with 6 out of 10 European women experiencing it during their careers. The interviewees explore the specific challenges of workplace harassment, the existing laws, the role of power dynamics, and the urgent need for awareness. Discover the innovative tools that they are already proposing and developing to change the culture and give (future) employees the means to act... Read this interview

Who supports gender equality initiatives in companies? Unveiling the role of emotions

By Fabian Bernhard - EDHEC Professor, with Eddy Ng - Smith School of Business at Queen's University Professor, and Sabine Bacouel-Jentjens - ISC Paris Professor

Why do some men support gender equality while others resist? New ongoing research reveals that emotions — especially guilt — play a key role. Men who embrace so called "feminine traits" (e.g., empathy, warmth, cooperation...) are more likely to back affirmative action, while those with stronger "masculine traits" tend to resist. The authors detail practical implications for both students preparing for the workforce and businesses aiming to create more inclusive environments... Read this article

Gender equality at a crossroads: institutions, growth and innovation

By Peter G. Szilagyi - EDHEC Professor, with Hyunjung Nam - Dong-A University Professor, and Doojin Ryu - Sungkyunkwan University Professor

As gender debates become more polarized, a recent research sheds light on a critical economic dimension: while strong institutions help close labor market gaps, they don’t necessarily drive innovation. The missing link? Educational equality. The authors advocate that simply integrating women into the workforce isn’t enough—without equal access to high-skill fields, Europe risks stalling its long-term growth and competitiveness. How can policymakers bridge this gap and unlock the full economic potential of gender equality...? Read this article

Antonella Tempesta: “Organisations have to redefine leadership expectations in a way that values helping behavior or mentorship equally across genders”

An interview with Antonella Tempesta Fernández - EDHEC Assistant Professor

Leadership is still shaped by deep-rooted gender biases. The author highlights that while men who show kindness in leadership roles are praised for defying expectations, women leaders face the double bind ("not too assertive, not too empathic") and receive little recognition when helping as it is seen as part of their "natural" role. This imbalance needs to be adressed by organisations for leadership to truly break free from gendered expectations... Read this article

Women and digital health: a truly inclusive medicine?

By Loick Menvielle - EDHEC Associate Professor and Director of the Management in Innovative Health Chair

Despite the promise of more personalized and accessible medicine notably through AI-driven health technologies, a recent IPSOS/EDHEC study reveals a gender gap in their adoption. Women, particularly those over 55, less educated, or inactive, are less likely to embrace digital health tools. This reluctance to use digital health tools could reinforce unequal access to prevention and care. For the author, trust and transparency are thus key to making these innovations truly inclusive... Read this article

Where are the women in museum collections and in positions of responsibility?

By Guergana Guintcheva - EDHEC Professor and Director of the Master Business Management Programme and Hager Jemel-Fornetty - EDHEC Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Diversity & Inclusion Chair

In the US in 2019, in the 18 largest museums in terms of visitor numbers, 87% of the artists exhibited in the permanent collections were men. In France, a 2021 study lists 93.4% male artists in the catalogues of national public museums. Similarly, compared with men, women have more difficulty accessing professional networks, which limits their access to strategic positions. The authors advocate that those difficulties are reminiscent of the difficulty women have in breaking through the glass ceiling in the corporate world… Read this article [originally published in The Conversation Europe]

How to ensure equal recognition of women in research: 7 tips for fair authorship

By Maria Figueroa-Armijos - EDHEC Associate Professor, with George Banks - University of North Carolina at Charlotte Professor

A recent meta-analysis highlights the gender bias in academic authorship, where women, especially early-career researchers, face unfair practices such as being excluded or listed lower in author rankings. The authors point to a lack of transparency, inconsistent standards, and inadequate policies for resolving disputes. To address this, they suggest seven strategies - from triggering open conversations and improving ethics in authorship to formalising agreements - to ensure equal recognition and promote a more equitable academic culture... Read this article

On the effectiveness of gender quotas: Insights from shareholder preferences

By Magnus Blomkvist - EDHEC Associate Professor

Gender quotas, like France's 2011 "Copé-Zimmermann" law, have been effective in increasing female representation on corporate boards. A study of over 2,700 director elections found that after the quotas, shareholders' perceptions of female directors' qualifications improved, leading to more support for female candidates. The author argues that women were not only seen as qualified but that the quotas helped break down informal recruitment practices and elite networks that previously hindered women’s advancement... Read this article [originally published in French in The Conversation]

Hager Jemel-Fornetty: ‘The mission we have given ourselves is to participate in changing representations in order to change behaviors’

A video interview with Hager Jemel-Fornetty - EDHEC Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Diversity & Inclusion Chair

"Today, in the majority of social spaces, private or public, practices are not yet moving sufficiently in the direction of peaceful diversity and full inclusion. [...] However, the progress made in recent years, in society, in households, in businesses or in schools, is real and palpable. My conviction, our conviction within the chair, is that we must inform, train and set an example in the hope of inspiring people to think and act in a certain way that has a positive impact..." Watch this video

Illustration (header) 2025 - Anne Moreau