The Group has long been driven by the desire to offer a work environment in which its male and female employees can flourish and feel included. In 2021, STEF committed to prioritising gender diversity and equality in the workplace, which complement our diversity and inclusion policy. An assessment was conducted that led to the creation of a gender diversity and equality initiative called MIX’UP. Its goal is ambitious: for women to account for 25% of the workforce by 2030.
Launch of our gender diversity network
The MIX’UPer network is a group of about a hundred employees – both women and men – who all volunteered to be the ambassadors for our gender equality initiative!
It’s a diverse, intergenerational, multicultural network that works to change mentalities and practices at our sites. Their mission is to serve as a liaison in support of MIX’UP, build impetus in the network, ensure any action taken is effective, and monitor and review the results.
The make-up of the network is an example in and of itself. The nearly equal gender representation goes to show that everyone has a role to play in gender equality, both inside and outside the workplace!
The “Elles pour Elles” mentoring programme
In Italy, STEF has been working to open the door wider to women for several years now. In 2021, the company launched Elles pour Elles, a programme that hopes to reach its high ambitions through mentoring by and for women.
Three women employees have volunteered to become mentors and share their experience and advice through an intranet space for all women employees in Italy. In addition to the discussion forum, the space also provides an array of resources and self-assessments. Several other components round out the programme: raising awareness among managers, deconstructing stereotypes, and implementing improvement measures.
An ambitious internal communication campaign
Everyone needs to be on board and get involved for the initiative to be a success. The Group has rolled out an ambitious communication campaign to present the goals of MIX’UP and dispel stereotypes.
International Women’s Day, on 8 March 2022, provided an opportunity to strike up a conversation on gender equality by presenting MIX’UP and setting up quizzes, games and discussions. Awareness and dialogue have become part of daily life in the workplace through posters breaking down clichés, stickers to “stamp out pre-conceived ideas”, and videos on sexist stereotypes.
By encouraging curiosity and deconstructing pre-conceived ideas, we can sometimes succeed in changing views and breaking the chain of discrimination. At work, competence comes first!
