The Network WIN “Women in Networking” by ENGIE was created in 2008 with the aim of raising women’s awareness of leadership and designed to help women strengthen themselves collectively.
It is now an international network gathering more than 2000 committed and motivated women to advance diversity and inclusion within ENGIE.
Brief outline of the initiative
ENGIE has a strong gender equality organisational policy. This policy was embodied as early as 2008 by the launch of a mission on the place of women within the Group reporting to General Management and by the launch of the WIN – Women in Networking by ENGIE network. It has made it possible to create a real culture of gender diversity.
Shared by all the Group’s employees, men and women alike, it provides greater visibility for women by encouraging their contribution to business challenges through strategic and structuring operations.
Launched in 2008, WIN – Women in Networking by ENGIE is the Group’s international network designed to help women strengthen themselves collectively, with more than 2,000 members from all geographies and all ENGINEERING businesses. WIN is recognised internally as a powerful women’s network combining remarkable collective strength and a capacity for commitment on strategic issues for the Group. Particularly in terms of innovation.
In March 2018, for the 10th anniversary of its Women In Networking (WIN) network, ENGIE organised “Women’s Week” from 5 to 9 March, a week of conferences and screenings on various themes: entrepreneurship, resilience and surpassing oneself, yoga practice, violence against women. The week ended with a cocktail in the presence of Isabelle Kocher, then CEO of ENGIE.
Duration
N/A
Frequency
Once a year
Funding
Internal Funding
Budget
N/A
Key elements
Target
Women and men
Country of origin
France
Country/Region of implementation
France, China, Singapore & Netherlands.
Number of participants
350 people/seminar
(50 nationalities)
Core objective of the Programme
☒ Women empowerment (identifying barriers and working on strengths, creating a community)
☒ Supporting organizational change (strategy for developing diversity, implementation of specific policies, support to change makers)
☒ Allies buy-in and support (mentors, men championing)
☐ External Scrutiny (Pledge board, Indicators, celebration of success…)
☐ Other => Please specify:
Actions implemented
☒ Internal Diversity & Inclusion Strategy
☒ Commitment of men
☒ Personal development training - please specify:
☒ Role model highlighted
☒ Networking (women network, men network or mixed):
☐ Mentoring (unique or mixed gender, please specify) (experienced & wise guide)
☐ Coaching (ability to inspire and grow people/Foster emulation/ Being influential)
☐ Events (sharing with other companies):
☐ Other - please specify:
Format
☐ Online e-learning Module
☒ Online seminar
☒ Workshops
☒ Conference
☐ Self-Assessment tool
☐ Consolidated educational/training programme
☐ Other - Please specify
Identified Key Success Factors
- 2 levels of action: people & organization
- Building on the strengh of the collective
- International Programme
Transferable bites/elements
- The on-going networking element with alumni being very active
Organisation’s strategy to adress Women Empowerment
It is the company’s will to have 30% women (objective 2030 from the French woman president Isabelle Kocher). The company is commiteed to shift towards Responsible Transformation.
Specific initiatives includes :
- “Mentoring for Engie”.
Launched in 2010 to support women career, teh initiative gathers a Mentor and a Mentee with manager/collaborator, to support the achievement of a position with responsibility. In 2011, the programme was remarded wih the Award of «l’Action Entreprise et Diversités».
- Women In Leadership (WIL) – a training dedicated to women
WIl is a tool to reinforce female leadership dedicated to executive women with managerial responsibilities or to executive women who want to expend their responsibilities to drive teams or projects.
- Diversity & Inclusion Strategy
=>Parenthood strategy: for people working in France, some dedicated places in nursery are offered
- External events and partnerships
- «Global Summit of Women (GSW)»
- Capital filles
- Cercle InterElles
- Women Business Mentoring Initiative (WBMI) (mentoring for women entrepreneurs & start-ups)
- Sports events (e.g. « Course des relais »)
Source of information: Interview + Online documentation
An initiative selected as a case study of the SWinG library of leadership development initiatives.
