For close to 20 years, Air France has been committed to gender diversity and professional equality between men and women.
It promotes women’s access to all professions, with priority given to skills, know-how and professionalism. Air France is also one of the few companies run by two women, a Chairman of the Board of Directors and a Chief Executive Officer.
Today, it is proud of its 18,913 women, involved in all sectors and at all levels of the company.
A score of 89/100 in the gender equality in the workplace index
As of 1 March 2021, in accordance with its legal obligations, Air France published its index on professional equality between men and women. The company obtained a score of 89/100, with the minimum score set by the government at 75/100. This result, which reflects the commitment and work carried out by all Air France teams to achieve professional equality, is an encouragement to continue our efforts in this field.
In 2018, Air France and its social partners signed its 5th three-year agreement on gender equality in the company for equal pay for comparable positions, seniority and skills, which will be renegotiated this year.
Promoting inclusion in the workplace and ending sexism
Again in 2018, the company signed the commitment “#StOpE against ordinary sexism in the workplace” and has since been committed to taking regular action throughout the year to put an end to these words and gestures which can consciously or unconsciously make women feel inferior in their professional development.
In line with this initiative, last November Air France, together with five other companies, set up an e-learning course on “Preventing and combating ordinary sexism in the workplace”, with the aim of raising awareness among all employees by familiarizing them with the legal framework, identifying sexist remarks or behaviour and how to respond appropriately as a victim or witness.
In September 2020, the agreement “Preventing and acting against violence and harassment at work” was signed with the representative unions. This new agreement responds to changes in society, which is attentive to the issues of violence at work, sexism and discrimination, and provides a framework for all kinds of behaviour that cannot be tolerated.
Feminizing so-called male-dominated professions
At Air France, women are also pilots, engineers, managing directors, mechanics, station managers, ramp managers, and hold many other positions too often associated with men. The feminization of professions is a fundamental aspect of professional equality. Air France promotes women’s access to all professions and encourages young girls to take up these careers.
The company is working to promote women in technical professions, particularly in the context of the “Féminisons les métiers de l’aérien” (promoting women in the airline industry) event held over the past few years at the Paris Air Show. Since 2017, Air France has also been a partner of the “Elles bougent” association to promote gender diversity from the career guidance stage. More than 60 female sponsors, particularly in the fields of aeronautical maintenance, IT and digital technology, take part in various actions aimed at inspiring secondary school pupils and university students. In addition, as education is the key to being able to choose your professional future, the airline is committed, through the actions of the Air France Foundation, to helping associations around the world promote the education of young girls.
The feminization of certain professions also involves giving women access to the highest levels of responsibility in the company. In order to encourage their professional progress, the company provides them with coaching and support. With 36.6% women ground staff managers and 25% women on the Executive Committee, Air France aims for genuine gender diversity in positions of responsibility, giving priority to skills.
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