Results of the survey on the image of the executive branch and its appeal to women
For women (too), a predominantly positive view of executive power and a majority desire to access it, with a clear perception of the advantages of exercising this power.
For everyone, a desire to see power evolve towards more human values.
However, women have a much stronger perception of certain disadvantages of power, which make it less attractive than for men.
Support in gaining access to positions and once in post is seen by women as a means of making power more attractive.
Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité and their Club des Dirigeant(e)s Engagé(e)s, in partnership with Alter Egales (Caisse des Dépôts), Talentu’Elles (Banque de France), ESSEC Business School, and Ipsos BVA, have published a groundbreaking survey on the image of executive power and its appeal to female and male managers.
The survey results reveal that women (too) have a predominantly positive view of executive power and a desire to access it, with a clear perception of the advantages of exercising this power. However, women have a much stronger perception of certain disadvantages of power, which make it less attractive to them than to men.
“This study sheds light on a reality: women are keenly aware of a number of key advantages associated with executive positions and would therefore be well placed to attain them. However, they are held back by their observation that the exercise of power does not sufficiently correspond to their values. They also believe that certain advantages are not sufficiently highlighted by those who exercise power. Finally, added to this is their perception of the exercise of power as being tarnished by impressions of stress, imbalance and tensions around values and ethics.“ explains Marie-Christine Mahéas, coordinator of Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité.
“Making power more attractive to women means breaking down its traditional barriers—stress, isolation, work-life imbalance—and promoting what makes it so valuable: listening, ethics, societal impact, and value creation. It is by setting this example that we will truly inspire women to step through the doors of the executive suite.“ explains Didier Michaud-Daniel, Chairman of Pluxee, former CEO of the Bureau Veritas group, and sponsor of Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité (succeeding Michel Landel).
Read more here.
Preface to the ‘6 Measures to Acceleration Gender Balance’
Aurore Bergé, the Minister responsible for Equality between Women and Men and the Fight against Discrimination, honors us by writing the preface for the 6 Measures to Accelerate Gender Diversity. This makes it one of the references in terms of Best Practices for Gender Diversity in Organizations.
The fight for equality between women and men requires the mobilization of each and every one of us. The initiatives of the Enterprise and Diversity Workshops are indeed a very good example of this. The concrete proposals you put forward in this guide constitute a valuable contribution to our collective reflection. They provide companies with clear benchmarks for integrating diversity at all levels and demonstrate that equality is not a secondary challenge, but a fundamental issue for the future of our society.
The 6 Measures to Accelerate Gender Diversity, prefaced by Minister Aurore Bergé, are available for download here.
Our latest work :
Diversity, Yes—But How?
On the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, we are publishing « 6 Measures to Accelerate Diversity », a collection of the most effective best practices, tested and proven in the field!
These best practices are drawn from the latest feedback from our partner companies, as well as insights from diversity experts—all members of the advisory board of our think & do tank. Together, they form a concrete and actionable roadmap.
In 2025, the effective implementation of gender diversity remains a challenge. Yet, diversity is a powerful driver of performance, innovation, and attractiveness for businesses. These six measures provide a clear path to action, from leadership commitment to the evolution of internal processes and training for all employees.
The document is prefaced by Aurore Bergé, Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, and is available for download here, as well as on the Ministry of Equality’s website, where it serves as a reference for best practices in gender diversity.
The document is prefaced by Aurore Bergé, Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, and is available for download here.
You can also read our press release here.
In 2024, ESSEC created a think tank dedicated to accelerating gender diversity within organisations, ‘Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité’, as an extension of the work carried out by the Observatory for gender balance.
The Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité are a forum for strategic reflection, bringing together a steering committee made up of leading companies (Bureau Veritas, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, Engie, France Télévisions, Forvis Mazars, SNCF, Sodexo) that have made gender equality a fundamental pillar of their corporate strategy. The steering committee is also made up of recognised gender equality experts representing organisations and associations involved in promoting gender equality in the workplace. The aim of the Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité is to identify and disseminate best practice in promoting a mixed and inclusive working environment.
In addition to its steering committee, Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité brings together a very active club of committed female and male managers. This club offers its members a platform for sharing their experiences, challenges and successes in accelerating gender diversity within their respective organisations. Their aim is also to encourage a more general commitment from the executive class.
In addition to its steering committee, Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité brings together a very active club of committed female and male managers.This club offers its members a platform for sharing their experiences, challenges and successes in accelerating gender diversity within their respective organisations.Their aim is also to encourage a more general commitment from the executive class.
The work is coordinated by Marie-Christine Mahéas, former Coordinator of the Observatory for gender balance and Director of the Forvis Mazars Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, under the patronage of Michel Landel, former CEO of Sodexo and independent director.
Les Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité 