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The Gender Equality label, a guarantee of inclusion in the world of culture

By 2022, 41 public-sector organizations, recognized for their actions in favor of gender equality in the workplace, held the eponymous label. These include many cultural establishments. This approach fits perfectly with the codes of this inclusive sector. Explanations.

Published on 18/04/2023, updated 13/09/2024 à 08:34 Reading time : 7 minutes
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We’re living in a time when gender equality, once a side issue, has become a central, non-negotiable issue in society and the business world. Companies are obliged to act, and the most committed choose to show it. The ” Egalité professionnelle” label , created at the initiative of the French Ministry of Labor and ANDRH in 2008, and distributed by AFNOR Certification (sometimes in association with the “Diversité” label), acts as a marker of virtue. And it happens to appeal to the world of culture, where the theme of inclusion resonates more strongly than in other circles.

Musée d'Orsay
Le musée d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie, à Paris, labellisé Egalité (crédit photo : Musée d’Orsay).

Labels that directly echo the “diversity and equality” mission of the Ministry of Culture

As early as 2016, a “diversity and equality” mission was created at the Ministry of Culture. “This mission has helped to irrigate these issues in cultural establishments. The double label (Equality and Diversity) obtained by the Ministry itself has drawn many establishments into its wake and has served, for many of us, as a framework and reference,” recounts Karim Chettouh, Director of Human Resources and General Resources at the Musée d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie in Paris. This newly-labeled establishment, which has a 56% female workforce, is now considering other measures, such as organizing working hours over 4 days after maternity leave, and extending parental leave. Added to this voluntary approach is a mandatory measure: since the end of 2019, all public employers must implement a multi-year action plan on professional equality.

Listen to Stéphanie Deporcq, from the Festival d’art lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence.

What does the professional equality label awarded by AFNOR Certification mean in concrete terms?

This new compulsory measure has motivated the musée du quai Branly to formalize an official application for the label, in 2021. ” By its very nature, amuseum is open to the world. These issues are at the heart of the museum’s mission.e,itsstrategy and its values ,” explains Céline Féraudy, Director of Administration and Human Resources at the Paris-based establishment. She continues: ” Ourfirst concrete action, in 2021, was to sign an agreement onequal professional. Afterwards, we worked on a series of financial cards.In this way, wecanobjectively determine the level ofremunerationawarded to each agent. “Today, the museum has been awarded the label following an assessment audit by AFNOR Certification, and intends to continue with the Diversity label, also created on the initiative of the French Ministry of Labor.

At the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie, the approach was initiated back in 2017. ” Women play an important role in cultural programming. The Audience Department has also long been involved in initiatives aimed at schoolchildren and audiences far removed from culture (hospitals, prisons, young people, etc.). “says Karim Chettouh. The latter joined the museum in 2019, at a time when “there were actions, but no structure “, he analyzes in hindsight. The Musée d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie then turned the tables, applying to AFNOR Certification in April 2022 for dual certification. With a reward at the end: the double label obtained in January 2023.

Tour Eiffel
Le musée du quai Branly, à Paris, labellisé Egalité (crédit photo : Roland Halbe).

According to many of the structures awarded the label, the audit plays a central role in the process, acting as a spur to action. ” The audit lasted half a day, and included interviews with our president, our general administrators, several directors and a panel of staff”, explains Bernadette Leroy, head of the HR development department at the Musée d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie. At the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Stéphanie Deporcq explains : “The AFNOR auditor measured the sincerity of our commitment and was able to pinpoint what was lacking in our approach. She was both benevolent and demanding, pointing out areas for improvement. Among the actions that struck a chord: the permanent two-person listening unit, the micro-learning application with short videos to give staff access to information on discrimination, and the appointment of referents on each site, since the Aix Festival has 70 permanent staff and up to 750 employees at the height of the season.

Listen to Emmanuelle Baumgartner talk about the Equality Label awarded to Radio-France

The Gender Equality label, like the Diversity label, gives credibility to a promise

Then there’s the attractiveness argument. The label gives credibility to a promise: that of a welcoming, inclusive and egalitarian establishment. At the Musée du Quai Branly, Céline Féraudy considers it “an interesting way of fostering social dialogue, and for its impact on visitors “. At the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie, this is ” a considerable help in promoting training courses, for example, but also in recruitment “. Visitors, new employees, local partners, patrons, suppliers… Surrounded by multiple stakeholders, the world of culture is convinced of the Equality label.

The live entertainment sector follows the same dynamic. Stéphanie Deporcq, Administrative and Financial Director of the Festival d’art lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence, attests: ” When I arrived in 2018, with the head of human resources, we wanted to structure the HR policy in line with the festival’s policy and values. Corporate social responsibility was written into the company’s bylaws in 2020. That was the trigger. “In December 2020, the Aix Festival applies for the label. This will be followed by a Professional Equality label in October 2021 and a Diversity label in February 2022: a strong commitment.

How to obtain the Gender Equality label?

Visit the AFNOR Certification website:

And for the more curious … what is the diversity label?

The Diversity label, also created in 2008 on the initiative of the French Ministry of Labor and ANDRH, aims to prevent discrimination and promote diversity in the public and private sectors. To obtain this label, you also need to contact AFNOR Certification. In fact, the Alliance Egalité et Diversité label is often requested because of its strong complementarity. See our FAQ for more information: /https://international.afnor.com/en/shop/type-of-service/management-system-certifications/gender-equality-certification-uni-pdr-1252022/