Engagement and Women's Leadership: ESSEC's Initiatives to Drive Change

7.3.2025

At ESSEC, gender equality and women's leadership are not just principles but concrete commitments supported by longstanding and ambitious initiatives. Through dedicated programs, tailored support, and a dynamic network, ESSEC is actively investing in empowering women to take bold steps, embark on entrepreneurial ventures, and fully assert their place in the economic and social spheres.

Despite legislative advancements and progress, gender disparities persist in leadership roles. ESSEC has long been committed to these issues and offers multiple programs to support women in reaching strategic governance positions (boards of directors, executive committees, management committees). This commitment is also reflected internally, with a gender-balanced executive committee that embodies our values of equality and inclusion. ESSEC further supports mid-level managers by equipping them with the tools to advance their careers, nurture their ambitions, and overcome systemic and personal barriers that still hinder their access to decision-making positions.

For over twelve years, ESSEC has offered an executive certificate called Women be Board Ready, designed for women leaders.

With quotas mandating 30% female representation in governing bodies by 2026 (and 40% by 2029), this unique program enables participants to master governance fundamentals, acquire new expertise, and build a solid career strategy.

This program provides a distinctive approach to helping participants, with rigorous academic instruction, engaging discussions , and coaching.. "This program allowed me to confidently assert my voice rather than settle for a symbolic role," shares a former participant.

Launched in 2023, Femmes & Talents helps mid-level professional women reach executive roles. This short program helps them identify and overcome systemic barriers, build self-confidence, manage their time effectively, adopt a leadership mindset, and expand their professional networks. The goal: accelerate their career trajectory and refine their long-term vision.

One year after its launch, participants are already witnessing its impact. "This program gave me the tools to overcome impostor syndrome and fully embrace my ambitions," says Cécile, a Business Unit Manager. Femmes & Talents also addresses unconscious biases and the importance of networking and crucial levers for securing leadership roles and exploring new professional opportunities.

Lead’hers, is an immersive five-month program run by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center in partnership with 21st by CentraleSupélec. It’s designed to support a cohort of about fifteen women entrepreneurs

First, a workshop identifies each participant’s specific needs and fosters group cohesion. The program then unfolds through thematic learning expeditions, meetings with members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, workshops, masterclasses, and conferences. The objective: equip participants with the tools to navigate gender biases, funding access challenges, and personal obstacles that may hinder their growth. Throughout the program, participants benefit from mentorship and personalized guidance. The initiative culminates in a closing event where they present their projects to a panel of partners.

ESSEC is committed to increasing the visibility of women in entrepreneurship and inspiring future generations. To diversify role models and encourage female students to pursue entrepreneurship, the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is launching a month-long awareness campaign in March. Portraits of twenty alumnae entrepreneurs, including Audrey Destang, Camille Bouget, Céline Mas, Claire Lanneau, Elsa Chai, Florence Rizzo, Saskia Fiszel, and Tatiana Monseur, will be displayed in strategic locations on the Cergy campus to highlight their journeys and successes.

Since 2024, ESSEC has hosted The Ateliers Entreprise et Mixité Corporate and Gender Diversity Workshops, a think tank dedicated to reducing workplace inequalities, with a particular focus on gender diversity in organizations.

This strategic reflection space brings together an advisory committee composed of leading companies (Bureau Veritas, Engie, Mazars, France Télévisions, SNCF, Sodexo), for whom gender diversity is a key pillar of their corporate strategy. This committee works to identify and promote best practices for inclusion alongside experts committed to gender equality.

Beyond the advisory committee, the think tank also supports on a club of executives, offering a platform to share ideas on challenges, initiatives, and successes in achieving gender diversity within organizations.

The think tank is led by Marie-Christine Mahéas, Director of the Mazars Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and Sandie Meusnier, Director of the ESSEC Center for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, under the sponsorship of Michel Landel, former CEO of Sodexo.

Rooted in its history and driven by its humanistic values, gender equality is a key commitment for ESSEC, embedded in a broader approach to diversity and inclusion. A pioneer in this field, ESSEC was the first French business school to open its doors to women in 1970.

In addition to the above initiatives initiatives, ESSEC encourages equality through several programs:

The Diversity Fresco: A mandatory workshop for the entire student community that explores unconscious cognitive discrimination mechanisms, including gender inequalities.
Gender Equality Days: An annual week-long event with various activities available to the entire ESSEC community.
An e-learning module accessible to all, designed to help people recognize and combat everyday sexism in the workplace.
Regular workshops on gender-based and sexual violence prevention for students.
Mixed-gender mentoring programs to foster equitable career trajectories for students.
Mandatory training for students involved in clubs or serving as volunteer party angels.
The promotion and support of female faculty members and gender-related research.

ESSEC’s commitment is part of a lasting transformation. "Equality is not declared; it is built," emphasizes Viviane de Beaufort, ESSEC’s consultant for gender equality. By training future leaders in diversity and inclusion, ESSEC is shaping a more balanced and high-performing economic landscape.