It is now one of the group's priorities.
This Tuesday, March 5, Carrefour presented an action plan in favor of the diversity of origin of its employees.
On the basis of an observation: “The diversity of origin that we see in stores, we see too little in our headquarters, particularly here in Massy, and in management,” regrets Alexandre Bompard, CEO … supporting figures.
If ethnic and racial statistics are prohibited in France by the Data Protection Act of January 1978, the brand has in fact carried out a vast study among its employees in France in order to know their origins, in other words their country of birth and/or that of their parents and grandparents.
A survey headed by Ipsos, “based on volunteering”, to which nearly 20,000 employees of the group responded.
“This is an approach that we have reproduced, drawing inspiration from the work of INSEE, which regularly carries out this type of survey, and while respecting, of course, anonymity and control by the CNIL
(National Commission of information technology and freedoms)
of the data collected,” he explains.
Only 9% are managers
Results ?
“Diversity of origin is very well represented at Carrefour.
There are 12.8% of the French population who come from diverse origins, but this represents 14% of our employees,” he rejoices.
More precisely, “14% were born abroad, 18% have at least one parent born abroad, 14% a grandparent, 54% have no migratory ancestry”, lists Anne Leroux, consulting director of the Ipsos Institute.
Employees born abroad come first from Maghreb countries (32% of them), then from other African countries (27% of them).
One downside, however, and a significant one: “When you come from a diverse background, you are statistically less likely to be a manager at Carrefour.
Twelve percent of our employees in France are managers.
This falls to 9% when you come from a diversity of origins
(born abroad compared to 13% for those who have a parent born abroad and 13% a grandparent)
,” laments the boss of the 'taught.
And this is even more true for women, “faced with a double glass ceiling”, since only 6% of those from diverse backgrounds are in management positions.
So much detailed data which makes Alexandre Bompard say that “this is the first time that a large French company has gone this far in diagnosing its diversity”.
In 2021, the government launched, in the form of an experiment, a diversity and inclusion “Index” with nine pilot organizations (Adecco group, L’Oréal, Pôle emploi, etc.).
The questionnaire received more than 38,400 responses.
“For us, it’s 20,000 for a single company,” says Carrefour.
The law prohibits numerical objectives
Based on this observation, and "with the means authorized by French law", specifies the CEO, the brand has set up an action plan for the group's 300,000 employees (with only integrated stores ), based on training, recruitment and internal promotion.
“We will first train them all in non-discrimination and the fight against unconscious bias by the end of 2024,” explains Carine Kraus, executive director of engagement.
The brand also intends to recruit more candidates from diverse backgrounds “by going to universities where we are not very present, such as Créteil, Saint-Denis, Nanterre” and by relying on the Les Détermés association.
Without also forgetting the establishment of a network of “role models” within the company and a “mentoring” program for female employees from diverse backgrounds, in partnership with Le Club du 21e siècle. .
Sufficient ?
“We have an obligation to achieve results”, insists Alexandre Bompard who undertakes to repeat this study in two years to see “the progress”.
But it is impossible to set numerical objectives – as the group did in Brazil for example (with this commitment to have 50% black managers by 2026) – the law prohibits it in France.
“We would have liked to be able to say that as with all matters of commitment and CSR, we set ourselves progress objectives,” regrets the CEO, who recognizes a little “frustration”.
“The law could be more facilitating,” he continues.
But I also understand that the subject is very sensitive.
The current legislative framework already allows us to do things.
And if all the big companies commit to this path, we will be able to move the cursors.
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