Women Initiative Foundation

 

Training & Studies

Two ways of promoting Gender Equality

Training


From the first mentoring programs to the online inter-company and inter-continent programs developed to adapt to the pandemic in 2020, WIF has pursued its mission of promoting the advancement of women in business and in the economy in general.

  • " The successful women entrepreneurs we have invited over the last two years have found this program to be an excellent personal and professional opportunity for development. "

    Sofia Merlo

  • " We are proud to The Stanford Program contributes to the global discussion on gender diversity and to the promotion of women in the entrepreneurial space. "

    Martine Liautaud

  • " It's an incredible opportunity to discover the vibrant and intellectually challenging atmosphere of this world-renowned campus. "

    Martine Liautaud


Virtual programs


These international, inter-company programs are open to both men and women with the aim of promoting diversity

National University of Singapore


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On the back of the success of the online “Leaders of the New World” program developed in October 2020 with the leading Asian university, January 2022 will see the launch of the new program: “Placing a bet on the future: Exploring Exponential Technologies“.

Read the program

CentraleSupélec EXED


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Set up in April 2020, this program of interactive MOOCs devoted to management in times of crisis, to stress management, to Harvard’s interest-based negociating, etc., brought together 1200 participants.
In March-April 2021, it was followed up by the “New Leaders for a New World” program.

Read the program

WIF Stanford Lab


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An online training program aimed at promoting innovation in a constantly changing world.
To be held from May, 18th to June, 15th 2021.

Mc Gill


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November 8-26, 2021: a new program created with Mc Gill

Read the program


Face-to-face programs


International Millenial leaders program

The Millennial Leaders Program is designed to help young women who are early in their careers (between 3 years to 7 years of working experience) develop the skills necessary to propel them into executives-level positions.
The four-day program set up with the SCRIPPS College was last held on the Clermont Campus in California in 2019.

Read the program

WIF CentraleSupélec Women’s Executive Program

This unique « intrapreneurship », innovation, and leadership program for women executives will combine the expertise, and complementary cultures of two globally renowned institutions, the European Enginineering school CentraleSupelec and the US Berkeley Haas School of Business as well as the experience of the Women Initiative Foundation.
Targets participants are female executives and high potential leaders with at least ten years of professional experience. Each participating company can send a maximum of two women per cohort to the program.
The program was last held on the CentraleSupelec campus in France in June 2019.

Read the Program

Mc Gill CentraleSupélec


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To be launched in May 2022, this new program targets woment with 10 years’ experience in major companies and women entrepreneurs.

Read the program

Stanford


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In 2015, WIF launched a program for women entrepreneurs at Stanford with BNP Paribas.
Since then, every year, 40 women from around the globe have benefited from strategic training on the Stanford campus to learn how to assert their leadership.

Université Paris-Saclay


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The “Women in business: become a leader” program targets women with a maximum of 5 years’ professional experience and will be held in September 2021.
With the help of inspiring leaders (researchers, Nobel Prize winners, international managers, …), participants will learn to develop their leadership and their network.

Read the program

Read the press release


This densely packed week is built on three pillars:

  • Academic insight with best lecturers of the Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • Company and incubator visits in the Silicon Valley
  • Networking sessions among participants to explore potential business opportunities.

The Stanford Program highlights our commitment to understand, serve and celebrate women entrepreneurs. Over the course of this 4 year-long initiative, it will have provided more than 150 women with training from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and personal and professional development.

The Foundation Studies

Acting upon the increase of gender diversity

Studies on Gender diversity at work run by the Foundation will be innovating and adding value to the future evolution of regulation.

The key differentiation factor is coming from the type of data collection selected. Women and men are the best in place to answer questions relative to management styles, leadership, life styles based on their roles and position. Everyone has his/her personal vision of the Enterprise and peers. This is the reason why WIF carefully defined the questions to be answered by key players of the economical circle.

 

Two studies are launched in 2017 across three Europeans countries where practices and usages are most probably very different: France, Germany and Italy. One of the study covers the Corporate world and will observe the situation within five Groups across various market segments BNP Paribas, Engie, Danone, L’Oréal and Oracle. The second study is run among Entrepreneurs.

The three following aspects make the studies fully innovative:

  • They question both men and women in managing roles per several age clusters.
  • Studies are qualitative and observe managerial behaviors, beliefs and stereotypes ; individual perception regarding her/his peers is taken into consideration.
  • They cover Europe instead of only one country.

In addition, for the corporate world, the framework is defined with the collaboration of the Clayman Institute at Stanford University with whom we will share the conclusions to highlight differences and similar facts in the USA.

 

European study of entrepreneurial qualities

 

Paris, May 24th 2018 : WIF (Women Initiative Foundation) highlighted the results of the survey performed in partnership with BNP Paribas Wealth Management, and with the support of CEDE-ESSEC. Data were collected among 400 entrepreneurs, women and men, in France, Germany and Italy. The major takeaways concern:

 

  • what motivates entrepreneurs and what hurdles they face,
    The motivations are quite similar for men and women. In the three countries, one of the main reasons for starting a business is linked to a lack of satisfaction with being an employee, especially for the under 35s. The second reason is societal engagement. The common hurdle faced by all entrepreneurs in all countries is the impact of entrepreneurship on family life. In addition, women’s lack of self-confidence and self-censoring - often cited to explain why women start businesses later on – is mentioned by all women,
  • gender stereotypes,
    men and women have very similar stereotypes in the 3 countries – as in global corporations. However, there is no feeling that women behave like men when they become entrepreneurs. In the 3 countries, women are perceived as being tenacious, pragmatic and good at listening to their teams. They are neither politically-minded nor authoritarian. Women see entrepreneurs as being sure of themselves and of their decisions. The results would imply that women in particular have an image of a sort of mythical male entrepreneur: political-minded, strategic, self-confident, confident in his decisions and not given to listening to others.
  • perceptions of managerial postures,
    Women and men’s managerial practices are described as being motivating and business oriented.But men are perceived as authoritarian and women as fair and human.
  • attitudes adopted by men and women faced capital management and 3-year development challenges. On the question of managing capital, the gender gap is significant. Women prefer to keep control of the capital, seem to partner less with other entrepreneurs, don’t easily envisage mergers / acquisitions for growth.

 

Download a synthesis of the study

 

 

European study of stereotypes and the perception of gender equality in global coporations

 

WIF Foundation (Women Initiative Foundation) highlighted the results of the survey performed with the support of Research Lab in industrial engineering (LGI) fromCentraleSupélec Engineering School. Data were collected among 2400 managers et executives, womenand men,from 4 large partners companies (L’Oréal, BNP, ENGIE et ORACLE) in France, Germany and Italy.

 

A few major takeaways are:

  • Diversity stereotypes are similar and not impacted by gender nor country culture
  • The perceived “men behavior” of women executives is highly visible in France
  • Men are more optimistic than women about the equality culture of companies
  • Family constraints are perceived as number 1 gender diversity disadvantage
  • Very little difference in the perception by women and men about how organizations are engaged, the working satisfaction and balance between professional and private life.

 

Download a synthesis of the study

 

To receive detailed results of the study, please contact Us : contact@women-initiative-foundation.com

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Understanding the showstoppers in a female career and enabling gender equality

WIF made the choice to get support and assistance from Academia for each study. A well-known Professor, passionate for gender equality is committed to help:

  • Viviane de Beaufort (ESSEC) for the study dedicated to Entrepreneurs and
  • Julie Le Cardinal from CentraleSupelec for the Corporate world.

WIF signed a research contract with each of them.

The ultimate objectives are:

  • to better understand the main impediments to gender equality in the workplace,
  • to fight against stereotypes,
  • to promote Corporate policies to increase gender diversity,
  • to give recommendations to organizations in favor of entrepreneurship,
  • that talented and diverse teams join all and every decision levels of the economic world.

Collected data are anonymous and confidential. WIF’s partners are all committed to. Conclusions of the studies will be made available by the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018 and will be largely communicated in France and the associated countries.

 

Through the analysis provided by WIF, we commit to equality in talents, chances of success and will boost individual professional achievement and enterprises competitivity.