As every year, on Wednesday 18 May, some thirty companies are due to sign the diversity charter during a session organised by IMS at the University of Luxembourg. This is an opportunity to take stock of the situation with the director of the network in the grand duchy, Nancy Thomas.
Ten years after the launch of the charter, how many signatories are there?
Nancy Thomas: We have 230 signatory organisations. And about thirty more will sign on 18 May. This figure is fairly stable every year.
What are the criteria for joining?
It is a charter requiring a commitment that is made available to all organisations on the national territory. The aim is to encourage organisations to go beyond the legal framework in managing diversity on seven criteria [disability, age, sexual orientation, gender, nationality, religion or beliefs and ethnic origin]. We invite them to look at their practices and then to build an action plan to manage diversity. It is a voluntary process, they decide on the actions. It is the manager who must sign the charter. Once they have signed, the organisations must publish on the charter's website an action they have taken. Then, every three years, they have to fill in a questionnaire. The charter is an accompaniment because there are different events where they can get involved in working groups.
Ten years ago, very few organisations knew what managing diversity meant. Now we talk about putting it into action.
Is there any verification of the actions taken?
There is no verification. We believe that once the director has come to sign and has made himself or herself visible, it is not in his or her interest not to act or the backlash in terms of image would be negative.
How much does it cost to sign the charter?
It is only an administrative fee, which depends on the size. It goes up to €600 for two years for a company with more than 250 employees.”
How many companies have left the charter after signing?
About sixty. They did not leave the charter, but they were either companies that went bankrupt, or terminated because they did not respect their commitments (for example, filling in the questionnaire every three years), or organisations that joined forces (for example, during acquisitions) and signed together.
How has diversity changed in ten years?
Ten years ago, very few organisations knew what managing diversity meant. Now, there is no longer a topic about what it means, we talk about putting it into action. We are talking about much more specific discussions.
You visited five organisations on Thursday 12 May on the occasion of Diversity Day, and you are visiting two others on Wednesday 18 May. Out of twenty or so that volunteered. How are they chosen?
The selection is made on the basis of the diversity of the organisations: size, sectors, subjects on which they work. The idea is also to have innovative ideas compared to previous editions.
Do you have an example of an innovative idea you have seen this year?
We took part in a workshop where we learned to speak in sign language, to make employees more open. Several years ago, it was more like lectures, but now we are putting it into practice.
What remains to be done in terms of diversity?
Avoid working in silos and have a more global vision of the different diversity criteria.
And in ten years' time, what do you hope to have achieved?
That everyone can come to work as they are, without any discrimination.
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.