Women and men both committed to gender equality

"You are surprisingly handy!", kindly remarks an ENGIE customer to Chrystelle Wauquier during a repair intervention. "Of course I am, but, above all, I had to learn to be", enthusiastically replies the gas intervention technician! Chrystelle is a lively character and a fervent ambassador for women, both in-house and in schools, that dream of being technicians but that do not dare step into a field that is historically dominated by men.  

"In OECD countries, women represent 26% of graduates from engineering and construction programmes, compared to 57% in finance, banking and management. These figures are even lower in developing countries such as Saudi Arabia, admits Turki Alshehri, CEO of the Kingdom’s ENGIE subsidiary. We must focus our efforts in terms of training, regulations and lobbying to progress in this matter, to have a pool of skilled women that can be integrated to the Group."

"I am currently under the management of two incredible women who are real role models for me, and I lead a team made up of 85% women, including young female developers", proudly states Júlia Ranzi Werle, IT and Digitalization Solutions Analyst at ENGIE Brazil. Her message to young women who want to go into IT: "Believe in yourself and in your dreams!". In a highly male-dominated Tech sector, Júlia and her colleagues are examples that the Group is proud to include among its ranks, and who play an essential role in motivating future female experts.  

"Excluding women from any of the company’s structures could result in a significant competitive disadvantage", indicates Loreto Ordóñez, CEO of ENGIE Spain and fervent promoter of gender equality, particularly in the energy sector which is, in this matter, structurally lagging for technical and engineering professions. "In Spain, it is through the Women In Networking programme, which was launched in 2014, that we generate visibility for the projects of our female employees. They play an essential role to help confront future challenges".  

"In the engineering sector, women perform just as well as men, no matter the function, in worksites across the globe and in management positions within the Group", indicates Philippe de Felix, Director of ethics, legal affairs and risks at Tractebel – our engineering consultancy subsidiary. As an ethics officer and sexism specialist, he raises awareness on the importance of respect, etiquette and soft skills within the company. "It is essential that women feel comfortable and respected in their work environment. Only under these conditions will they be able to perform at their best."