What is the place of women in the Eramet Group and in its CSR strategy?
Marie-Axelle Gautier : Eramet has placed women and men at the heart of its transformation and its strategic project. We believe that a company functions more effectively with a maximum of diversity and mix. The Group’s female workforce, all countries combined, represents 17.6%. Eramet has decided to speed up the promotion of women to positions of responsibility and has set a target of 30% female managers by 2023. This transformation requires in-depth work to bring out female talent in their careers. By the end of 2021, we had already reached 25.7% of women managers in our workforce.
Can you tell us a word about the Eramet Group’s CSR strategy, particularly in Africa?
Loïse Tamalgo : At Eramet, we make CSR a key differentiator that enables us to build strong relationships in the countries where we operate. In 2018, the Group decided on a 2018-2023 CSR roadmap based on 13 objectives. This ambition in terms of social and environmental responsibility is now translated into its Raison d’être: To become a reference in the responsible transformation of the Earth’s mineral resources, for the good life together. This raison d’être guides all our projects, including in Africa, where the Group’s roots enable it to develop a robust societal model focused on supporting youth employability, education, health, infrastructure improvement, entrepreneurship and local economic development, etc.
Can you give us an overview of the Eramet Group’s actions in favour of women on the continent to date? Have there been any success stories that you can tell us about?
M.-A. G. : We have an inclusive approach and have made the emergence of women a major issue wherever we operate. In 2021, throughout the Group, out of more than 400 exchanges with local communities, 6,300 people, including 1,400 women, participated. This shows the dynamism of the exchanges and the interest of women in participating. In Senegal, our subsidiary GCO supports the creation of Economic Interest Groups (EIGs) to develop local economic activities. Of the 20 EIGs created, 6 are women’s EIGs and include 437 women. In Gabon, we supported the creation of the company “3L des pavés”, which has 39 employees and is managed by a woman. These achievements are all successes in the promotion and inclusion of women in Africa’s economic development.
Why do we need to promote women on a continent like Africa?
T. : Sub-Saharan Africa’s population could triple by 2100. Unleashing the collective and inclusive intelligence of all its citizens, especially women who represent an enormous potential for talent and growth, can make Africa a new contemporary model of political, economic and entrepreneurial leadership. There are more women entrepreneurs in Africa than in any other region of the world. The value creation of these women entrepreneurs is enormous.
Can you tell us how far the Group has progressed and what the perspectives are in terms of actions towards women in the context of your CSR strategy?
M.-A. G. : First of all, actions are implemented at Group level but also locally to promote all our businesses to women. Convinced of the role of women entrepreneurs in the local economy, we have chosen to work with Women In Africa Initiative, which is one of the main international platforms dedicated to economic development and support for African women entrepreneurs. We are building a programme with them to support the development of these women entrepreneurs. With Women in Africa Initiative and the Gabonese government, we will soon announce the launch of this new programme.