Arnaud Snykerque, Operational Director at SPIE Industrie in France, answers 4 questions on gender diversity, companies' commitment to diversity, innovative initiatives, and the challenges ahead.
Is gender diversity a priority for companies?
I agree. You won’t find many companies these days who say “We are not interested in employing more women,” but that doesn’t always translate into genuine prioritisation. Often, gender diversity is seen as an HR issue, but organisations as a whole need to prioritise it at all levels.
Why should companies be committed to gender diversity in the workplace?
Completely. As an organisation, we gain agility, work more flexibly and generate new ideas when teams are more diverse. This is utterly essential as we move into a competitive future.
Is the So'SPIE Ladies network a SPIE innovation?
It is one thing to set up a network, but quite another thing to fill it with life. Another thing that makes So’SPIE Ladies unique is that we are increasing male participation and setting up two-person teams by country and by subsidiary. I, for instance, am paired with Céline Goudon, our Head of Legal at SPIE Industrie. Increasing gender diversity is not just women’s responsibility - we all have to work towards this goal.
Which challenges are facing SPIE in its quest to develop gender diversity?
We have to keep working to make gender balance so standard that it is no longer a specific topic. Young people applying to SPIE today don’t ask about gender diversity: they just expect it.
