“Diversity is a performance factor”
Thomas Courtois, president of Nickel, is convinced: “Diversity is a factor of performance”. When he arrived, the management committee was 100% male. Today, parity has been achieved. This development is part of a broader trend: more than 40% of the 1,500 companies concerned already respect the quotas planned for 2026.
But beyond the figures, what is the real impact of this diversity on business performance? Michel Ferrary and Stéphane Déo, researchers at Skema Business School, conducted the survey. Their study, covering 159 listed companies, reveals a “statistically significant relationship between gender diversity at the level of middle management and employees, and profitability”.
Concretely, the net margin and Ebitda reach their maximum when the proportion of women is around 50%. Conversely, low diversity – in one direction or the other – weighs on profitability. Guylaine Dyèvre, vice-president of the French Institute of Administrators, recalls that “all sociological studies show that a group functions better in diversity”.
More women are applying for key positions
The explanations are multiple. According to scientific literature, women tend to seek more contribution from their subordinates and share power and information better. For Thomas Courtois, “the diversity of the group brings a diversity of solutions, a better understanding of the world and certain issues”.
The Rixain law is a continuation of the Copé-Zimmerman law of 2011, which established quotas in control bodies. Marie-Christine Maheas, from ESSEC, underlines the “virtuous circle” effect of these promotions: “They normalize among men the idea of women at the highest level, and encourage young women who see these role models to then apply.”
Confined to traditionally female positions?
However, challenges persist. Alexia Reiss, general director of Sista, notes that “half of the CAC 40 companies have increased the size of their executive committee to comply with future quotas”. In addition, women are often confined to traditionally feminine positions such as human resources or CSR, which are less conducive to accessing the highest positions.
