Impact assessment : review of equality policies in

human resources in the French Public broadcasting

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An experience in impact assessment

First impact assessment of equality and

anti-discriminations policies in human resources

Case study : The public broadcasting service

A significant step for HALDE  • Our very first audit on equality and anti discrimination policies• Under the request and authority of the Parliament

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Challenges

Elaboration of an evaluation frame taking into account  :

• Anti discrimination legislation • 2009 French Act on public broadcasting

• Privacy and personal data protection legislation

Test of an audit method, transferable to other large firms

Construction of a partnership towards progress with the 3 public companies under review

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Context and constraints

Parliament request Part of the new Act on Public Radio and Television (march 2009),

which states that the public brodcasting sector should « reflect the diversity of French society » in program as well as in the workforce

Concerned the HR policy of  : France Télévisions (11 500 employees) Radio France (4700 employees) Société pour l’audiovisuel extérieur de la France (2000 employees)

Limited means (support from 2 independent experts) Schedule : 5 months Existing legal and constitutional constraints regarding the

measurement discrimination, in particular ethnic and racial (NB : it can be done, under certain conditions !)

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A 2 way approach

Global review of HR procedures and processes  :

Questionnaire sent to HR executives Crossed with a review of the data collected through the HR

information systems 80 interviews

Survey within employees on their professional evolution and their perception of discrimination in the work place.

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Evaluation framework (1/3)

• Assessment of the situation  : – Review of HR process in order to establish whether they

are : A. formalised and traceable

B. not discriminatory

– Evaluation of the equality of treatment amongst employees comparison between salaries and professional evolution according to available data (for grounds such as : age, gender, handicap, place of birth/nationality, children, labour union activities)

– Assessment of the impact of HR decisions using available data, with a focus on certain groups

– Survey within employees on their professional evolution according to origin, and on their perception of discrimination

– Complementary observations analysis of internal « whistle-blowing » type appeals or reports

Action against discrimination : what compliance with the legislation ?

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• Establish a comprehensive strategy for action, with objectives and a timetable

– Enhance quality in HR process – Eliminate salary inequalities – Set objectives to restore equal treatment

• Put it in practice : means, commitments, timetable, communication

• Assess results

Evaluation framework (2/3)

Action against discrimination : what compliance with the legislation ?

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• Training for all employees • Specific positive actions : legal requirements and voluntary

– Implementation of legal obligations to set out actions for women, senior employees, handicapped workers

– Quality of content of agreements reached with labour unions, and of action plans : creative and efficient solutions, adequate means

– Strategy established, put in practice, assessed

General and specific actions to promote equality

Evaluation framework (3/3)

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Survey within employees (1/2)

• Methodology : – Strict compliance with law on data protection :

anonymity, voluntary consent– conducted by INED (The French National Institute for

Demographic Studies) : a scientific guarantee– only two (out of three) firms were subject to survey – Tight schedule– automatic questionnaire via internet– consultations beforehand within each firms with

executives accountable for HR and labor unions ; the importance of dissemination and communication

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Survey within employees (2/2)

• Main results : – 9% respondents : not representative (an indication of

the unions’ lack of interest ?)– salary disadvantage for women (-12% to 18%)– indications of salary disadvantages for immigrants

(more difficult to establish)– reports of alarming cases of discrimination or

harassment• From the point of view of method

– the questions asked on ethnic origin were accepted (descent, perception of discrimination)

– necessary conditions of success to be taken into account

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Main conclusions of the HALDE report (1/4)

• French public broadcasting companies should be exemplary, a principle set by law

• In fact, the investigation showed that the situation in these firms is certainly no better than that in most large firms

• There lacks a comprehensive and engaging strategy– This is partly due to the fact that these firms were also

given an HR objective to cut down workforce and reduce the amount of unstable employment

– These firms should be given the means to engage in ambitious policies, in order to “tend towards diversity” as the law prescribes.

• The anti-discriminatory compliance approach has yet to be implemented

• Positive actions, even when obligatory, are not sufficient

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Main conclusions of the HALDE report (2/4)

• Gender inequalities : little is done to reduce identified salary differences, or to correct fact under representation of women in some lines of work (+ 80% men in technical jobs)

• Senior employees : Present agreements and procedures tend to encourage early retirement, which is contradictory with attention to encouraging professional opportunities for this group.

• Social and ethnic diversity : a few interesting initiatives were taken such as targeting young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds for internships, or short time missions. Not a single one was given a permanent job.

• Handicap : The 3 firms under review, far from being exemplary, are well under the national objective of 6% handicapped workers in the workforce.

• No whistle blowing procedure, while many (individual) cases of discrimination, some alarming, were reported through the investigations

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Main conclusions of the HALDE report (3/4)

Axe Thèmes

France Télévisions

Radio France

SAEF

Engagement En projet En cours En projet

Etat des lieux Non traité En projet Non traité

Axe 1 Engager une politique globale cohérente et volontariste

Plan d'action en projet En cours En projet

Neutralité des procédures de gestion des ressources humaines

Recrutement Non traité Non traité Non traité

Mutations/mobilité

En projet En projet En projet

Evaluation En projet En projet En projet

Promotion

En projet En projet En projet

Accès à la formation

En projet En projet En projet

Fins d’activité En projet En projet En projet

Existence d’une procédure d’alerte

Non traité Non traité Non traité

Vérification de l’égalité de traitement entre salariés

Non traité En projet Non traité

Axe 2 Agir contre les discriminations

Conduite d’enquêtes auprès des salariés, suivi des recours

En cours En projet En projet

Formation et sensibilisation des salariés

En projet En cours En projet

Respect des prescriptions légales

Femme / Homme En cours (* ) Réalisé réalisé (** )

Seniors En projet Réalisé En projet

Handicap En projet En projet Non traité

Actions positives

Femme / Homme En cours Réalisé En cours

Seniors En projet En projet En projet

Handicap En cours En projet Non traité

Axe 3 Promouvoir l’égalité

Diversité sociale En cours En cours En cours

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Main conclusions of the HALDE report (4/4)

• Main recommandations – Engage in a coherent and dynamic strategy : the

recommendation is relevant for political authorities, executives of the 3 firms, labour unions

– A pressing necessity to comply with the law regarding obligations regarding women, senior employees and handicapped workers (obligation to lead negociations on these issues once a year). Regarding senior employees, the obligation entails reaching an agreement by 1st January 2010

– A collective agreement for the entire radio and television sector is currently being negociated : special attention must be paid to discrimination issues ; HALDE should be consulted in the process

– Many specific recommendations were made concerning positive actions for women, senior employees, handicapped workers (for instance : unequal salaries for men and women) ; it was also recommended to establish a precise and documented overview of discrimination

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Challenges encountered

• In such a tight schedule, it was difficult to gather relevant information, and conduct all necessary verifications, in particular statistic treatments

• though the 3 firms’ executives complied with HALDE’s demands, the information and data they were able to refer was limited and of poor quality

• lack of interest (latent hostility ?) on the part of trade unions • the particular constraints of the survey

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Experience gained and follow-up

→ As a result, HALDE has now elaborated an evaluation framework, which is endorsed by its council, and a method for auditing a large private firm : it remains to be tested again !

→ An opportunity to work out a functional definition of the principle of “diversity” : not a target in itself, but a general direction for action that must be based on anti-discrimination and equality promotion for functional action plans and objectives

→ A dynamic was engaged with the 3 firms under review, to be followed-up