Label Alliance: “It reinforces the direction of our policies toward greater equality and diversity”
In fact, UM has just earned dual certification, having been recognized byAFNOR for its policies promoting workplace equality and diversity. This recognition was achieved following a process that required “enormous effort” from the administrations, departments, and units involved, as highlighted by Julie Boiché, Vice President for Social Responsibility and the institution’s liaison for racism and anti-Semitism, and Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice President for Education, Gender Equality Officer, and Disability Liaison.
To begin with, what exactly does the Alliance certification entail?
Agnès Fichard-Carroll: Alliance is a certification for gender equality and diversity. This dual certification recognizes the work that has been done and helps us commit to a path of continuous improvement. It also demonstrates that UM upholds these values for students wishing to enroll at the University of Montpellier, or for staff members wishing to work there.
Is UM the first university to have embarked on this initiative and to have received certification?
Julie Boiché: Yes, absolutely. There are other public entities—such as departmental councils and municipalities—that have launched this initiative, but we are currently the only university.
Where did this desire to apply for the Alliance label come from?
AFC: We renewed our HRS4R label in 2021. The IGESR (General Inspectorate of Education, Sports, and Research) published a comparative analysis of the HRS4R label and national labels, in which areas of overlap were identified. So we decided to go for it. This also aligned with the University’s strong standing in rankings related to social responsibility (such as THE Impact). There was a clear fit, but I must admit that we may not have fully appreciated the enormous amount of work this certification process would entail.
So, what exactly are the steps involved in obtaining this certification?
AFC: First, you need to contact AFNOR, which oversees the process. Discussions are held to define the scope and timeline. Next, you must compile an application package, and based on that package, an initial on-site audit is conducted. The inspector—or, in our case, the female inspector—then submits a report.
It does seem like a lengthy process…
AFC: Yes, especially since there was a mix-up, if I may say so, regarding the scope.
J.B:We began, together with the steering committee and the president’s office, by discussing the matter with AFNOR to define the appropriate scope. This was an initial request, so we wanted to start with the certification of central and shared services before considering, in a second request, an extension to the components.
However, the current certification process also applies to university departments, schools, and institutes.
J.B.: That’s true. We had almost completed the process—the application had been filled out, and the audit had taken place. At the end of 2023, a bombshell! AFNOR informed us that, ultimately, the scope of the certification must include at least 25% of the staff; however, central and shared services alone are not enough to meet this threshold, so it didn’t pass!
Did you have to start the whole process over again?
J.B: More or less. We had to do the same thing, but on a larger scale. So we expanded the scope to include academic departments, schools, and institutes that interact with students. With this expanded scope, we were well above the AFNOR criteria this time.
What criteria were used to evaluate the University of Montpellier?
J.B: We demonstrated our strong commitment to equality and diversity in our hiring practices, career management, communications, and our initiatives aimed at both raising awareness and combating discrimination. We also highlighted our ability to address issues effectively.
AFC: In particular, through the establishment of support groups to address gender-based and sexual violence, as well as all forms of discrimination. But also through everything we’re doing to promote greater gender diversity in academic programs. We’ve gathered a vast amount of data, and we’ve also generated new data through the focus groups we organized on specific topics.
I imagine that the gender equality plan, the disability policy, and so on were valuable assets…
AFC: Of course, we already had a well-thought-out strategy and defined action plans; we can also mention the workplace quality of life plan, the week dedicated to combating racism and anti-Semitism, and the week against LGBT+phobia. Ultimately, this report was compiled by combining elements that are part of our routine activities with others that required further investigation, either because Afnor’s specifications did not fully align with our organizational structure or because they require further consideration for the future.
Did this initiative ultimately lead to proposals or concrete action?
J.B: I would say instead thatit reinforced the direction of our policies in support of equality and diversity. In this area, for example, there are still 26 grounds for discrimination defined by law. The initiatives we’ve undertaken have allowed us to “take the temperature” and reaffirm that sexism, racism, disability, religious discrimination, or negative treatment based on sexual orientation or gender identity were truly the community’s main concerns; yet these are issues we tackle head-on. The reporting form we drafted nevertheless lists all 26 criteria, and both staff and users should know that they can come to us regarding any type of discrimination.
What are the main issues raised in the reports you receive?
J.B: The reports often concern workplace bullying, or difficult workplace relationships that the people who contact us describe as harassment. We also sometimes receive reports of incidents involving negative treatment or discrimination based on origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
AFC: We are aware that we need to remain vigilant, as some people may not yet feel comfortable reporting other forms of discrimination to us. For example, the caller mentioned fatphobia quite a bit; however, we haven’t received any reports of such cases, which doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
How long did the entire application process take?
AFC: A little over three years for a certification that must be renewed every four years, with a midterm review in two years. Fortunately, thanks to the departments of planning, human resources, campus life, and others, work is ongoing. We didn’t have to revolutionize our approach, but these accreditation processes also provide an opportunity to reflect on what we do, to engage with students and staff, and to learn a little more about what’s happening at the University. Ultimately, this is a wonderful institutional initiative, and Julie and I would like to thank everyone—at the central administration, in the academic departments, schools, and institutes, and beyond—who has contributed to this success.