LVMH launches gender equality research campaign

By

Kate Dingwall

Published
Nov 15, 2016

LVMH has started a new program called "EllesVMH Connect" focused on addressing gender equality in the workplace. The two-part program, that began on September 23rd, is spanning 43 LVMH houses across 22 countries.

The first stage of the project brought 2,000 managers from 43 different LVMH houses around the world to an event which held workshops and talks on how to promote career advancement for women in the workplace. Topics included battling ‘the maternity wall’, and other behaviors that constitute obstacles to career advancement for women.

Chantal Gaemperle, Group EVP of human resources and synergies of LVMH stated, “This initiative confirms our commitment to female leadership and underlines the central role that women occupy in our staff. More than a business imperative, the issue of parity at work has been completely embedded in our corporate culture for many years through multiple internal programs. The success of EllesVMH Connect corroborates our efforts and encourages us to continue on this path.”

The conference was broadcasted as an online workshop on the “EllesVMH Connect” online platform for employees. As a follow-up to these broadcasts, discussion-based focus groups took place around the world.

The second phase of the EllesVMH Connect initiative will involve analyzing the feedback provided by the participants of the conference and focus groups. This feedback will allow LVMH to make a gender-inclusive long term strategy. The objective of the EllesVMH campaign is to have 50% of women on the executive committees of LVMH committees in the next four years.

The equality initiative is indicative of a big push for luxury conglomerates to embrace a culture of inclusion in the workplace.

In March of this year, Kering announced the group would financially back the HeForShe campaign -- the United Nations’s women’s solidarity movement for gender equality.

L’Oreal was announced the winner of the United Nations’  CEO Leadership Awards during the 2016 Women’s Empowerment Principles event for the company’s work tracking equality progress in the company. 

PVH signed the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles charter, meaning the brand will embark on a seven-step process to promote gender equality in all levels of their business.