While women make up half (48%) of Quebec’s labor force, they represent only a third (36%) of management positions and barely hold 16% of businesses in the province, according to data from Investissement Québec. Quebec businesswomen who have distinguished themselves in their communities speak out to advocate the importance of inclusion and diversity in business.
Listening managers
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, although parity is far from achieved, women have made gains in representation — and particularly in senior leadership positions, according to a northern report -American titled Women in the Workplace, published by McKinsey. But the past few months have also left women noticeably more exhausted, far more so than their male counterparts, according to the study.
However, despite their own accumulated fatigue, “women were managers who were very attentive to the well-being of their employees during the pandemic,” notes Stéphanie Trudeau, executive vice-president of Énergir, who read the report. .
The presence of women in governance positions has other advantages, notes Mme Trudeau, according to whom “humility, empathy and the search for consensus” are among the qualities often found in female managers, and which benefit the company.
In 2019, Standards and Poor’s published a report highlighting the fact that “when women lead, companies win”. The study showed in particular that “companies whose board of directors presented a great diversity of genders were more profitable than companies with low diversity”.
According to Mme Trudeau, this is explained by the fact that “balanced teams, in terms of gender but also of origin, make balanced decisions”.
Encourage women of diversity
Going into business always has its share of pitfalls, but women often have to overcome more — and those of diversity more, says Déborah Cherenfant, regional director of the Women Entrepreneurs division for Quebec and the Atlantic at the Groupe TD Bank. “It’s important to reduce or even eliminate these barriers to help women start their businesses,” she says.
“Diverse women are less seen as future successful entrepreneurs. But it’s a myth to be deconstructed,” says the one who founded her company Atelier Couleur and held the reins for eight years, in addition to having directed the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Montreal until recently.
Examples prove this, such as that of Brasserie Harricana, built in 2014 by Marie-Pier Veilleux and Cynthia Santamaria, two women from the LGBTQ+ community whose values are based on inclusion. A guarantee of their success: the entrepreneurs have succeeded in making their mark by breaking into the brewing field, which is mainly male, and their beers are now distributed in 300 points of sale in Quebec.
But before even hoping to be successful, women must face the obstacle of access to financing. “In general, women get less funding, whether for structural reasons of gender discrimination or stereotypes, because they ask for less or because they go to sectors perceived as less profitable. , such as services”, launches Mme Cherchild.
Supporting figures: “investors are twice as likely to invest in projects led by men, even when the presentations are identical”, according to a study mentioned by Investissement Québec in its Factoriel!e toolbox, a report promoting gender diversity among Quebec businesses.
“My advice for women who want to start a business would be to surround themselves well, to take advantage of the resources at their disposal, but above all to have confidence in themselves and in their project,” says Ms.me Cherchild.