1. Commission européenne Avec le concours du Fonds Social Européen Work life balance in the building industry in France « Women in the building industry : it’s possible »

2. Summary  A favourable legal context designed to promote Equal professional Opportunities between men and women  A voluntarist policy from the Federations of employers (FFB) in the building branch :  Practical measures set up by big firms :  The example of VINCI  The Equal Opportunities Label

3. 1- Labour regulations Art.R234-6 : load limit Art.R234-9 et 10 : forbidden jobs Art.R232-2 à R232-2-7 : bathroom installations Art. L132-1 : «no sex mention» in job advertisements L122-25 : « To be pregnant » can not be used as an argument to refuse a woman application for a job

4. 2- legal context 9/05/01 : The Equal professional Opportunities Act 06/02/02 : Draft for women’s access in the building sector (FFB/Departments) 01/03/04 : National framework agreement for professional mix and equal opportunities between men and women 04/05/04 : long life vocational training Act 13/07/04 : National agreement in implementing long life vocational training in the building industry

5. 3- Public measures Child care center (crèche) Family allowance : state allowance paid to families with dependent children Extended maternity or paternity leave

6. Commission européenne Avec le concours du Fonds Social Européen The initiatives of the French Federation of the building industry National publicity campains, local leadership women groups …

7. 1- National publicity campains  To sensibilise enterprises to recruit women  To attract women in the sector  To mobilize Professionals in the sector to implement « good practices »

8. 2- Local leadership women groups Origin : to give a professional recognition (for instance to be put on the payroll) to the wife who worked with her husband 6 meetings per year to exchange good practices A program in 3 parts : 1.To meet institutional partners 2.To follow a vocational training per year 3.To contribute to implement the FBB’s policy

9. Commission européenne Avec le concours du Fonds Social Européen A fine example of professional mix : Vinci group An agreement on professional mix, publicity campains, a child care center proposal…

10. 1- Origin approach To answer to the lack of skilled labour, building firms, and notably Vinci decided to implement innovative measures :  To attract, to recruit,  To promote  And to keep The women in the building industry

11. 2-The current initiatives An agreement on professional mix in the process of being validated Publicity campains : a video, publications… A child care center project A sociological study, led by a temping agency (ADECCO)

12. 3- The main measures of the agreement on professional mix 1.Recruitment and Communication 2.Training and involvement in professional network 3.Working conditions and careers management 4.Maternity and paternity 5.Payment 6.Work-life balance

13. Commission européenne Avec le concours du Fonds Social Européen Conclusion and Prospect The Equal Opportunities Label, the study visit in France proposal…

14. The Equal Opportunities Label To reward firms for setting up exemplary practices To put these firms into light to show their involvement to their employees It’s an accompanying tool : it overshoot the legal commitments It’s a social justice tool : It promotes the social responsability of thes firms

15. Study visit in France Proposal To organize some meetings with involved people in the building sector :  The leader of the women group in the French Federation of the building industry  The general secretary of « the Vinci Foundation », who is in charge notably of the child care center project…. To meet women working in some building sites … To meet a firm in another sector, for instance Peugeot, that has been rewarded by the Equal opportunities Label