Welcome to the Forvis Mazars Group self-assessment tool for leaders who want to accelerate gender equity.

Gender equity in the corporate environment is a key element in driving innovation, growth and inclusive success. Our gender equity self-assessment for leaders, which consists of 22 questions, is designed to provide actionable and clear steps to support and advance gender equity in organisations.

We hope you find these insights valuable and that they support your conversations with your leadership teams on gender diversity and equity.

Measure 1: Demonstrate strong personal commitment from the CEO

Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response based on the scale provided below:

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 1.

    Gender equity is included as an objective in the strategic plan with a clear timeline.

    • This field is required

  • 2.

    The executive committee has validated a clear action plan for gender equity, including people responsible for its execution (senior executive), and regularly monitor progress.

    • This field is required

  • 3.

    The vision, strategy and roadmap for gender equity are formally communicated to all employees.

    • This field is required

  • 4.

    The CEO is personally and publicly committed to gender equity. They communicate this commitment consistently in internal settings (such as general meetings, newsletters and events), as well as in external settings (including forums, conferences and on social networks).

    • This field is required

  • 5.

    The CEO and leadership personally support women: eg by acting as sponsors, explicitly advocating their nomination and ensuring that they are in the promotion pools for senior positions.

    • This field is required

  • 6.

    The CEO and leadership personally encourage allyship (especially with men), empower women and actively support them in accessing relevant resources for career development.

    • This field is required

Previous Next

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Measure 2: Achieve a broad-based permanent shift to a more welcoming, inclusive corporate culture

Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response based on the scale provided below:

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 7.

    We analysed our internal data and compared it with the data and practices of other organisations to develop a well-founded and solid internal case for gender equity.

    • This field is required

  • 8.

    We identified the inclusive leadership styles and behaviours that we want to see adopted by the leadership team and all our managers.

    • This field is required

  • 9.

    We provide equity and inclusion training to all employees including stereotypes, biases, microaggressions, sexual harassment, sexism and other types of discrimination.

    • This field is required

  • 10.

    We developed inclusive leadership trainings for all managers and integrated these trainings into a management development programme (eg we refuse to participate in all-male roundtables, we use inclusive and equal terminology, we are considerate of meeting schedules and we take care to give women the floor in meetings).

    • This field is required

Previous Next

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Measure 3: Take into account the difference between men and women

Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response based on the scale provided below:

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 11.

    We acknowledge the main differences between men and women with an impact on career progression: self marketing and self evaluation, speaking in meetings, salary negotiation, relationship to power, communication style, career cycles and mental load.

    • This field is required

  • 12.

    We collected data on the promotion and retention of women at all levels and in all roles in our organisation. We analysed this data to understand, for each level, the barriers to women's advancement and the reasons for turnover. We set targets at different levels (including all levels of hierarchy and seniority, as well as among high performers and senior executives) to build and maintain a strong and dynamic pool of female talent.

    • This field is required

  • 13.

    We reviewed our organisational processes (recruitment, evaluation, promotion, raise processes) and practices (working hours, meetings, flexibility, parental leave) to eliminate biases and stereotypes and to take into account differences between men and women.

    • This field is required

  • 14.

    We ensure full transparency of the promotion process and in particular make sure that female employees are informed of the steps necessary to reach the next level of promotion (eg competency framework) and, potentially, to become a partner/leader.

    • This field is required

Previous Next

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Measure 4: Set precise, targeted and ambitious goals for gender equity on individual and team level

Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response based on the scale provided below:

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 15.

    We assess how variable compensation is designed and implemented, ensuring it is meaningfully tied to the achievement of gender equity goals, beginning with the executive team and including interim incentives and bonus structures.

    • This field is required

  • 16.

    We defined the criteria for inclusive leadership at all levels of the organisation, and these criteria are included in manager evaluation processes, such as performance reviews. 

    • This field is required

Previous Next

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Measure 5: Share gender equity performance dashboard

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 17.

    Our organisation collects gender data on the representation and advancement of women in the talent pool at all levels, globally and locally.

    • This field is required

  • 18.

    Gender equity performance indicators are transparently available to all employees and associates in my organisation.

    • This field is required

Previous Next

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Measure 6: Establish inclusive behaviours and inclusive communication

Please answer each question by selecting the most appropriate response based on the scale provided below:

1 Strongly disagree
2 Disagree
3 Neutral
4 Agree
5 Strongly agree

  • 19.

    We reflect on appropriate language and adapt it to our organisation’s level of maturity to discuss equity and inclusion.

    • This field is required

  • 20.

    We regularly communicate gender equity targets and ambitions internally and externally.

    • This field is required

  • 21.

    My team and I always and systematically refer to 'men and women' without distinction.

    • This field is required

  • 22.

    We pay attention to the equal representation of women/men in forums, public engagements, website, intranet, job advertisements, etc.

    • This field is required

Note: While this assessment refers to men and women, we do not adopt a binary understanding of gender. Instead, we recognise the full spectrum of gender identities and affirm the equal recognition of all genders. Our approach is based on an inclusive perspective that seeks to reflect the diversity of gender identities and to support an environment that is respectful and equitable for all individuals.

Previous Submit

One or more fields are incomplete. Please check and try again.

Gender equity self-assessment

Complete

Thank you for completing the gender equity self-assessment for leaders! We hope this exercise has been meaningful and instructive; and that you have gained valuable insights to enhance your gender equality programmes and increase the impact of your actions.

You’ll find here a synopsis of your assessment, with your overall score as well as your score on each of the six measures that drive gender equity results.

How to read the score?

Overall, you will see two scores: the first one is the number of actions out of 22, for which you gave a top grade (4 or 5). The second is the percentage of actions which received a top grade (4 and 5).

For example, if you marked 10 actions with grade 4 or 5 out of a total of 22, your score will show 45, which means your company is already implementing 45% of the actions that are recommended to drive gender diversity.

On each measure, the score shows the percentage of actions for which you gave a top grade (4 or 5).

You can read your assessment and tips on how to further improve or enhance gender diversity programmes in your organisation. Our team is available for an individual discussion to share thoughts and address any question you may have.

We would like to thank the Observatory for Gender Balance and its experts for their contributions and inputs along the way. We extend our thanks to our colleague Christin Drücke, Partner at Forvis Mazars in Germany, in charge of diversity and inclusion, for her coordination and support in developing this checklist and piloting its utilisation within our German office.

Overall score

# of questions for which you gave a 4 or 5 grade

FusionCharts XT will load here!

Overall score

% of actions listed in the checklist which are implemented in your company

FusionCharts XT will load here!

Score on each measure

% of actions implemented in your company, for each measure

FusionCharts XT will load here!

The self-assessment for leaders wanting to accelerate gender equity was co-developed under the direction of Forvis Mazars Group, together with the Observatory for Gender Balance, and with the exceptional contribution of Rohini Anand, Former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo and Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor at Rohini Anand LLC. It is a collective work protected by French and international copyright laws ©, filed with the INPI, and jointly owned by Forvis Mazars Group and the Observatory for Gender Balance. Consequently, any reproduction or use of the content – in whole or in part – for a fee or free of charge, is prohibited without their prior authorisation and constitutes infringement.