France: gender equality index in companies remains high but is under threat

Since 2019, French companies with more than 50 employees have been required to publish their gender equality score. By 24 March 2025, 19,020 companies had reported their figures to the French labour ministry, approximately 80% of the companies concerned. This is a significant increase, as the ministry recorded 77% in 2023 and 72% in 2022. Their average continues to improve, reaching 88.4 out of 100, compared to 88 in 2023 and 87.5 in 2022. Three out of four companies have a score higher than 85, and one out of two has a score higher than 90/100. The professional equality index, ranging from 0 to 100, is the total number of points calculated on the following criteria, based on data supplied by the companies themselves: the gender pay gap for equal levels of job (40 points), the gap in annual increases (20 or 35 points depending on the number of employees), increases on return from maternity leave (15 points), the presence of women among the company’s highest earners (10 points).…