Final BEYUNBI training in Paris: Two days of unconscious bias in focus
The final face-to-face training session of the European project BEYUNBI (Beyond Unconscious Bias) took place in Paris on Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1. Our French member organisation, French Confederation of Management – General Confederation of Executives (CFE-CGC), hosted the session, and its National Secretary, Anne-Catherine Cudennec, welcomed the participants.
She emphasized the importance of European projects like BEYUNBI in promoting inclusivity and diversity across the continent.
Following her address, Maxime Legrand, President of CEC European Managers, took the stage. He highlighted the organisation’s role in fostering diversity and training managers on modern challenges, including Artificial Intelligence, the green transition, and the struggle for innovation.
Legrand acknowledged that, despite these strides, some European managers still face challenges such as language barriers, as much of the European Union‘s work is conducted in English.
He invited the members of our French host organisation to visit the EU quarter in Brussels and the headquarters of CEC, offering an opportunity to see the work of the international office up close.
Following his speech, Legrand introduced Barbara De Micheli, Beyunbi’s Training Coordinator, and head coordinator at the Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini. She took a moment to reflect on the legacy of Giacomo Brodolini, a prominent Italian syndicalist from the 1970s, known for his work in Italian labour policy. De Micheli also shared her deep commitment to EU projects promoting equal opportunities.
The 23 training participants then introduced themselves through a card game, illustrating their feelings and expectations for the training. They were coming from different backgrounds and sectors, lots of them from the energy sector and from member organisations of the French confederation of managers, as well as CEC European Managers‘s partners in EU social dialogue, Eurocadres.
Barbara De Micheli commenced the session by discussing the significance of the language used when talking about biases. She emphasized that choosing the right words is crucial for fostering an inclusive vision and further elaborated on the nature of unconscious bias, explaining how our cultural backgrounds, stereotypes, and automatic systems of thought shape our worldviews.
One of the managers participating at the training shared a striking example from her professional life: a colleague hired someone based on the assumption that international experience indicated open-mindedness and independence—only to find this was not the case.
This example illustrated how bias when assessing a CV can influence even the most well-intentioned decisions.
The discussion then expanded to the legal frameworks that promote inclusivity and gender equality. Participants debated whether more EU laws were necessary or if better enforcement and education would suffice.
One example discussed was the European Union’s directive on working time, which included commuting time as part of the working day.
Although approved years ago, the directive has not been fully implemented in several EU countries, including France.
Legrand clarified that the Beyunbi project is focused on social affairs rather than legal frameworks, emphasizing managers’ pivotal role in controlling biases and fostering inclusivity in the workplace.
Gender equality, a central training topic, prompted a particularly emotional discussion after participants watched the #LikeAGirl video from a past marketing campaign.
The toxic impact of machism on young boys and men was acknowledged, with participants recognizing how early stereotypes restrict emotional expression in boys. The consensus was that inclusive work environments, free of bias, benefit both men and women.
The debate around bias extended beyond gender, covering a wide range of related topics. Participants noted several benefits of addressing unconscious bias in the workplace, including increased productivity, better employee retention, improved reputation, and greater creativity.
Telework was also debated, with many managers agreeing that working together in person encourages creativity and innovation, suggesting that remote work should account for no more than 50% of overall working time.
The first day ended with participants splitting into groups to tackle real-life case studies, applying what they had learned from the day’s training.
On the second day, the debates continued, with the focus on family roles after having children or how the bias against syndicalists sometimes makes it harder for them to be hired. In general terms, the training was a success, with managers coming from all corners of France (including Guadeloupe) and Germany.
Clearly, the Beyond Unconscious Bias project has made significant strides in addressing unconscious bias. Through the dedication of CEC European Managers, Barbara De Micheli‘s insightful training coordination, and the strong support of the host organisation CFE-CGC, this final training session marked the successful culmination of a Europe-wide effort to create more inclusive work environments.
Public event on the 10 October
A virtual public event will be organised on the 10 October to further deepen the Paris training. The event will be live-streamed on Linkedin and more information will be published shortly about it.
