What vision do women have on today's major economic and social changes? What differences exist between men and women when it comes to exercising power? How will women's increasing role in the economy and society impact developing countries and emerging economies?
These are just a few of the themes debated during the first edition of the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, which had been held from October 13-15 2005 in Deauville, France and of which Suez is a partner.
Some 80 international figures, such as opera singer Barbara Hendricks, Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Gérard Mestrallet, President and CEO of Suez, Simone Veil, former French Minister of State, and Muhammad Yunus, founder of the micro-credit concept, spoke during the Forum, which featured 500 men and women leaders in economic, political, cultural and scientific spheres from numerous different countries.
In order to bring this project to fruition, Aude de Thuin, founder and president of the Forum, has gathered together a team of high-powered women - key figures on five continents. The French members of the team include Patricia Barbizet, Mercedes Erra, Anne Lauvergeon, Laurence Parisot and Véronique Morali.
This leader's Forum, which aims to usher in a new tone and vibrancy, is being partnered by some 20 companies, which in turn are showing their commitment to diversity in the corporate sphere. These partners will benefit from the Observatory's work and publications. The Observatory, launched in 2005, is a place to network and also to access research and resources concerning women's vision and their place and role in society and in the workplace.
