Inclusion & Diversity
At the core of our business
Our workplace is as diverse as our customer base. Air Liquide’s solutions serve customers and patients in activities from aeronautics to home healthcare, from chemicals to food processing, electronics and beyond. And this diversity is reflected in our employees. We believe diversity is key to remaining competitive and maintaining our leadership in the industry.
160+ nationalities in the Group
34 nationalities among Executives
Setting ambitious goals
Diversity is a priority of Air Liquide’s Human Resources strategy and policy, and the Group considers it a source of strength, creativity and performance. It is a fundamental element of the organization, in terms of both businesses and employees, and drives the Group’s long-term performance.
The objectives at Group level include enhancing diversity among managerial staff to better recognize the various cultures that make up Air Liquide and to improve gender equality. In this respect, quantified targets have been set for the Group and its entities regarding gender and nationalities.
In 2018, we set goals for the percentage of women in managerial and leadership positions. These inclusion and diversity goals are part of our Environmental and Societal Report which is reviewed each year by an independent reviewer.
Our 2025 targets
35% share of women in the “Managers and Professionals” population
vs. 32% in 2023
25% share of women in Executive positions worldwide
vs. 24.7% in 2023
What we aim for
1. Track objectives for all entities
2. Mitigate bias in talent discussions and improve HR processes
3. Promote a culture of inclusion
A recent example is the Inclusion Movement, a development opportunity for Inclusion & Diversity enthusiasts. 220 of them around the world are designing and running experiments over 6 months leveraging innovation techniques such as design thinking and lean start up. Learnings will be spread across the organization in the spirit of continuous improvement. Another example at the European level is the HandivAirsity initiative involving our entire ecosystem: employees, suppliers, customers and other stakeholders.
Many other local initiatives exist, commonly managed by Air Liquide employees.
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HandivAirsity: fostering workplace inclusion to the benefit of allAn essential part of inclusion and diversity (I&D) at Air Liquide is integrating people with disabilities into work at all levels and to the benefit of all parties.
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Inspiring Women: daring to take the first stepWhat does it mean to dare? At its simplest, it is having the courage to try. To be willing to go beyond the limits imposed upon you and to set your own course. In light of its 120th anniversary, Air Liquide is presenting the stories of 120 Inspiring Women across the Group who have dared to do just that.
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Spark a movement leveraging innovation techniques for inclusionAir Liquide’s Inclusion Movement is a hands-on project to derive strength from diversity. The outputs? Personal passion, professional development and boosted performance.
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How our employees see Inclusion & Diversity
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Loredana Vid, Group Compensation & Benefits Manager
"It's about promoting and contributing to an environment where everyone feels legitimate and at ease to bring his/her whole self to work. We all have the power to promote inclusion and we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of even the smallest actions towards an environment promoting inclusion, diversity and psychological safety. Margaret Mead once said: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -
Florian Lampson, Group Internal Control Director
"Inclusion is key to create a better working environment with more engaged and enthusiastic teams. I’m willing to discover more about it and contribute to initiatives to make it happen! I'm really grateful that Air Liquide enabled me to join the Inclusion Movement, which resulted in a great experience above my expectations! It was an opportunity to learn a lot and to enjoy working with enthusiastic colleagues from different fields and backgrounds all along during this journey." -
Yutao Huang, Helium Director Europe
"Find the complice to change the world together! The Gap between KNOW and DO, between DO and the others' feeling of being included need continuous effort to bridge. This journey is full of challenges, with perseverance and agility, the favorable wind will come." -
Elodie Dejean, Food & Pharma Nordic Offer Deployer for ALTEC
"Raising awareness and communicating about Inclusion & Diversity will influence our working environment and company culture in a positive way. As a long term expatriate, I have experienced the magic and the challenges of diversity in my personal and professional life. I believe that becoming a I&D champion could make my own life and others’ better!" -
Julien Sauveplane, Group Continuous Improvement Leader
"I joined the Inclusion Movement because I am convinced that Inclusion is key to creating a welcoming work environment for all our employees, which both helps us in retaining our talents and boosting our performance! I want to promote it actively and also learn about (and fight!) my unconscious biases. Being part of the movement helped me realize that culture plays an even greater role than I thought in inclusion. The formidable amount of positive energy that fuels the movement makes me very confident in the future of I&D at Air Liquide."
