Although we don't like to admit it, we all have unconscious biases. Being aware of them is the first step towards promoting gender equality in managerial positions. A more radical step was the adoption of the Act of 28 July 2011 which requires that a third of the members of the board of directors of government-held and listed companies be women, as from 1 January 2017 (or 1 January 2019 for smaller listed companies). 

The Act provides for severe sanctions in the event of non-compliance with this quota. For instance, all directors' fees shall be suspended as long as women do not make up a third of the board of directors and the next director the company appoints must be a woman (or the appointment will be deemed invalid).

In order to meet this quota, many companies are now actively recruiting women directors. In this respect, one noteworthy association is Women on Board, whose goal is to create a pool of potential female company directors. 

All members of senior management, currently mostly men, are encouraged to consult the website of Women on Board when seeking to appoint directors. After all, a talented management team is based on complementarity in terms of skills, experience and knowledge as well as gender.