Sylvie Plunian, présidente FCE Marseille. / © Christine Criscuolo
Sylvie Plunian (FCE Marseille)
Solidarity and sisterhood
ON FCE MARSEILLE. The group was revived by the energetic Aurore Sun five years ago. Now we have 30 members and 8 applicants. Although it celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2020, the group is still very active, holding two meetings a month and with half its members holding some voluntary post.
ON MARSEILLE’S MACHO REPUTATION. It doesn’t matter. Women are taking their place more and more, better and better. It’s up to women in business to not let machismo thrive in their businesses, and it’s up to all women to destroy it through education.
ON SOCIAL NETWORKS. FCE is not the only organisation helping women entrepreneurs in Marseille. The region boasts about 20 active and efficient women’s networks that facilitate mutual help and business swaps in all fields.
ON PROMOTING WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP.&NBSP. Through our partnership with the “100 000 entrepreneurs” association, we give talks in middle and high schools. On International Women’s Day (8 March), we welcome 100 schoolgirls at the Marseille Chamber of Commerce to encourage them to take business training and, above all, to dare. Dare to be you!
ON MUTUAL HELP. The recent economic difficulties created by the lockdowns led us to invent solutions to stimulate communication and solidarity. We want to create an efficient toolbox for this and spread it around the region.
Anne Jegat, présidente FCE Aix-en-Provence et future présidente de la Région Sud. / © Christine Soudan
Anne Jegat (FCE Aix-en-Provence)
Volunteering is in our blood
ON TRAINING. Our role is to take our demands forward to the national level. We meet once a month and hear talks by people from the business and cultural spheres who can help us. These meetings help us to break out of our isolation and share ideas.
ON TAKING VOLUNTARY POSTS. Forty per cent of our members are in voluntary posts in economic decision-making bodies like the Chamber of commerce and industry, commercial court and industrial tribunal. It is an essential investment. It makes it easier to quickly take account of information and helps us to advance our demands.
ON GENDER EQUALITY IN THE ECONOMY. The division of labour on a farm makes it fairly egalitarian, and there is less and less difference in the self-employed sector. But that is far from the case in trade and business. It is also harder for women to get bank loans. With the support of FCE, women can make themselves heard more.
ON THE AIX REGION FCE The Aix region FCE has been going a very long time. Today it has 24 or 25 members and some 15 sympathisers. Having fewer than 30 members per group ensures efficiency.
ON FUTURE TASKS IN THE REGION. Bringing together FCE group chairwomen (the Trophy is an excellent example of this), forging ties, taking action collectively. Facilitating access to bank loans and commercial leases and improving the status of unsalaried workers, who are mainly women.
By Maurice Gouiran
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