Back

For over ten years, Carrefour (a French global retail group) has been taking concrete action to advance gender equality in the workplace. In 2012, the Group launched the Women Leaders program, designed in partnership with Cegos (an international leader in professional traning) and IÉSEG. Its goal: to support talented women on their path to leadership roles. Today, this program has become a genuine career accelerator, combining academic rigor, human support, and inspiration.

A demanding and certified program

The program spans nearly a full year and includes thirteen days of training with in-person sessions, supervised projects, immersive experiences, and collective moments for reflection and exchange.

Each cohort brings together around fifteen participants from stores, warehouses, and headquarters— all identified as high-potential talents. Together, they embark on a transformative journey that helps them assert their leadership, broaden their strategic vision, and build a solid professional network.

Developing leadership and embracing ambition

Participants work on a wide range of topics, from management and finance to innovation, intrapreneurship, and soft skills. The focus is equally on performance and balance, with modules dedicated to self-confidence, public speaking, creativity, and priority management. The program encourages each participant to overcome impostor syndrome, express her aspirations, take a stand, and fully embrace her ambitions.

The alliance between academic excellence and human support

“We wanted to design a program that combines academic rigor with experiential learning,” explains Gaëlle EPRÉMIAN, Head of Development and Custom Programs.
“The support we offer through supervised projects is essential. Participants work on concrete issues linked to Carrefour’s challenges, supported by a coach specialized in management and entrepreneurship. This enables them to apply the concepts they learn, strengthen their analytical skills, and convince others as they present their recommendations to a jury. It’s a real accelerator for developing managerial posture.
Inspiring encounters—such as visits to the Village by CA or exchanges with women entrepreneurs—add new perspectives to their journey.”

A transformative experience for participants

Over the years, Women Leaders has helped many employees move into leadership positions. Some now run stores—like Audrey, a 2016 graduate—while others hold managerial roles in headquarters, like Astrid (Class of 2024), or in international subsidiaries, such as Brenda from the 2022 cohort, now working in Spain.

Rachida MAOUCHE, currently Director for Bakery, Viennoiserie, and Pastry, also completed the Women Leaders program. She shares how transformative this experience was, reinforcing her vision of leadership and her way of moving forward—with boldness, determination, and alignment with her values.

“The Women Leaders program is incredibly enriching: it strengthens our interpersonal skills, boosts our confidence and impact, and helps us grow our network. It reminded me that we are our own compass—our ambitions must reflect our convictions, not other people’s expectations. It reinforced the idea that nothing should stop those who believe in their dreams and work to make them happen.

Through discussions, projects, and encounters, I found an incredible collective energy—women who, each in their own way, embrace their ambitions, set clear goals, and move forward without being sidetracked. This dynamic convinced me that boldness is not a risk, but a strength.

The program also helped me take a step back from my leadership role, refine my vision, and confirm how important it is to stay aligned with oneself, even in a demanding environment. It gave me the momentum to keep progressing, inspiring others, and paving the way for future generations.

More than ever, I’m convinced that the only limit is the one we set for ourselves. Boldness, clarity, and perseverance are our best allies in turning our ambitions into reality. Women Leaders didn’t create my confidence—it anchored it deeply. It also allowed me to support others in my team by sharing my experience and encouraging them to believe in themselves, because they are extraordinary and inspiring women. Sometimes a simple outside perspective is enough to spark change. Sisterhood is essential to me, because together, we go further.”

Rachida MAOUCHE, Director, Bakery – Pastry

A committed partnership for gender equality

Promoting diversity and equal opportunity has been part of Carrefour’s DNA since the company’s inception. Vanessa KOLASNIEWSKI, Talent Program Manager at Carrefour, explains:
“Today, our company counts nearly 180,000 women, 44% of whom are managers. We are convinced that diverse teams are one of the keys to success.”

To continue increasing the number of women in leadership and managerial positions, Carrefour offers development programs, coaching, and mentoring to its female employees. The Women Leaders program is one of its strategic levers. “With this tailor-made program, our ambition is clear: to give high-potential women the opportunity to develop their talents and take their rightful place in tomorrow’s leadership,” says Vanessa KOLASNIEWSKI.

On the Cegos side, Virginie TILHET-COARTET, project manager and leadership & transformation consultant, highlights the program’s robustness—which leads to a Strategic Management Certificate and supports Carrefour’s broader cultural and managerial transformation:
“Among its strengths, participants particularly appreciate the active learning approach, which fosters alignment of head–heart–body, and the inclusive and diverse team of facilitators (improv actors, coaches, experts…) who are passionate, committed, and exemplary.”

Inspiring women and inspiring companies

Ahead of the launch of the 14th and 15th cohorts in 2026, the Women Leaders program continues to evolve each year. Yet its essence remains the same: enabling women to unlock their potential, assert themselves, and become key drivers of transformation.

Beyond individual journeys, the program reflects a powerful belief: gender equality is not only a matter of fairness—it is also a source of richness for organizations and a powerful lever for performance and innovation.