The ORPEA Group Celebrates International Women's Day

PUTEAUX, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

On 8 March, International Women's Day is celebrated around the world. It is a day of union, commitment and progression that should be encouraged and pursued, as gender equality is both a strategic and important aspect for ORPEA (Paris:ORP).

The sector in which ORPEA operates is represented by a very high proportion of women (more than 80% of employees are female). As such, the place of women has always been prominent for the Group.

Aware of its responsibility, ORPEA has been committed to a policy of diversity and inclusion within its workforce for more than 20 years. Giving each person a chance based solely on their skills and values, regardless of their gender, age, origin or former education, is a commitment rooted in its values. All professional roles, including positions of responsibility, are accessible to both women and men.

Women have always held positions of responsibility, whether in the management of facilities or within the departments at Headquarters. For example, the Group Medical, Quality, Legal, M&A and Human Resources Development Departments are dominated by women. Similarly, the Geographical Regions Department teams comprise many women.

Career development concerns all of its employees and 65% of the Group's management positions are occupied by women. These figures reflect the well-implemented proactive policy, which continues wherever ORPEA establishes itself.

For Yves Le Masne, Chief Executive Officer of ORPEA:

"Equality between women and men is a permanent requirement for the company.
Women bring a perspective which is complementary to that of men. In a professional service role involving human relations, which is actually an area in which more than 80% of employees are women, as well as the majority of residents and parents, women often bring a kind of sensitivity and an original approach to the different stakeholders.
We believe in inclusive management and collective intelligence. It is important for us to ensure a diversity of thought that can be brought about by different paths in life and different backgrounds. That is what true wealth is, that which allows us all to complement each other and go further. "

On International Women's Day, in order to bring the Group's commitments to life and to exemplify them, ORPEA wanted to meet some of these women who can represent women everywhere and be ambassadors of the day.

Meet Asuncion, Jasna, Katarzyna, Alessandra and Stéphanie, Bianca, Laure, Pamela and Nihal… They are Facility Directors, CEOs, Nurses, EVPs and Regional Directors.

They discuss their passion for their profession, their backgrounds and their challenges. They share their advice and also tell us about their dreams for a fairer, more egalitarian world in which work constitutes a powerful opportunity for gender equality.

Asuncion Zaragoza, CEO & CFO ORPEA Iberica. Asuncion began her career in the Group in 2006 as CFO.

"All girls and women need to know that they can be what they want to be. They need to have confidence in their abilities. Your own attitude towards what you want is crucial. If you have confidence in yourself, this comes across and prevents others from trying to create a sense of insecurity. I have been fortunate not to feel discriminated against, perhaps that's because I never thought that I could be discriminated against for the mere fact of being a woman. "

Jasna Krijan, Regional Director of SeneCura Carinthia in Austria and Operation Manager for SeneCura Croatia. Jasna began her career in the Group in 1995 as a Nurse.

"Have a vision and go for it. Believe in your strengths. What is before or behind us is nothing compared to what is within us. If we can show the world what is within us, miracles can happen."

Katarzyna Zajac, Nurse at ORPEA Residences Nursing Home in Poland. Katarzyna began her career in the Group in 2014 as a Nursing Assistant in a nursing home.

"I dream that every woman can make her own decisions according to her own beliefs, conscience and values. We have the right to define the rules we follow so that freedom of choice prevails in all aspects of our lives. I would advise other women not to be afraid of challenges and to try to overcome their fear. Step by step. It's really important to break down barriers. "

Alessandra Milano, Strategy Development Manager for ORPEA in Italy. Alessandra began her career with ORPEA in 2007 as Director of a nursing home.

"Consider every change as an opportunity to renew and enrich yourself, and always do things with care and dedication. Because years later, everything that has been done well will still remain and will be useful to everyone. "

Stéphanie CARRANI, Regional Director for Clinea post-acute and rehabilitation facilities in France. Stéphanie began her career in the ORPEA Group in 2005 as a Medical Administrative Manager in a post-acute and rehabilitation hospital.

"My advice to young girls? It is to always believe in what they are and to blindly trust their instinct, doubts and fears. All together, hand-in-hand, we will stand strong and proud of the world that we are building for our children. "

Bianca Anders, Celenus Clinic and Health Centre Director in Germany. Bianca began her career at ORPEA in 2016 as an intern in the clinic management teams.

"Regardless of the political framework, rights equality must be present in society and in companies. On the one hand, companies must commit to fostering career prospects and providing opportunities. On the other hand, women must be strategic in their career planning.
It is good to see the traditional conventions being shaken up with more and more men taking parental leave, for example. "

Laure Frères, Well-Being EVP, Head of Quality, Medical and CSR. Laure began her career in the Group in 1998 as an Executive Assistant in a nursing home.

"We need to believe in a world where consideration of others is in every sense of the word. In a world that gives each and every person a chance, taking into account motivations, skills and desires. In a world where we recognise that it is above all collective intelligence and teamwork that will make a difference. "

Pamela Dubessy, Head of Care at Clinea psychiatric hospital in France. Pamela began her career in the Group in 2000 as a Nursing Assistant.

"I believe that women have a more developed emotional intelligence in terms of empathy, kindness and an ability to listen. These are necessary qualities for gaining trust and uniting a team in collaborative projects. My advice is don't give up, stay determined, everything is possible. You have to believe it and believe in yourself!"

Nihal ZEKRAOUI, Director of ORPEA Residences Nursing Home in Belgium. Nihal began her career at ORPEA in 2014 as a Nurse.

"Thanks to the Group's support and organisation, I have been and still am fortunate enough to be able to continue my studies alongside working. Continuous training is essential within the Group. The transmission of information, knowledge and skills is a strong part of this organisation. "

To see the journeys and portraits of our female employees in full, click here: https://orpea-corp-events.com/en/

About ORPEA (www.orpea-corp.com)

Founded in 1989, ORPEA is one of the major world leaders in long-term care for people in poor health, with a network of 1,028 facilities comprising 105,443 beds (21,137 of which are under construction) across 22 countries, divided into five geographical regions:

- France Benelux: 523 facilities/46,277 beds (of which 4,957 are under construction)
- Central Europe: 249 facilities/26,491 beds (of which 4,885 are under construction)
- Eastern Europe: 136 facilities/14,621 beds (of which 3,647 are under construction)
- Iberian Peninsula/Latin America: 119 facilities/17,914 beds (of which 7,648 are under construction)
- Rest of the world: 1 facility/140 beds