I was looking through the Women’s Forum’s “The Book” recently and a quote from one of the sessions at the 2012 Deauville “Global Meeting” conference, entitled “Can economic austerity be an opportunity for women?” caught my eye :

“In France, the dialogue between the government and the private sector is very poor. At the end of the day, it’s not surprising that the decisions taken by government are far from what the private sector expects.”

Given that this quote was uttered by Agnès Audier, Partner and Managing Director of The Boston Consulting Group, and a highly respected professional who’s previously held senior advisory positions in both the private and public sector… she must know what she’s talking about. The next headline, further down the page, made me gulp even more: “In France, 90% of women entrepreneurs do not draw a salary”.

Being a British professional and single mother living in Paris, I fully understand the trials and tribulations that women have to face in their working lives, in France and the wider world.

That is why I was interested to commemorate “International Women’s Day” this year, yet again, by attending the Franco-British Chamber’s conference entitled “Women and Corporate Social Responsibility: What role for business?”, being held at the sumptuous British Ambassador’s Residence located in the heart of Paris.