BNP Paribas Cardif and Sistech sign partnership to support professional inclusion for refugee women

February 26, 2024

Insurer BNP Paribas Cardif and Sistech, a non-profit that empowers refugee women through access to tech and digital jobs, have signed a partnership to support Sistech beneficiaries.  

This partnership aims to accelerate the professional inclusion of refugee women in tech and digital jobs. Entirely free for beneficiaries, the initiative is part of the Women & Girls in Tech program supported by the BNP Paribas Group, to which BNP Paribas Cardif contributes. This program aims to bring more women into the tech sector while having positive social impact. This approach resonates with broader initiatives by the insurer, which is committed to making a greater contribution to a more inclusive society. 

According to the 2022 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) report, only 19% of specialists in information and communication technologies (ICT) in Europe are women. Yet education and employability for women are not simply essential for equity, but also serve as critical drivers of innovation and performance in an increasingly competitive business environment. The support program designed for volunteer beneficiaries selected by Sistech spans three key stages in the professional inclusion journey of women who have been displaced, are seeking asylum, or are refugees.

- An employability program lasting ten weeks consists of weekly mentoring sessions and visits to businesses. This professional inclusion program includes support for creating essential job search resources (CVs, application letters, etc.). 
- A digital orientation program lasting eight weeks comprises weekly sessions to enable the participants to discover and get an introduction to different digital skillsets. 
- A training program lasting twelve weeks includes French classes, plus technical courses and weekly online learning sessions with trainers from Sistech. 
 

During each stage, BNP Paribas Cardif employees are invited to volunteer and help support the inclusion of women in vulnerable situations through language training or by presenting tech skills to the beneficiaries.  

Sistech founder Joséphine Goube comments:

“Refugee women not only show great courage and commitment, they also bring the substantial expertise and resources they have acquired during their previous professional activities. That’s why we see this partnership as both strategic and pragmatic. Because working together to support the reskilling of these women in jobs matched to their considerable expertise is clearly a win-win exchange. We know that with our support and with their determination, these women will enjoy tremendous success, both professionally at the companies they join, and on a personal level. We are very excited about working with BNP Paribas Cardif. The resources they are contributing confirms their commitment to investing in innovation and in the rich potential created by diversity.” 

Michael Nguyen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Efficiency, Technology and Operations of BNP Paribas Cardif, adds:

“We are proud to embark on this partnership with Sistech, which provides concrete support for refugee women, providing them with material resources, top-quality training and the tools to find employment. This initiative is also very motivating for BNP Paribas Cardif teams, who are eager to contribute. At the same time, it addresses our need to increase the number of women in roles where there is a shortage of candidates.”

Download the press release.