Equality as a daily practice
At Castelis, professional equality between women and men is built every day through concrete choices that shape our company culture: equitable salary reviews, individualised support, talent promotion and work-life balance.
Castelis scored 76/100 on the 2024 Professional Equality Index. This result reflects a deep-rooted momentum built over several years, with real progress on pay parity and individual salary increases. It also reveals, through certain indicators, the limits of a single scoring framework when faced with the diversity of situations experienced in a company.
Here, we support people. Each person is supported according to their career path, needs and ambitions. Equality at Castelis is built to last: it is grounded in fair, consistent and respectful decisions that honour each individual’s journey. This is the reality we wish to share.
/ The 2024 Index in brief
Each year, the professional gender equality Index allows companies to measure potential gaps in career progression and remuneration. It is based on five regulatory indicators and operates within a logic of transparency.
In 2024, Castelis achieved a score of 76/100, a result above the legal threshold of 75 points. This score reflects several notable advances, particularly on remuneration and individual salary increases, where the company achieves a high level of equity.
These results encourage Castelis to continue its actions and consolidate the initiatives already under way. The Index makes it possible to identify levers for progress while recognising what is already working. It is part of a continuous improvement approach, aligned with the reality of the company.
Total score 2024
Target 2027
Gender pay gap: 36/40
Average gap below 4%, significantly reduced since 2021.
Individual salary increase gap: 35/35
Full parity achieved between women and men on salary increases.
Salary increases upon return from maternity leave: 0/15
No points awarded this year, although other forms of support were provided.
Women among the 10 highest earners: 5/10
3 women out of 10, representing a proportion consistent with the overall share of women in the workforce.
Promotion gap: N/A
Indicator not applicable for our workforce size.
Reading the results: steady progress, true to our company culture
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Pay gap: 36/40
In 2024, the pay gap between women and men at Castelis remained below 4%. This is significant progress, notably compared to 2021 (halved). This result places the company above the digital sector average on this topic.
This improvement is explained by the introduction of regular salary reviews, conducted on a like-for-like basis. Each salary review campaign is an opportunity to compare remuneration for comparable positions and career paths, with documented tracking to ensure consistency in decisions taken.
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Individual salary increase gap: 35/35
The indicator is fully met this year. Men and women received salary increases in the same proportions, reflecting effective parity in evaluation and progression processes.
Beyond the score, this equity is made possible by particular attention paid to transparency: the salary increase policy is shared with teams, and the award criteria are made explicit.
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Salary increases upon return from maternity leave: 0/15
No points were awarded on this indicator in 2024. This does not reflect a lack of attention, but rather a situation in which an employee, upon returning from maternity leave, received personalised support at her request, notably in the form of exceptional financial assistance towards a nursery place.
Support measures for returning from parental leave are being progressively formalised, to systematically integrate this key moment into upcoming salary reviews, without distorting internal balances.
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Women among the 10 highest earners: 5/10
Three women currently feature among the ten highest earners in the company. This represents 30% of this bracket, a proportion higher than that of women in the overall workforce (24%). In other words, the presence of women in the best-paid positions is consistent with their place in the organisation.
Castelis recently promoted two female employees to important managerial roles, with a salary increase aligned with their responsibilities. This type of progression reflects the commitment to recognising merit and skills, while promoting balanced long-term career paths.
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Promotion gap (not applicable)
This indicator does not apply to companies with fewer than 250 employees. Nevertheless, internal mobility is monitored closely through succession plans updated each year and proactive identification of high-potential profiles, without distinction of gender.
Changes that take time to take hold
Castelis operates on the basis of a stable and enduring company culture. This is reflected in several structural characteristics:
- Castelis is a low-turnover company, where teams operate in a stable and lasting environment.
- This stability is a strong indicator of well-being at work, but it also implies a measured pace of transformation.
- Changes are built on real opportunities, not through announcements or imposed quotas.
At Castelis, we do not seek to artificially accelerate things. We create lasting conditions for growth, with care, attentiveness and pragmatism.
Concrete commitments in the service of everyone
Open and balanced recruitment
Work-study programmes, partnerships with schools and bootcamps, raising awareness of digital careers to diversify profiles from the outset.
Supported internal career progression
Proactive talent identification, succession plans updated each year, managerial support for skills development.
Facilitated return from parental leave
Individualised arrangements (flexible hours, increased remote working, childcare support) to ensure a smooth return.
Equal access to training
Every employee can receive support on the topics they wish to develop, without distinction.
Enhanced pathways for certain female profiles
In addition to the offering available to all, mentoring programmes, visibility on strategic projects and negotiation training may be offered to female employees who wish to move into management roles.
Transparent salary review
Regular like-for-like analyses, with adjustments where necessary to ensure consistent and fair remuneration.
All these actions are part of a logic of balance: enabling everyone to progress according to their wishes and capabilities, while ensuring overall equity within the company.
Continuous, realistic and ambitious progress
Objectives 2025 – 2027
Castelis continues its improvement approach with targeted objectives, designed to be long-lasting and to take account of the current context: low turnover, controlled headcount, stable budget commitments.
These objectives, modest but progressive, take account of the current environment. Castelis operates in a slowing IT services market, with a stable HR structure and a measured investment capacity. The choice has therefore been made to prioritise internal levers: progression of existing talent, work-study programmes, school partnerships.
The targets set avoid any mechanism of reverse discrimination. Long-standing employees, the majority of whom are men, retain the same rights and the same recognition prospects. Parity becomes a balancing criterion only when several profiles present equivalent skills, in order to correct structural imbalances in a fair and deliberate manner.
The priorities for 2027 are as follows:
Strengthen female representation
Current share: 24% women in the total workforce, of which 18% are managers. Target 2027: reach 28-29%, with at least 24% female managers. A realistic evolution: 1 to 2 female recruits per year is sufficient, without disrupting the balance of existing teams.
Continue pay balance
Reduce the average gross pay gap to 3% or less by 2027. Maintain half-yearly salary reviews on a like-for-like basis, with adjustments where necessary to ensure consistent and fair remuneration.
Improve support upon return from parental leave (paternity and maternity)
Target: 100% of relevant returns assessed, and salary increase where justified. Implementation of an automatic HR process to guarantee systematic and equitable treatment. HR support for reintegration into the team and role upon return from parental leave.
Promote women's access to the highest-earning roles
Target: 4 women in the top 10 earners by end of 2027. Actions: targeted support, visibility, mentoring and updated succession plan.
Achieve a benchmark score on the Gender Equality Index
Target: 85/100 or above by 2027. Progress driven primarily by improvement in indicators related to maternity leave and representation among high earners.
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Conclusion: equality built to last
At Castelis, professional equality is not an obligation to comply with, but a conviction to be lived. It is built over time, at the pace of the company, with seriousness and consistency.
Areas for progress are identified and subject to targeted actions, compatible with the current workforce structure and the company’s budgetary framework.
The professional equality policy is grounded in a pragmatic and inclusive vision. It is based on:
individualised support,
adapted working conditions (remote working, flexible hours, chosen part-time),
and constant attention to work-life balance.
Through this approach, Castelis aims to achieve a Gender Equality Index score of at least 85/100 in 2027, continuing to evolve its model with care, respect and commitment.