Wavestone and the Women’s Forum unveil the summary of the 20th edition under the banner of courage
January 23, 2026 · News
In brief
“Courage is not just a virtue, it’s a decisive choice. At the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society, it is the choice we have made for twenty years: to speak up, to stand firm, to shape change. As we gathered to celebrate 20 years of the Women’s Forum, we honored twenty years of strength, courage and conviction led by thousands of brave voices. We have shared clarity, conviction, and care.”
Companies as drivers of change
Partner companies of the Forum, from all sectors, are helping to shift mindsets within their ecosystems through concrete and visible actions. Like AXA and ENGIE, some do not hesitate to tackle issues such as domestic violence or violence in sports and used the Forum as an opportunity to announce new initiatives.
Developed with the support of experts and NGOs, this platform aims to help employers and employees create safe and supportive work environments for all victims of domestic and sexual violence.
In partnership with the Women’s Forum, ENGIE, and Rebond , this initiative sets a new standard for combating gender-based violence in sports through the signing of the “Charter and corporate commitment to protect children and prevent violence in sports.”
In finance, there is no turning back: companies are betting on the long term, strengthening women’s financial autonomy—who are expected to hold an increasing share of global wealth in the coming years (1) —and supporting positive-impact economic models. Yet, female entrepreneurship still faces a major obstacle: funding. In 2024–2025, only 2.3% (2) of venture capital fundraising involved all-female founding teams.
Companies also act as a bridge between generations, fostering learning, knowledge transfer, and development at every stage of professional life. The Forum highlighted a new cohort of young female talents, supported by leading players (Air France, Lazard, Korn Ferry, LinkedIn) as part of the Rising Talents program.
Women must now more than ever take their place in STEM and AI
“At Wavestone, we take our responsibility to support women in tech and consulting seriously. In a sector where representation still falls short, we focus on opening real opportunities for women to lead and thrive. That’s why our partnership with the Women’s Forum is so important to us. Together, we create concrete opportunities, make talent visible, and encourage women to step into leadership. This year’s theme, Courage, reflects that journey and strongly connects with our “Positive Way”, a shared mindset that turns complexity into opportunity and drives meaningful change.”
Women currently represent less than one-third of the workforce in the science and technology (STEM) sector. The same applies to female students in these fields. Adoption figures for AI follow the same trend. According to research (3) published by Harvard Business School, women are about 20% less likely than men to interact directly with generative AI.
As AI ushers in an unprecedented technological and societal revolution, women must be able to shape it, master its nuances, and seize all its opportunities.
The winners of the Women Entrepreneur 4 Good competition are leading by example. Among them, Falguni Shrivastava, an Indian entrepreneur with a technology degree from Shoolini University, founded Cognitii. Her mission: to provide an AI platform that helps schools quickly identify learning needs, support teachers, and offer personalized pathways for children with developmental disorders or learning difficulties.
Meanwhile, Amal Chebbi, with a degree in marketing and information technologies, created PigmentOCO in Tunisia, a company developing sustainable dyes for the textile industry—water-free and chemical-free.