Vincent Maillard: Linda, it’s always a pleasure. Let’s start with the big picture: how would you define the mission of L’Oréal’s diversity and inclusion policy, especially in recruitment?

Linda Bergeron: Lovely to be here, Vincent. At L’Oréal, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) aren’t just initiatives — they are part of our DNA. We’ve had a diversity policy in place for over 20 years. Our visionaries at the top understood early on that having diverse perspectives around the table fosters long-term innovation. Today, we bring this philosophy into our recruitment strategy, ensuring that we recruit talent from all over the world with different experiences and backgrounds.

Vincent Maillard: With the global shifts and debates happening — especially in the U.S. — has your commitment faced any internal tension or reevaluation?

Linda Bergeron: Not at all. Our commitment is unwavering. We are who we are because of this deep conviction. Nicolas Hieronimus, our CEO, has publicly reaffirmed this at Davos. One of our mottos is, “On ne lâche rien” — we’re not changing anything.Diversity is core to who we are as a beauty company. Beauty is diverse, and so must our teams be.

Vincent Maillard: The U.S. market is significant for L’Oréal. Has the external political and cultural climate affected your operations or mindset there?

Linda Bergeron: We see the U.S. as a highly diverse and dynamic market. We continue to invest — we just announced one of our largest investment in the largest research & innovation lab in North America in Clark for more innovation, more personalization — and our commitment hasn’t wavered. It’s about showing up for our employees and consumers, even when the climate is uncertain. People look to us for constancy, for reassurance. We don’t bend in the face of noise — we stay true to our values.

Vincent Maillard: What inspired your personal journey into diversity and inclusion work?

Linda Bergeron: I grew up in a tough suburb of Paris. My family came with nothing and built everything from scratch. I know firsthand how hard it can be to become who you want to be in difficult conditions. I started in marketing, working on diverse beauty products like foundations for all skin tones and textured hair care. Eventually, I moved into HR because I wanted to help build the inclusive teams I’d always wanted to be part of. It’s about leaving the door open for others — especially those who might not have the codes or confidence when they start.

Vincent Maillard: You mentioned that L’Oréal started formalizing diversity efforts quite early. Could you share more on that?

Linda Bergeron: We’ll be celebrating 20 years since we first appointed a Head of Diversity — in the U.S., no less. That move was spearheaded by Jean-Paul Agon, our then-U.S. head and later CEO. We’ve since evolved the framework to include equity and inclusion, implemented mandatory training on bias, and created inclusive leadership programs for management. We also regularly survey our employees for feedback. We’re always learning, always adjusting, always listening.

Vincent Maillard: What does “diversity” mean to L’Oréal today?

Linda Bergeron: We define it across four pillars: gender and LGBTQIA+ inclusion; socioeconomic and multicultural diversity; disability and well-being; and generational diversity. Right now, we’re putting particular emphasis on promoting inclusion of people with disabilities and the physical, mental and social weel-being. We have programs supporting employees on the autism spectrum, and internal campaigns that encourage conversations around cancer, chronic illness, and invisible disabilities. Trust is critical. If employees don’t feel safe to share their experiences, then we haven’t done our job.

Vincent Maillard: And what about recruitment? How do you make external candidates feel that L’Oréal is a place for them?

Linda Bergeron: First, our employees are our best ambassadors. If they speak authentically about their experience, that tells candidates more than any campaign ever could. Second, for us, recruitment is about potential — not just competencies. That allows us to open the doors to more diverse profiles. We train all our recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias. Our philosophy is: meet the person first. Don’t create boxes. Give them space to grow. That’s what makes our culture truly inclusive.

Vincent Maillard: Do you track your progress? Are there metrics?

Linda Bergeron: Some countries can measure more than others due to local regulations. But for us, it’s more about mindset than numbers. We are testing our recruitment processes to check that we are really inclusive, thanks to an external partner, and most importantly, we focus on employee feedback and experiences. We don’t believe in quotas — we believe in objectives and support.

Vincent Maillard: Any story that stands out for you — one that captures the heart of L’Oréal’s diversity policy?

Linda Bergeron: There are so many. I remember recruiting interns who are now General Managers within the company. They didn’t see it in themselves back then, but we did. I also think of our current HR Director, Jean-Claude Legrand, who has openly shared his struggle with dysorthographia. When he posted about it on LinkedIn, he inspired so many others to speak out. These stories are reminders that we all have our own struggles and strengths — and at L’Oréal, we grow together.

Vincent Maillard: Looking ahead, how does technology intersect with your inclusion goals?

Linda Bergeron: Tech and AI are tools to serve personalization in beauty — which, by nature, is inclusive. But we also approach this with caution and ethics. We have a strict charter and have chosen not to use AI-generated images in our advertising. Our tech must serve people, not replace or mislead them. Innovation is essential, but so is integrity.

Vincent Maillard: To wrap things up: what’s your message to the business world?

Linda Bergeron: Don’t give up. Despite the context, despite the noise — keep helping, keep showing up, keep supporting. Join us. We’re part of amazing initiatives like Tent for refugees inclusion, and we have youth-focused programs like “L’Oréal for Youth.” But this work can’t be done alone. We need collective action.We are not here to give any lesson. We are to learn to do better.

Vincent Maillard: Thank you, Linda. It’s been incredibly inspiring to hear that such an influencing group as L’Oreal remains true to its commitments and values despite the disturbed present times.

Linda Bergeron: Thank you Vincent for this opportunity to share about this topic. I just would like to add a big thanks to all the associations, the experts and external partners who’ve helped us along the way, Margaret Johnston-Clark who is the Diversity Head for L’Oréal Groupe, all the Diversity Leads worldwide and all the HR teams and all L’Oréal employees who are so committed. We wouldn’t be here without them.