How to overcome gender stereotypes in the investment world?

Women investing is much more than just a financial issue! Whether it's seen as a demonstration of autonomy, a form of financial ambition, a desire for economic equality, or an act of empowerment, it's a powerful way for women to achieve their goals. However, even though women are making giant strides in the investing field, some obstacles remain. So, how can we break down these barriers? Educating, inspiring, and recognizing the successes of women investors are crucial steps toward equal participation and a more inclusive financial future for all. Enerfip looks at the stereotypes that women in the financial sector may face, their veracity, and how to deconstruct them.

→ Discover the booklet: Feminize yourself with investing. Investments made by and for women.

Understanding Gender Stereotypes in Investing

What is a Stereotype?

“An idea or opinion, accepted without reflection and repeated without having been subjected to critical examination, by a person or a group, and which determines, to a greater or lesser degree, their ways of thinking, feeling and acting.”

Definition taken from the National Center for Textual and Lexical Resources

In finance, but not only, stereotypes die hard! Deeply rooted in society, they persist in the form of irrational beliefs and spread at great speed. Often erroneous, it contributes to targeting a part of the population – in this case, women – and diminishing them according to the idea that they are less capable than men in terms of investments. This prejudice about the fact that women are passive in managing their finances and less inclined to take financial risks compared to their male counterparts perpetuates a marginalization of the female sex. How can we address this?To create an inclusive financial environment where women are fully recognized and valued as competent and strategic investors, it is now necessary to challenge and deconstruct these stereotypes. This is what SDG 5 promotes! What does that mean? “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” Specifically dedicated to the empowerment of girls and women, its aim is to encourage gender equality and the abolition of all forms of discrimination and violence against them. Based on key principles, such as equal pay or female quotas within companies, this SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) highlights, of course, gender disparity, but above all, the solutions to limit it. So, what are the preconceived notions about women and investing? In short, the stereotypes attributed to women highlight a lack of skills, interest, and self-confidence. Also, women are said to be afraid of risk and require the help and advice of men in their various investments. Furthermore, they are said to be influenced by emotional factors in their financial decisions. In light of these stereotypes, it is crucial to explore how these perceptions affect women's participation in finance and investing, as well as their long-term savings strategies. Is it true?

Feminizing Finance

“She's as useless as her predecessor, but she's also a woman!” Differences in treatment will be abolished when we can say, "But he's a man!"

Marie-Thérèse LANCE, Honorary Director General of Agirc and Honorary President of the Institute of Actuaries

Even if women admit to being less knowledgeable about savings than men (only 29% of them consider themselves knowledgeable, compared to 42% of men), they are nonetheless perceptive in their investments! Each month, 8 out of 10 women save an average of €210. However, they prefer to seek the advice of bank advisors to get information before making an investment (52% of women, compared to 44% of men). In short, they remain cautious (48%) and refuse to take any risk when it comes to investments. This view of financial investments is particularly due to their priorities, namely the long-term preservation of wealth and the objective of passing it on to the next generation.

Evolution of the proportion of women between 2015 and 2023 at Enerfip

2015: 23.26%
2016: 20.39%
2017: 21.91%
2018: 19.53%
2019: 22.13%
2020: 20.48%
2021:23.86%
2022:25.47%
2023: 24.81% Average amount invested by women at Enerfip

2015: €1,523
2016: €1,825
2017: €1,305
2018: €1,873
2019: €2,056
2020: €2,284
2021: €2,284
2022: €2,677
2023: €2,561

Adapting financial products to women's needs

"Investing sustainably, with impact, or with respect for nature and humanity, however you put it, it is clear that it is no longer sufficient to propose a management strategy based solely on financial criteria. However, it would be wrong to believe that women are prepared to sacrifice performance, and this This is clearly evident here. For them, what is sustainable must also be profitable in order to be considered in the long term."

Cécile Friedrich-Vuillemin, senior banker at Lombard Odier in Paris.

Given women's investment priorities, it is essential to go green. Women's financial goals revolve around investing to build a world they will leave to their children. This vision underlines the desire to invest sustainably and to obtain financial performance from it. Among the comments of the respondents in the study “Tangible objectives, sustainability and autonomy: women's priorities for their investments”,the following points emerge:

• obtain returns, while having added value on the environment and society;
• investment aligned with my values ​​and with a return;
• sustainability and performance;
• preserve my assets and invest in a sustainable and ecological way;
• responsible investments with a return;
• ensure a return to meet the needs of the family, with a sustainability objective;
• preservation of assets and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) impact;
• preserve my assets and invest in companies that respect people…

Each of these wishes is possible via our crowdfunding platform dedicated to the energy transition. Indeed, Enerfip aims to make the impact of your investments. By investing on our site, you are participating in the decarbonization of savings products. So, if you want to invest in the energy transition, directly in renewable energy production, energy efficiency, or sustainable mobility projects, make an appointment with the Investor Relations department without further delay!

Projects in which women invest at Enerfip

Solar: 56.87%
Energy mix:18.34%
Wind:8.88%
Bioenergy: 7.62%
Innovation: 3.8%
Hydroelectric: 2.55%
Energy savings: 1.86%
Heating network: 0.08%