Fighting Discrimination: What is Name and Shame?
This Anglo-Saxon practice has spread since the beginning of the Macron administration and is proving to be quite impressive
A technique of intimidation
The practice has been popular since a scandal in 2009 involving British MPs’ expense reports. The latter were reimbursed for expenses unrelated to their duties, and the scandal uncovered by the Daily Telegraph had prompted several MPs to resign. Since that case, “name and shame” has become a practice of publicizing the names or identities of people or companies accused of reprehensible or illegal behavior. This practice is commonly used in the areas of consumer protection, the environment, labour, human rights, gender equality and public health.
A spearhead of the Macron government
In 2015, President Emmanuel Macron, when Minister for Economic Affairs, published the names of five companies (including Numericable and SFR) that did not pay their suppliers on time. During his speech to the United Nations on September 21, 2017, Macron hammered home: “ We must appreciate the operators who choose to play the game and denounce the operators who choose not to play the game. In fact, as of December 30, the DGCCRF has new powers. The regulation in force since August 16, 2022 ” allows the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Protection and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) to increase its communication on its injunctions“. She can now « Name and shame on injunctions and administrative sanctions.
An impressive weapon against discrimination
This concept of “Name and Shame” is part of the same logic as #Metoo or #Balancetonporc, it is also about putting an end to discriminatory or unequal recruitment policies. Marlène Schiappa, State Secretary for Equality between Women and men, defend this practice, which they consider useful and normal in order to put an end to discrimination. In 2018 she had publicly denounced the companies” who refused to come and take part in the catch-up action on professional equality between women and men. Among them were companies Startorius Stedim Biotech et Maurel & Prom.
