Chez Astaé, la diversité n’est pas un sujet, elle fait partie de notre culture de citoyens du monde car elle correspond à la diversité de la société dans laquelle nous vivons.
Over the years spent defending expatriate leaders, women, homosexuals, etc., of all origins and religions, the firm has developed much more than expertise on discrimination issues. This is an area of law where the rules are numerous but the judicial decisions are still too often timid.
Our commitment in this regard corresponds to the firm's DNA. Indeed, while it may sometimes be necessary to justify what one has or has not done, no one should ever have to justify what they are or are not.
Being a woman, pregnancy, marital status, age, skin color, ethnic origin, nationality, state of health, sexual orientation or religion, to name but a few of the criteria defined by law, should never be taken into account in an employer's assessment of job performance.
These criteria do not allow a company to make distinctions in compensation, the granting of benefits or career progression. Such practices constitute discrimination that can degenerate into moral harassment, which Astaé will sue employers for.
Astaé is particularly mobilized on the return from maternity leave and the age criterion which concerns - sooner or later - any manager. We regularly find ourselves defending women deprived of their position after maternity or parental leave and executives pushed towards retirement after years of good and loyal service.
Because we take the concepts of corporate social responsibility seriously and because not everyone has had the opportunity to become an executive or executive manager, each of Astaé's lawyers devotes approximately one week a year to legal aid or pro bono assignments.
For nearly ten years, the founders of the firm have built a house in which they created an association for the benefit of street children in the city of Ambositra in Madagascar. They ensure its financing and follow-up by visiting the place several times a year.