Schools For Equality

VMLY&R: Chief Creative Officer Dawid Szczepaniak Acting Creative Director Adam Smereczyński Aleksander Frydrych Senior Art Director Adam Caban Senior Copywriter Mikołaj Stefański Account Director Agata Szybilska-Czech Account Manager Agata Bartoszewska Strategic Planner Ewelina Żurowska Head of PR and Communications Łukasz Majewski PR and Communications Specialist Szymon Ślęzak Head of Production Magda Dzieniesiewicz Producer Anna Puławska-Wróblewska Web Development Ewa Strzabla Beata Litwin Influencer Group Head Olga Stachowicz Influencer Relations Emil Cichoński Research and Data Analyst Maciej Sobczyński BNP Paribas: Managing Director - CMO Dariusz Maciołek Dyrektor Departamentu Komunikacji Marketingowej Agnieszka Konarzewska Menadżer ds. Komunikacji Marketingowej Iwona Jarosińska-Opiela Menadżer ds. komunikacji online i mediów Iwona Wojtaszewska Menadżer ds. mediów Marek Zaborowski Ekspert ds. Social mediach społecznościowych Błażej Kobus Aleksandra Łęcka-Maniak Consulting Manager Dagmara Jakubowska Senior Consultant Adam Biegalski Consulting Director Łukasz Pawlak

Schools for Equality is a program tailored to hit the very heart of gender inequality in Poland – the educational system. The activation targeted schools, students, and teachers, and encouraged them to challenge the perception of women role models by changing imposed school patrons, that in 90% of cases are male figures. BNP Paribas brand is committed to embracing social diversity and gender equality. It comes from a strong belief that all people need to create the world that they would like to live in the future and is expressed with brands claim “The bank for a changing world”. In the most recent European Gender Equality Index, Poland is 11 points below average. Polish traditional culture has been marginalizing women for years. After "The Last Ever Issue”, BNP Paribas wanted to go deeper in its stand against historical & systemic gender inequalities. The objective was to reach the source of inequality and find a way to provoke real change that would affect as many as possible. Polish women suffer inequality because of imposed stereotypic role models. Polish children are taught that only men are destined to perform great deeds. Our research found that 90% of school patrons are men. These men patrons are presented as role models for the youth, praised during annual celebrations, and their achievements are reflected in school curricula. The campaign goal was to challenge the status quo and build a strong belief that men and women deserve equal representation among the youth role models. We decided to challenge the educational system in Poland, by launching a financial support program for schools that would adopt women as their patronesses, and promote them as role models for the youth. The campaign was targeted at schools, students, teachers and parents, and any stakeholders that had a real influence on schools’ activities, and curricula. Besides the general public, we’ve reached those who can make a real change that would result in adopting women patronesses. The campaign was launched on March 8, 2021, International Women's Day with a video highlighting shocking inequality among school role models. It was followed by a social media campaign, press publications, sponsored articles on education periodicals featuring education influencers, popular teachers, and education celebrities. The second phase of the campaign targeted students, teachers, and schools directly, highlighting the benefits of financial support and providing resources such as lesson plans on gender equality, a pantheon of prominent women, and legal advice. The third phase involved direct contact with schools who had applied to the program and showcasing schools that had made a difference as an inspiration to others. The campaign had sparked a fierce discussion on female role models among politicians who wanted to maintain the status quo. Additionally, we have obtained 155 media publications which generated 2,119,134 organic reach and $235,000 in advertising value equivalent. Despite the pandemic and closed education institutions, 340 schools declared their interest in joining the program, and to this day 20 have already chosen their women patronesses. This means hundreds of young people already have new female role models to look up to. Thanks to the great result BNP Paribas decided to continue the program in the coming years. The institution of school patron is unique for the eastern-European school system. The patron is such an important figure that students and teachers refer to the school by its patron name. The patrons not only are praised during annual celebrations but are also used as role models for the youth. 90% of them are men. This way almost only men are perceived by young people as candidates for socially appreciated positions.