International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe as a reminder of the incredible achievements of women in our communities. We may have a way to go before gender equality is achieved worldwide, but some notable moments from the past 12 months – including the Hampton Alexander Review revealing that the number of women on boards of the UK’s largest public companies has risen by 50 per cent since 2015 – tells us that this continues to be within reach.
This year we are also provided with an excellent opportunity for businesses and society in general to recognise the contribution women make at senior level. But it needs to serve as a call to action for change, too.
As a society, we have a responsibility to dismantle the stereotypes that hold women back. We need to consider how we talk about topics such as caring responsibilities and who should perform those roles. We need to examine whether we are encouraging young girls to consider all of their career and study options including those in STEM. And alongside all of this, we need to ensure that this dialogue is inclusive of young boys and men, who can also be inhibited by outdated views of what is expected of them.
We need to ensure that organisations are not haemorrhaging female talent at a time when they can scarcely afford to lose skilled workers. Normalising flexible working at all levels of seniority can help to clear the pathway to the boardroom for women, especially for those who have caring responsibilities. Alongside this, there are number of actions that organisations can take to enhance career opportunities for women.
- Organise mentoring, training and networking programmes specifically for women
- Create an active pipeline of women
- Nurture talent to increase retention rates
- Recognise, celebrate and make role models visible across the business
- Amplify the voices of women
Touching on this last point, amplifying the voices of women in our communities is critically important. We are proud to celebrate and recognise the achievements of some remarkable women within Audeliss, and our sister organisation, INvolve.
Here are a few of their thoughts on the question of, what does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Felicity Hassan, US Managing Director, Audeliss
“For me, IWD is a recognition of how far we have come and how much further we have to go. In a world where we often see gender equity as the starting blocks for a diverse workplace, it is alarming that we have not moved further faster.
“Studies by the Women Business Collaborative in partnership with C200 and Catalyst show us that only 7.8 per cent of Fortune 500 CEOs are Women, less than 1 per cent are women of colour. As women it is critical that we use our EQ to identify some of the roots of this sluggish growth and work together to counter to pipeline hit we experienced through COVID. This IWD we “Choose to Challenge”, celebrating our wins at every step in the journey!”
Anja Skvortsova, Partnerships Director, Audeliss.
“Growing up in Russia, international women’s day has always been a big holiday and something I was looking forward to as a bright, happy day to celebrate and appreciate all women. It was a day where all women: daughters, sisters, mothers, colleagues, friends, were recognised for their difference as women, their strengths and how special they made the world.
“I always was surrounded by amazing women role models, who were engineers, teachers, doctors, all professions and levels, and I have always believed that women can achieve anything. When I moved to the UK in my late teens, I was surprised to discover that international women’s day was not celebrated here, and I have only seen it starting to get recognised in the last few years as many international companies have added it to their corporate calendar as the day to promote equality in workplace.
“However, within my family and friendship group, it has always remained as more than that, it’s not just about recognising a woman’s right at work, but our place in society regardless of what we choose to become. A day to recognise all women!”
Alexandra Evreinoff, Director of Advisory and Inclusion at INvolve
“Personally, International Women’s Day acts as a reminder of how far we have come to gain greater equal rights – and how far we have yet to go to achieve full gender parity. It is about celebrating our every-day, mostly unsung (s)heroes; and elevating the voices of those women who have been and are still being silenced.
“It is a way to encourage younger generations to dream big and to know that, with hard work and perseverance, they can achieve any objective they set out for themselves; both professionally and personally.
“This year in particular, I think IWD should serve as a recognition that the world as we knew and its old norms have evolved; and that diversity of thought, culture, and experience will help our societies move forward to a far better and more inclusive ‘new normal’.”
Wincy Cheng, Associate Director, Public Sector, Audeliss.
“Celebrating International Women’s Day is significantly more poignant this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We owe our thanks to the legions of women who have disproportionally acted as essential workers, whether that be NHS staff, frontline workers or carers, to unselfishly help us through the pandemic.
“The past twelve months have seen us live our lives in unprecedented ways. It is a fantastic opportunity for women of all backgrounds to recognise the myriad of roles we have played throughout this tough time, using our strength as a platform of equality and inclusion for the future.”
More change is certainly needed, but in celebrating how far we’ve come, we’re also reminded that more change is possible.