Embracing Equity

This year, the theme of International Women's Day is #EmbraceEquity , and the aim is to work for “equity-based solutions” that “take into account the diverse lived experiences of individuals and communities, adapting services and policies according to these differences.”

In order to achieve an equitable and successful future for everybody, empowered women are essential. The UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals include Goal 5 on gender equality.

A wealth of research shows that, despite being disproportionately affected by global issues like climate change, conflict, and corruption, women also frequently have solutions that can benefit all genders while resolving (mostly) man-made issues.

Not only is gender inequality bad for women, but it's also bad for society and the economy. The World Bank estimates that preventing women and girls from finishing their education results in a loss of US$15–30 trillion in unrealized lifetime output and earnings.?

It's a great idea to support and honour the women in your life on any day of the year. But, March 8th is International Women's Day, which is a highly significant day. This global celebration honours the remarkable accomplishments of women spreads awareness and motivates others to promote gender equality.

Today is International Women’s Day (IWD), but female empowerment and inclusivity are not to be left to just one month of the year—let alone one day.?

IWD marks a significant change in the way organisations approach various aspects of their commercial operations from hiring and supporting their staff to really benefiting from a workplace complete with a diverse group of minds.?

While many know IWD from recent years, the day itself was established in 1975—also dubbed ‘International Women’s Year’—marking the first time the?United Nations (UN) ?recognised the event.?

And the attitude towards the cause has changed. Not only have more countries begun to recognise the importance of women in leadership, but have generally adopted a more inclusive approach to how they hire and develop their teams. It seems the?UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 —Gender Equality—is impacting the lives of many.

From the?sustainability industry ?to?technology ?to?entertainment , female representation is a critical step to ensuring that businesses meet their corporate social responsibilities.?

Find out more here

Economist Impact - 8th annual Sustainability Week focuses on helping businesses become sustainable faster. Register here

The Evolving Workplace: An Interview with Dr. Tana M. Session

In a fast-changing workplace, one where everyone is adapting, Dr. Tana Session’s advice and guidance has proved vital for companies looking to keep up.

Catch the whole Interview with Dr.Tana here

An ‘Ethical Tech Revolution’ – Why Tackle the Gender Gap?

According to Tech Nation , the tech workforce is currently made up of just 19% of women. Despite what you might expect, this trend is also paralleled by the tech giants, as in 2020, only 23% of employees at 谷歌 , 苹果 and Meta were women.?

Yet, despite this pronounced gender gap, 74% of school-aged girls show an interest in a career in a science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) field.?

The issues don’t stop there. According to a recent study from WeAreTechWomen , 75% of women working in tech say that they don't feel like they receive adequate support and respect from male colleagues, and two thirds of the respondents feel unheard in meetings.?

But, why exactly does this need to change? Alongside the ethical importance of giving more women the opportunity to develop in the field, why isn’t having talented white men in these leadership roles sufficient??

Samantha Karlin , CEO of Empower Global , outlines the value to be gained by addressing tech’s gender gap and seeking diverse perspectives.

Find out more here

The Ongoing Mission to Normalise DE&I in the Boardroom

The need for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the boardroom is not a new discussion. For over two decades, research has sought to demonstrate the business benefits of valuing gender, ethnic and social diversity in recruitment and selection processes.?

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC)’s guidance on DE&I in the boardroom states that “diversity in board composition is an important driver of a board’s effectiveness, creating a breadth of perspective among directors and breaking down a tendency towards ‘group think’”.

Nonetheless, DE&I progress is slowing in certain industries where board diversity is seen as part of a criteria list that simply needs ‘ticking off’. But, in reality, as more partners, clients and customers pay attention to DE&I as part of businesses’ environmental, social and governance concerns, it’s more critical than ever that companies ensure that recruitment processes and boardroom cultures are meeting set, and measurable, DE&I targets.?

Find out more here

Our Top 100 Women in Sustainability 2023 list is COMING SOON!

Our team is working behind the scenes to finalise our 'Top 100 Women in Sustainability' for the third year running, ready for them to be published and celebrated later this month.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive exclusive first-hand access to the list here !

Women have accomplished much, but there is still much to be done. Let's #EmbraceEquity and create a better society for women all over the world. We can all work together to create great change.