Our Commitment to Advancing Gender Equality Through Innovation and Technology

What is the Bank’s Philosophy when it comes to women?

The Bank is an equal employer that takes women empowerment and inclusion seriously. In line with our purpose, “Malawi is our home, and we drive her growth” – we believe we can only drive Malawi’s growth if we play our part in ensuring that women and girls enjoy the same rights as men and boys. In the corporate world it also means that we create an enabling environment, free from bias in which women can advance and succeed based on merit and ability.

What safe-guards and benefits do you have in place for women as a corporate?

The Bank has a strong commitment to gender diversity and the fundamental principle that gender is not a barrier to participation in workforce, management, senior executive and the Board of Directors of the Bank. Our leaders are committed to providing opportunities that allow women to reach their full potential through the HeForShe initiatives and women development programmes. As a Bank we have a Diversity and Inclusion policy, as well as a Harassment policy which safeguard the rights of women. We also have digital platforms that female staff members use to learn and upskill themselves in different areas. Finally, we are sensitive to the needs of mothers and allocate a 4-month maternity leave, which is one of the longest maternity breaks in Malawi.

How does digital technology advance gender equality in your institution?

Digital technology integration in our workplace has enabled us to be an agile employer that easily empowers and supports women in many aspects. Firstly, the Bank has learning and development platforms that are easily accessible online such as LinkedIn Learning, Network Next and Salesforce. These platforms have helped women upgrade their skills and knowledge through personalized learning journeys in a variety of fields allowing them to be informed of new and innovative ways to do their work.

The use of technology has also helped the Bank customize what work looks like for women. Women can work from home incase of any challenges and still be able to access their work seamlessly through our technology integration. This ensures that women do not feel burdened with balancing work and life issues.

Finally, integrating digital technology has given women opportunities for multi-geographical exposure and remote working attachments within the Standard Bank Group. Women can access a wealth of information from the 26 other countries within the interconnected Bank network. As we speak, women are doing attachments in different countries and working remotely as part of cross functional teams. This is invaluable knowledge and exposure they gain which would have been initially very expensive or impossible because of relocation challenges.

Can you share a success story for a lady who has progressed in her career in the Bank because of the opportunities offered by the digital integration?

One of the deliberate initiatives championed by the Bank is our Women Leadership Development Programme which is aimed to prepping our women for leadership positions within the organisation. Through a variety of sessions and working groups women are empowered to aim higher, position themselves for success and achieve their dreams. Last year, the Bank graduated its first cohort of 50 women from the programme.

Tendai Ngosi, a Manager in Private Banking has risen through the ranks within the Bank. She has upgraded her professional certifications through our education loan and has been able to refine her sales skills through our Bank sponsored LinkedIn learning and Salesforce subscriptions. Tendai also enjoys using our customer dashboards to manage her clients and efficiently support their endeavors. We have many stories like Tendai’s in the Bank.

What are your thoughts on this year’s theme “DigitALL: The use of Digital Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality”

This years’ theme is very relevant as it speaks to the future we seek for Gender Equality. The use and integration of digital technology and innovation has the potential to solve many of the traditional problems women face in the world. The digital realm has opened many opportunities allowing for work to be done anywhere and at any time with flexibility and ease. Women can now work from home leveraging on video conferencing and online collaboration platforms. With more women becoming digital literate we see the gender gap being quickly closed and women feeling more empowered to claim their place. A gender equal world is possible with #DigitALL

What is the future you envision for Gender Equality in Malawi?

The Malawi we envision is one where women are given equal opportunities to pursue their studies and careers without bias. We want to see more female bankers, engineers, doctors etc. Gender should not be a barrier for women to access financial services and other resources. We would like to see more female led businesses and women using digital technology and platforms to improve their lives. We believe everything is possible – It Can Be