As we conclude a month of celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD), it’s a great time to shift perspectives. IWD means many things to many people. For some, it’s a day of celebrating achievements across leadership, culture, and social arenas. This year with a theme of choose to challenge many joined together to give a voice to gender imbalances in the hopes that awareness will lead to change. The one piece of the puzzle we haven’t explored yet is where change needs to start. We asked a few of our male colleagues to weigh in and here’s what we learned.
“The discrimination for girls around the world when it comes to accessing healthcare to education is astounding. Having fewer opportunities in the formative years becomes a real disadvantage later in life that only gains momentum. We need to work together to ensure equal opportunities for boys and girls in all stages of life.” Jay Ramanah, Managing Director Australia
“For me as the father of two young girls, I realize that change is essential for their success. This journey has made me acutely aware of the inequalities women face and how my experiences will be incredibly different from my children. I spend a lot of time reflecting on how I can do my part to ensure women everywhere will experience the world fairly and without concerns for safety.” Pierre Bussy, Cofounder
“As the parent of the next generation, change starts with the examples we set at home. Gender equality means I demand the same things at home from my son and daughter. I’m conscious of gender biases and work diligently to avoid gender stereotypes because I believe they will face the same objectives and work to solve the same challenges throughout life. I want both of my kids to be equally successful at everything they want, so I teach the importance of inclusivity, kindness, and fairness.” Rémy Devedeux, Business Manager
“As the lone man living with only women, I’m reminded every day about how wonderful women really are. I’m proud of my wife and my daughters every single day. I’m always encouraging my tribe to have a voice and to use it to achieve anything they desire. I hope they feel supported. We have a long way to go to achieve gender equality in any country, but recognizing that women are just as capable if not more so is the first step.” Christopher Lorho, Cofounder
Everyone has a different take on IWD and that’s part of what makes it so special. We all come together to reflect on what’s been done and how far we have to go. Together we’ve opened a lot of doors to reduce traditional gender biases across many industries and increase female participation, especially in technical fields. And we’re seeing more female leaders emerge across the board in both politics and business. Even though we’ve seen the likes of pioneers like Jacinda Ardern (Prime Minister, New Zealand) and Kamala Harris (First Female Vice President, USA), we have a long road ahead.
Here we are in 2021 and the reality is women are still fighting to be heard and to have a seat at the table. Despite overall populations boasting near equal male and female ratios, women in senior management positions only represent a stark 29% as of 2020. When it comes to earning power, we see a sizeable gender wage gap of 17.7% less pay for females, which is an improvement but equal pay is only forecasted for around 2059.
And yet the good news is in. Research shows that companies with gender-balanced leadership teams drive more revenue, profit, and growth. It also helps to boost company reputations, which leads to attracting the world’s best talent. Since it’s people that make all the difference, this is key for companies with big ambitions.
So while we’re waiting for the world to play catch up, it’s a great time to ask ourselves how we can come together to drive change. IWD2021 is a great reminder to feel a strong sense of appreciation for what it’s like to live in a world without gender equality. To take the time to reflect on the critical women’s issues and prioritize them. And the right time to spread healthy optimism as we share our personal stories and motivations to create change. Together we can achieve better gender equality.