Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.
Celebrate women’s achievements. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity.
IWD belongs to everyone, everywhere. Inclusion means all IWD action is valid.
For this year’s International Women’s Day, HR Heads spoke to leaders from across human resources to get their thoughts on equity.
“This year’s IWD theme #EmbraceEquity is so powerful and resonates with the world of HR because that’s exactly what we strive to achieve.
“Human-centric methods that recognise individual differences to create equal outcomes.
“Everyone is unique and as HR professionals, our value is in helping organisations value this and truly strive for inclusivity, equality and equity for all.
“So, let’s do it!”
Mamawa Turay, Inclusion Specialist
“When I am imagining a gender-equal world the key for me when looking at bringing gender equity into the workplace is to recognise the historical systemic and social barriers the construct of gender has brought.
“The one thing HR and businesses can do to embrace equity in gender at work is to conduct a comprehensive review of the organisation’s policies and practices to identify and address any gender-based disparities.
“This can be achieved by conducting thorough pay equity audits, implementing diversity and inclusion training, reviewing promotion and hiring practices, offering family-friendly policies, and creating a culture of respect and inclusion.
“This must be the starting point and without it equity problems can never be resolved for the long term.
“Societal barriers are always also reflected in the workplace and as such organisations need to be focused on the root causes of inequalities and provide systems to overcome them and bring change.
“The biggest danger however is the lack of follow-through.”
Joanne Lockwood, Inclusive Culture Expert
“Embracing equity in HR has never been more prominent and is the key to attracting, retaining, and nurturing talent.
“Equity allows us to rebalance social structures, making room for everyone to thrive.
“When we progress from equality to equity, we ensure women from all backgrounds are accounted for to create a more inclusive and diverse world.
“Both employers and employees have a part to play in making this a reality.
“Women in leadership empower others, we recognise the value they bring to an organisation, and we continue to provide education on microaggression, emotional intelligence, unconscious bias and removing barriers to create a fair opportunity for all and promoting best practice.
“When the need arises to have a challenging conversation, we encourage resilience, having a backbone and being bold enough to challenge the status quo.
“Creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment is important in overcoming stereotypes and driving organisational success.”
Suki Kaur, Head of Talent Acquisition & Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at AVASK
“My hope is that women around the world, irrespective of culture, age, ability or background, continue to stay strong and are able to enjoy equally the hard rights won so far.
“As we celebrate on this one day, we should remember to celebrate every day.”
Vicky Sleight, VP, Human Factor, Culture Transformation & DEI, TM Forum
