Today is International Women’s Day, with this year’s theme being “inspire inclusion”. Like most themes, it is easy enough for companies to get on board with and post various ‘motivational’ or ‘supportive’ platitudes and articles on social media.
However, I am getting tired of seeing these year-on-year but witnessing no real change in terms of female representation or inclusion. So, this year, I want to consider what it really takes to inspire inclusion?
The dictionary defines ‘inspire’ as: to fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something. While inclusion is defined as the act of including someone or something as part of a group or list.
Taken at face value, this should not be difficult then, the industry simply needs to promote and encourage the inclusion of women. If it was this simple, however, it would have already happened.
Splitting the two words up, may provide answers as to why we are still seeing a lack of progress.
To inspire, there needs to be sufficient senior stakeholders who are passionate and committed to encouraging gender equality.
In an industry with so few female chief executives and senior leaders, this is always going to be a struggle. There are some very strong male allies in the industry, and this is incredibly important.
However, younger women in the industry are more likely to be inspired by senior female leaders. It is very hard to be what you cannot see.
Looking at inclusion, it is not as simple as inviting women to a meeting or event, for example. A simple invitation does not foster inclusivity.
Is it taking place in normal work hours or will they need to arrange extra childcare to attend? This is just one of many possible examples. Studies still show that women tend to take on the majority of childcare and caring responsibilities, although of course this is not always the case.
If the event takes place in the evening, is it safe for women to get home after? A simple policy of funding taxis could make women feel more comfortable attending events taking place after dark if they are more confident about getting home safely.
Moreover, if the invitation is taken up, are the women then encouraged to participate in the meeting or event or are they expected to be quiet observers?
Speaking from my own experience, it is daunting walking into a male dominated room as a woman, particularly a younger woman. Actively encouraging a woman to participate in a conversation or being a friendly face when they first walk in, can go a long way towards creating an inclusive environment.
If someone feels they have been ignored at an event, it is unlikely they will want to go back.
In many ways inclusion is like Consumer Duty in that it is all encompassing. It cannot be a simple tick box exercise or a one-off action. Rather it has to be embedded fully throughout a whole organisation.
If this were to happen, perhaps we might start to see true progress towards gender equality.
