.png)
This International Women's Day, we interviewed some of our team asking them to share their thoughts on how we can #EmbraceEquity.
Equity can be defined as giving everyone what they need to be successful. The IWD 2023 campaign theme seeks to forge worldwide understanding about why equal opportunities aren’t enough, and a focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA.
International Women’s Day belongs to everyone, everywhere. Collectively, we can all help create a diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
#EmbraceEquity with David Miles, partner and director at Eames Consulting in the USA.
1. Within your market/industry sector, what progress have you seen businesses take to progress gender equity?
I have seen and spoken to many businesses that have put in place pay equity analysis to ensure their teams are fairly paid, it is still a work in progress but it is being addressed. We also try to ensure, when we are submitting profiles, that we avoid gender-based language when presenting a profile to eliminate bias in profiles.
2. What is one action companies can take to further balance their talent attraction strategies?
I think there are a lot of things that can be done! For one, as there are now more remote-based roles than ever, companies can now reach out to underrepresented groups and communities that previously were out of reach. With the growth of flexible work locations, I hope we should see a more diverse recruitment approach that will take into consideration all candidate profiles across the country.
3. What is your top advice for making job descriptions more inclusive?
Gender-neutral terminology. There are decoding websites and tools that we offer as a free service to our clients to help advise on gender-neutral terminology - for instance, using inclusive words (‘parental leave’ instead of ‘maternity leave’).
4. International Women’s Day is also about celebrating women and their achievements; what woman/women inspire you?
My sister has built a phenomenal career across three continents within the tech world and is a board member for many initiatives such as women in tech. She is someone who I greatly admire for her work rate and tenacity, she is always an outlet and someone I consistently rely on for advice. My sister-in-law is a senior nurse back home who worked through covid and frankly, dealt with so much more than I possibly could imagine. I have rarely seen her without a smile and is someone that is always putting smiles on others.
These are just two women who load onto their shoulders 100’s of things that you do see but also, just for being women, are forced to have thousands of things loaded onto their shoulders that you never see. Thankfully by being outstanding at what they both do, they are in positions where they are directly bringing change to their industries.
5. What does being an effective ally for women look like to you?
Being an ally to me is about initially taking the time to understand and learn the challenges women have faced and when you have the opportunity, be that voice whenever and however you can be to provide support. I’m a full believer in silence is being compliant and I believe that if you are truly trying to become an ally, you have to hold yourself and others accountable and educate people who may be either ill-informed or ill-natured.