This year, IWD 2023 is centred around the theme Embrace Equity, with a focus on explaining why it’s important to work not only on equality, but also on equity at the same time. Do you know the difference?
Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.
Equity recognises that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equity is the pathway to true equality.
There are many successful and inspiring women and men working at Rovensa Next who are truly committed to equity and fairness in their daily lives, working for a gender equal future, and we want to learn from them. Let’s discover how our experts are inspiring future generations…
We asked some of our colleagues to share with us what the theme of this year’s IWD, Embrace Equity, means to them. For Sara Monteiro, Head of R&D Biocontrol & Adjuvants, it means “listening to people and valuing their opinion, independently of any other pre-conceived idea that you had of that person”. In addition to listening, Talita Mendonça, Finance Coordinator in Brazil, emphasises the need for a seat at the decision table, allowing minorities “to be heard as equals”.
Rovensa Next is proud to have a diverse leadership team spread throughout the globe, where we have a growing number of women in leadership roles. We also spoke with our colleagues about their own career experiences and how they have gotten to where they are. For Julia Herpel, Director of Global Communication, Branding & Sustainability, a mother of four, the support of her superiors in her decision to take time off to care of her children, while also pursuing a career was essential. Ma Haiqin, Regulatory Affairs & Development Expert in China agreed that for her, support in each stage of her career has been what allowed her to continue to grow.
It takes a village to achieve equity, and as Maria Quesada, Production Plant Administrative Assistant in Albacete, Spain says, it’s “the work of many, not of few.” Enrique Riquelme, Head of Innovation notes that companies can work harder in this area as well, integrating “complete equity” as a strategic objective and “implementing programs and necessary measures” to achieve equity in the workplace. As some of our employees shared, being a role model for others can be inspiring, and Julia Herpel noted that showing women in leadership roles demonstrates “that women add value, and that diversity contributes significantly to corporate success.” For José Pastor, Traffic Logistics in Spain, “educating people about equity from a young age is the first step to truly embracing equity.”
Lastly, we asked our team how we can continue to encourage more women and girls to pursue entrepreneurship or senior leadership roles in their career, and what advice they would have. The common thread was encouraging women to be fearless and empowering them in whatever way we can. Aqila Akashah, Customer Care Specialist in Malaysia shares that we can help by “providing them with the right knowledge, skills and tools, or simply guiding them on the right path and helping them to build the confidence that they need.” Sara Monteiro echoes this by saying that “when you believe in yourself, you will be listened to.”
We are part of the solution. We can all forge positive change.
Let’s work together to grow in a greener and more diverse, equitable and inclusive world!
#IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity
