Swiss Coverage’s Post

"It shouldn't take us five generations to get to parity." Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, breaks down the persistent barriers to closing the global gender gap and how we can speed progress up. "[At the economic level], there are organisations with large intakes [of women] at the entry level but then they don't necessarily have the mechanisms in place to focus on gender-equal promotions, gender-equal retention, or gender-equal movement into the leadership levels." ⚡ Through our Different Women Leadership Programme (DWLP), a comprehensive, deep-dive experience launching in early 2025, we want to partner with more organisations to advance the development of their talented women 'hiding in plain sight': to grow their influence, unlock access to opportunities, and ultimately shift the leadership narrative for all women. Contact shareen@diversitypractice.com to find out more.

Sharon this is a more than useful and important post. It’s one that’s been part of my #genderequity agenda and that of #Leaninnetworkenergy (#LINE) to elevate women in the sector and advance gender equity. Adding to your discussion and the barriers described by the #WorldEconomicForum we must not continue to overlook that our organizations are typically built using male-structures and contexts and are outdated and unacceptable in the 21st Century context. Simply overlaying existing and ineffective structures with #STEM and other #DEI related initiatives has proven a failure - let’s call it what it is. #Womenengineers and those women with or without STEM backgrounds traditionally leave their jobs, companies and the #energysector at #middlemanagement because their career is stymied in the traditional, male-centered organizational structures that pervade the sector. The industry calls for innovation in technology but the most powerful #innovation would be to address the structures and systems that are failing women (and other minority and diverse groups), and the sector in achieving the #equity that #women’s education and skills demand and that STEM promises. Importantly, the discussion is still centered around creating equality - equality against a male-standard. It is about creating equity in organizations where standards reflect equity and are not inherently and historically biased against one or more of the population. It takes purposeful, courageous, and smart #energyorganizations and #energyleadership to stop just checking a box and confronting this truth head on. Otherwise, we are really not working the problem but playing on the periphery of so-called gender equity solutions. #Leaninnetworkenergy #leaninenergy #LINE #ADIPEC #WGLC #diversity #inclusion

Most university graduates around the world are women. So if women are skilled and educated why is it that women remain so pervasively under-represented in STEM and in leadership roles around the world? At this rate we are 152 years away from closing the gender gap in economic participation and opportunities This helpful video from the World Economic Forum explains three barriers: 1. Women don't get the same development and promotion opportunities in the workplace - discrimination in recruitment and promotion processes hinder women 2. Many countries lack an adequate social system for care (early years and elder care) - instead they rely on (mostly) women's unpaid labour to fill this gap, reducing women's time available for paid work 3. Technological change is gendered - female-dominated roles (eg admin and service roles) are more likely to be disrupted by technological advances, and the newer roles (ie AI developers) tend to be dominated by men So what should organisations do? 1. Create reskilling and upskilling programmes need to ensure women's needs are accounted for (eg the greater double burden of paid and unpaid work that women disproportionately face) 2. Create role models to inspire younger women and girls - as the adage goes, 'if you can't see it you can't be it' 3. Increase the pipeline of women into STEM roles - reaching girls in schools and universities to encourage STEM careers #GenderEquity #ThreeBarriers #EDI

The world is still 152 years away from closing the gender gap in economic participation and opportunities. So how do we accelerate gender parity? Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, says there are a number of steps we can take to shrink the economic gender gap. Read more in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024: https://ow.ly/CzRy50TcC0S #GenderGap24 #GenderEquality #GenderGap #Work #Jobs #STEM #LaborDay #LabourDay

More women need to be in prosition of authority. Also women should own more businesses. Lastly, more women in government to set better laws and policy

The fact that we are still 152 years away from closing the gender gap in economic participation is a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done. It’s not just a statistic—it’s a call to action. Talent, dedication, and performance should be the only criteria by which we measure success, not gender, race, age, or any other attribute. True progress will only be achieved when we create environments where everyone has equal access to opportunities, and where diversity is celebrated as a strength rather than a hurdle. There are steps we can and must take to accelerate gender parity. Let’s commit to breaking down barriers and championing a future where equality is the norm, not the exception. #GenderEquality #DiversityAndInclusion #EqualOpportunities #WomenInLeadership #WorkplaceInclusion #AsianLeadership #Fairness #Equity

Empowering women in the workplace is not just a matter of fairness, it's a critical step toward building a more prosperous and innovative future. The latest Global Gender Gap Report 2024 from the World Economic Forum highlights that, at the current pace, it will take 152 years to close the global gender gap. This is far too long. Diverse teams make better decisions, which is essential in our rapidly evolving world. Now is the time to act, to accelerate gender parity, and to create environments where every individual, regardless of gender, can contribute fully. By doing so, we advance society as a whole. It becomes critical to close the gap and unlock the full potential of every individual in the workplace. #natureandclimate #sustainability #womenempowerment #gendergap #sustainablegrowth

All said and done, what about the women who are compelled to navigate and internalize patriarchy to the point where it becomes normalized, forcing them to conform to traditional gender norms? In certain traditionally patriarchal societies, gender biases create invisible barriers that limit the level of success women can achieve, and no amount of awareness or capacity-building alone can break these barriers. Just a thought worth considering... #GenderEquality #WomenEmpowerment #BreakTheBias #Patriarchy #SocialNorms #GenderBias #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveSociety #GenderJustice #WomenInTrade #Feminism #Intersectionality #WomenInDevelopment #EqualityForAll #EmpowerWomen #GenderNorms #WomensRights #DiversityAndInclusion #WomenAndTrade #SocialChange

Excellent but concerning annual report from the World Economic Forum, highlighting just how far we still have to go in most countries to achieve gender parity in society and in the workplace. Powerful recommendations in the video from Saadia Zahidi on how we can do more to accelerate progress. One additional point regarding the representation of women in organisational leadership: We urgently need more men leaders to step up to the challenge to mentor and sponsor women into leadership roles. All the evidence shows that this is an incredibly powerful accelerator of gender balance at the top, with all of the benefits this brings for the organisation and its people. And yet so few organisations have formal mentoring and sponsorship programs in place. This is one of the key points I’ll be making in my keynote at the Rise and Lead Women Summit in The Hague next week. It’s way past time we worked across genders in partnership to improve the workplace and work / life management for everyone! #maleallies #sponsorship #mentoring #genderbalancedleadership #worklifemanagement