Emma Watson’s much-broadcast speech has revealed the polarizing differences between what is viewed as ‘women’s business’ and the effort for gender equality.
I can see the issue in my own business life. My husband has been very supportive of my business since it launched earlier this year. He likes that I can work from home and spend more time with our two young children; and he likes that I am keeping my hand in if I choose to go back to the corporate workforce at some stage.
Whilst both of these factors significantly contributed to my starting Candid8, my primary motivation has been to play a part in working towards gender equality in the workforce. More specifically, I want to assist women looking to return to their place in the leadership pipeline after an absence.
Whenever I post tips and trends for CVs, LinkedIn, job searches and interviews on Facebook or LinkedIn, my husband will like and share them. However, when I post about diversity, flexibility or inequality in the workforce, he is silent.
I don’t think this is because he is not supportive of these issues. I just think he is uncomfortable in a discussion he still views as “women’s business”.
Launching the HeForShe campaign in New York as part of her role as UN Women Goodwill ambassador, Emma Watson rightly pointed out that gender equality will not be achieved so long as “only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation”.
IBM’s Managing Director Andrew Stevens said recently, “I’m getting angrier (about inequality) not more calm,”. “If you’re not feeling uncomfortable, then nothing is changing. Anyone who has a daughter and a son… it’s infuriating to think that one of those children has less opportunity than another. It’s appalling and I can’t sit by and let that pass.”
I couldn’t agree more. We have a daughter and a son.
The involvement of men is critical to achieving gender equality. Not only must they be regularly and consistently invited to get involved, but they must be able to see how gender equality is in their interest. Parental motivation and social equity aside, the fact is that organisations with diverse leadership teams and women on boards are consistently found to be more profitable.
Men’s involvement could look like gender targets in executives’ KPIs, undertaking unconscious bias training, speaking up about sexism, writing columns about gender inequality, or lobbying the government on policies that will potentially impact gender equality.
Last year, the Male Champions of Change group announced about 14 organisations had signed up to a “Supplier Commitment”, which put pressure on suppliers to prove their commitment to diversity. This “no women, no work” principle affected about $30 billion in procurement spending by organisations such as: ANZ Banking Group, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Telstra, Qantas, ASX, Woolworths, IBM Australia, Citi Australia and Federal Treasury.
So back in the home office of Candid8 we are doing our bit too; my husband was just invited to like Emma Watson’s HeForShe speech. Sharing it would be even better.
Watch Emma Watson’s Speech here.
