​International Women’s Day 2020

Diversity & Inclusion, how does Ireland stack up against International Peers?

To celebrate International Womens Day we hosted a special event on Thursday to discuss how oraganisations can make their work-places more diverse and equal. Businesses thrive the most when they hire people from different backgrounds and who have a different way of thinking.

Our panel talked us through what their organisations are doing to tackle D&I along with struggles they have faced along the way.

MC Áine Kerr – Co Founder & COO – Kinzen

Ken Bowles – CFO – Smurfit Kappa Group

Fiona Gallagher – CEO – Wells Fargo Bank International

Derek Diviney – VP of Sales and Customer Success – Indeed

Sarah Cunningham – VP of Mastercard Dublin’s Technology Hub

Derek Diviney’s main piece of advice was on how important it is to engage with the other half at work, to share the insights you learn with your male colleagues and make them your allies! He talked us through Indeed’s globally diverse teams & cultures & how managers are equipped to deal with sensitive situations using emotional intelligence.

Ken Bowles reinstated the fact that people don’t want to get the job due to filling a quota! It is more important to focus on KPIs around talent retention & gender balance for new roles. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce, where employees feel like they belong, boosts both employee and engagement and retention.

Sarah Cunningham talked about Mastercard’s mantra of “Bring your whole self to work’, the importance of mentoring others and not pulling the ladder up behind you when you get to the top.

Fiona Gallagher discussed the economic benefits of gender parity from a recent Stanford study and how Wells Fargo are striving for 38% women in management and have written this into their policies. Her main tip was around the importance of conscious networking and how it has helped her in her career to date.

What are your organisations doing in the D&I space? We’d love to hear from you.

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