Denise Bower, Group external engagement director
Each of us has a role to play in supporting gender equality. This is clearly summarised in the International Women’s Day hashtag of #EachforEqual. We can all help achieve equality. I see this as the case in wider society and in organisational equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts. Mott MacDonald’s EDI Vision is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, and this is linked to our People Vision to be the best place to work. A key focus for me in achieving these aims is how we embrace difference and value the diversity of perspectives our friends, family, colleagues, clients and communities can bring.
I recently met with some of our Early Career Professionals (ECPs) to talk about what’s on their minds and what they are doing differently because of this network. During the conversation it became clear that I needed to shift my thinking about how we tap into this network of fabulously talented individuals to make sure we are benefitting from their different viewpoints and talents. Not least of which is recognising that asking an ECP to ‘help sort out some data’ should always go way beyond making sure it’s well organised in a spreadsheet – we should be open to their innovative ideas of how to analyse and present the data instead of just expecting them to ‘give me what I always get.’
The focus of International Women’s Day is on gender equality for all women – of all ages and backgrounds. It is also about supporting men. Men can also be impacted by unequal gender roles and narrow perspectives on the gender binary, including the pressures on men at work. This is something our ECPs have discussed.
I believe gender inequality also informs bias which affects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people. Restrictive gender roles which follow a binary – and can sometimes be positioned as polarised – or even oppositional – can isolate those who transgress these boundaries or blur these socialised lines. As a cisgender, gay man I am conscious that I sometimes behave ‘like a man’ at work – perhaps being assertive or expressing confidence in my opinions. At the same time, I also see benefits in exhibiting what are often seen as ‘female’ traits such as being collaborative and even humble (as ambitious women are judged more harshly than ambitious men). With greater equality, and less restrictive gender constructs at work, I can perform in a way which is authentic to me and I don’t need to act in any way which panders to the gendered assumptions or comforts of others.
So, what are we at Mott MacDonald doing to support gender equality globally? What are some of the actions other organisations can implement? Here are a few key initiatives which we see have had a positive impact (more information on our wider efforts here):