What does embrace equity mean to you?

Recently, I have read a book called ‘Invisible women’. They have done a research and gave an explanation that we have more ‘male-gendered’ occupations than ‘female-gendered’. Research suggests that women are perceived as less authoritative than men in work contexts. We have been facing this problem for years.

Why do women need to give more effort for the same result as men? We need to embrace equity in every sense and give more opportunities to women, because women are more than capable. I hope that one day we will be able to work in equal conditions.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

I started my career at a time when the international trade ecosystem was predominately male occupied, but I was, and still am, fortunate to be a part of the conversations around embracing equality and equity as a means to give more opportunities to women in the workplace. It was during one of these discussions when I heard an explanation that would forever change my mindset and become my new mantra: “Equality – everyone gets a pair of shoes; Equity – everyone gets a pair of shoes that fit; Diversity – everyone is invited to the dance; Inclusion – everyone gets to dance! Who wouldn’t love to dance at a party? I certainly do!”

I continue to contribute to many brave discussions on the subject, striving to evolve the tactics and strategies that enable me to make an impact in the workplace. To me, embracing equity means respecting everyone’s individuality and embracing their differences—and turning them into superpowers! It means looking at a person for who they are and what they bring to the table. It means having empathy and creating opportunities for people to be seen and accepted. It means leading with courage, kindness, hope and being creative on how you approach work and life. In celebration of International Women’s Day, I wish that everyone could embrace equity and embed it into their values to make a difference in our work… and ensure that we all get to dance together.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

Embrace equity to me means acknowledging each person is incredibly unique. I believe we each have our own gifts to contribute to the world. Those gifts might include – incredible mother, inventor of new technology or someone that brings great laughter to friends and family with their sense of humour. I believe for each person to embrace and share their gifts, we as a society need to embrace diversity and acknowledge each person comes with a unique set of circumstances. With each person comes a unique set of requirements to best support that person being successful in their own right. It’s also acknowledging those requirements will change as each person evolves and moves through different stages of life.

I believe in shifting the conversation from ensuring everyone receives the same, to what would best serve this person given their unique traits and circumstances, so they have the support to be successful. Embracing equity to me also means encouraging and empowering individuals to speak up and voice what support would best serve them in their journey.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

As an African American woman in the international trade industry, equity was rarely provided. It was evident to me that I had to find opportunities to provide equity for myself; therefore, equity amalgamated with my DNA. As the creator of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Division within the Export-Import Bank of the United States, coupled with my 25-plus years of experience in the international trade space, I have a unique perspective, which gives me the grace to define what exactly equity means to me. The definition found on dictionary.com serves as the epitome of how I feel: “The policy or practice of accounting for the differences in each individual’s starting point when pursuing a goal or achievement, and working to remove barriers to equal opportunity, as by providing support based on the unique needs of individuals.”

More importantly, my perspective has afforded me the ability to choose how I embrace equity, meaning the policies I may help to influence or put in place and how I practice accounting for it. Making equity a pillar of how I communicate and make decisions.

Every day I encounter businesses with various disciplines, battling numerous barriers, and pursuing countless goals, and I am tasked with understanding what opportunities I need to put in front of them to have an outcome equal to a counterpart that is not faced with those same barriers. As a world, we need to embrace equity. It is about meeting people where they are and helping them reach their potential. Once we do this, we create an inclusive world where equity is incorporated with the necessities of living and succeeding.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

“And who will join this standing up and the ones who stood without sweet company will sing and sing back into the mountains and if necessary even under the sea we are the ones we have been waiting for” – June Jordon. 

Embracing equity in the South African context has such a deep and profound meaning as it is closely linked to our fight for democratic freedom, equal opportunities and fair treatment, concepts which are now enshrined in our Constitution and legislation. 

In the financial services industry, we strive for diversity in the workplace and actively advocate for the promotion of women. We know we need to address systemic barriers to entry to ensure that women have the tools they need to present themselves for promotion and raise their hands when opportunities arise. So often women are left behind because environments do not provide the necessary equipment, guidance and mentorship (and simply care) needed for growth and progress. In order to embrace equity, we need women to actively participate in the decision making bodies of organisations and this only comes about with promotion to senior leadership positions. We need to transform these bodies so that they are fully representative of parity and demographics in our societies.  

Embracing equity in all spheres of society also means equipping disadvantaged and rural women to participate in the economy, teaching and steering them towards financial and societal opportunities in their communities and abroad. This leads to financial security and allows women to be leaders in defiance of patriarchal systems. By [releasing/liberating/emancipating] a woman –  we release families and more so – we release communities …for wide scale upliftment and prosperity –  we build grounds up the type of society we want.  These are the Women who become the local heroines and inspirational role models the youth are looking up to … but it all starts with the understanding that the playing fields are not equal and sometimes a little more effort and kindness is required along the way. 

It is without a doubt that the responsibility to embrace and promote an equitable society rests on the shoulders of each one of us and only we can steer the course and change the narrative. We have to make that extra effort and take action…  for a better society for all… we are the ones we have been waiting for ….

What does embrace equity mean to you?

It is my whole-hearted welcome to the fact that this year the focus is on equity issues. In distinction from equality, which we have already attained, equity for me is primarily a matter of respect. Also, it encompasses the value of each individual personality and the opportunity to show the unique advantages in cooperation, without artificial barriers, at full capacity.

As a Ukrainian woman, I have been living and working in counteracting aggression for more than a year, that is why mutual support based on respect for diversity without exaggeration, becomes an acute issue. I am proud that my colleagues understand this matter, so that it builds up a ground for our success.

I was lucky not to have experienced the extreme discrimination on my way, and those small signs of discrimination faced by me were surprisingly more often related to a young age, but not to a gender. However, the greatest happiness is working with people with whom we #EmbraceEquity together!

What does embrace equity mean to you?

Embrace equity for me means firstly giving everyone the same opportunities. In this respect, I think that much progress has been made in many countries and organisations, but there is still a long way to go. Equity means creating a fair and equal world.

But it is not only a matter of fairness, in fact, we know that an inclusive and equal company is also more efficient and productive, because to have on board different genders, mindsets and cultures is an enrichment which allows us to find more creative solutions and unlock our potential.

Another important point to remember is that we can all be part of the solution and thanks to our example and behaviour, we can drive the transition toward a more inclusive and sustainable work environment.

Considering my professional background in cross-border businesses, I have had the chance to concretely experience how important it is to have a multicultural environment that values and supports differences. Embracing equity is part of trade and export finance’s DNA, and our industry should play a key role.