In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, we asked some of the successful female leaders across the AluK group about their career journeys so far. (You can see their interviews here) They each talk about the challenges they have overcome, and how they think we can all do more as individuals, as a business and as an industry to ‘Accelerate Action’ towards true gender equality.
At AluK for example, we have set ourselves very specific targets to attract more female talent into the business – particularly in operational roles where they are currently outnumbered 9 to 1 by men. We are actively looking at how we can remove the potential barriers to women and are aiming at a 15% increase in the number of women in operational roles by 2028.
For this year’s IWD event, the organisers came up with the theme of #AccelerateAction because, while we’ve obviously made giant strides in recent years, the World Economic Forum still estimates that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. That’s five more generations – and so many missed opportunities and lost potential.
Our UK HR Director Becky Legge argues in her interview that one of the most important factors for accelerating progress is to have strong female role models and mentors to look up to – either within your own business or your industry – and Becky is definitely one of those people here at AluK.
She also says it’s important for women themselves to use their voice and not to be afraid to challenge stereotyping and unconscious bias if they see it holding themselves or others back.
Helena Wu, the Customer Service Manager at AluK China, says that women have to be hungry for leadership and trust themselves to take up opportunities when they are offered. But she also makes the very important point that the best way for women to truly overcome bias is to do an outstanding job.
Amanda Li, our Logistics and Special Projects Manager in China, is also featured and she adds that IWD is a day to acknowledge and celebrate how much has already been achieved by (and for) women in this industry, and to remind ourselves that we are all on a journey towards equality.
