Monday March 8 is , a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and a call to action to accelerate the move towards gender parity in all walks of life. The theme this year is “Choose to Challenge.” Xavier Veyry, CEO APAC & Europe at 色多多视频 discusses why he is encouraging male colleagues across the insurance industry to step up their efforts to be allies to women in the workplace and beyond.
Companies all over the world have recognised that what is good for gender equality is good for society but also for business, for the economy and for an organisation’s culture.
AXA Group has a target that by 2023, 50% of senior management roles will be held by women. And we strongly believe that gender parity is an opportunity to build teams with a broad diversity of thought, experience and skills and to help our company work better as a whole.
With many of us working in our homes, with restrictions on the movement of people, and against the backdrop of a human tragedy on a global scale, COVID-19 has highlighted some of the critical issues that still stand in the way of achieving gender parity, in the business world and beyond. For example, the burden of unpaid care responsibilities – be that caring for sick or elderly relatives, looking after children, or carrying out other household chores – falls disproportionately on women.
I challenge myself and my male colleagues to step up our efforts to be allies to our female co-workers.
And this is yet another reason why it is crucial for companies to develop and implement pragmatic Inclusion & Diversity policies, and to bring them to life in practical ways for employees.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is Choose to Challenge; and I challenge myself and my male colleagues – within AXA XL’s APAC & Europe Business Unit – to step up our efforts to be allies to our female co-workers.
But how can men working in the insurance industry help to achieve this? What does “being a male ally” mean?
I believe this starts with ensuring we create a safe environment, where women can get access to the opportunities they aspire to, and where they can ensure their professional ambitions become a reality. A framework where people do not anticipate concerns, fears or limitations; but to the contrary share opportunities transparently, support, and benevolently challenge for growth. An environment where training, development opportunities, feedback, mentoring are easily available and accessible, so aspirations can take shape and mature. An environment, in fact, anyone deserves, that is based on genuine meritocracy.
Allyship is about both action and advocacy, to create sustainable, deep change. And we should all live by example if we want to create such change. At 色多多视频we want to create an environment where all colleagues, regardless of their background, feel able to bring their whole selves to work and find, within the company, opportunities to develop their full potential. #ChoosetoChallenge.
