The morning was dedicated to women and men of corporations of international organizations who work with diversity and inclusion issues. With a participation of about 250 people, the discussion was both lively and stimulating. After a welcome coffee, the participants were asked to engage on the subject of “Making it Happen – Leveraging Leadership and Diversity.” The session was moderated by Helene Ratte, Director of Human Resources for Deloitte Europe. Her extensive experience in HR and her involvement and dedication to W.I.N. made her a successful leader in the discussion. The panel speakers were Irene Bellew, Group Legal Council, Whirlpool Europe, Noni Allwood, Senior Director of Human Resources for Cisco Systems, Josefine M.C. van Zanten, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusiveness for Shell International, Katharyn White, Vice-President of Marketing for IBM, for the Northeast Europe and, last but not least, Lisa Kepinski, EMEA Diversity Interim Director for Hewlett-Packard. We were delighted to notice the overwhelming presence of our sponsors across the board and in the audience.
The discussion began with a question of Impact: how women’s increasingly significant role in companies is impacting business and current business models. Josefine M.C. van Zanten, from the view point of her position in Shell was able specifically to address the issue of a woman’s impact in the very male environment that is the Oil and Gas industry. She stressed the importance of not only having an HR approach to diversity but also a business approach. The business case drives the change.
The panellists were asked to express their opinions on the question of support, and how companies are helping women bring a sustainable vision, diversity and inclusiveness into corporate life, in other words, how can a corporation ensure that the influence of women is a sustainable addition to the company. Noni Allwood discussed Cisco’s specific action in ensuring that women get the right support and help to contribute. Work/life integration is relevant for everyone in the company. For example telecommuting and flexible hours are embedded in their corporate culture. Another important aspect is to establish ownership of diversity from the top down.
Irene Bellew discussed the issue of Advancement - how did she get to the top and how can we get more women to these levels. She talked about how the processes that help talent advancement and a bit luck came together for her, whilst expressing her vision for improvement within her company. Lisa Kepinski addressed how women are getting to the top and what can be done to foster this growth. A key factor in her mind was the importance of metrics, networks and mentoring programmes.
Barriers was another topic of discussion: which barriers are proving most persistent and what are companies doing to overcome them? Katharyn White from IBM talked about inflexibility, balance between work and family life, and cultural acceptance as key aspects to consider. More specifically, she mentioned the importance of training managers and creating environments in which such issues become not only policy but culturally acceptable.
In a global company, it is important to understand that the challenges are different in different parts of the world. At HP, Lisa Kepinski talked about their global strategy with local adaptability. And Irene, in agreement with Lisa, said that a foundation on a global level and regional adaptability is key to overcoming barriers.
For more information on these companies, please consult their websites
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