Earlier this week, we celebrated International Women's Day. Across the globe, IWD is a celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - past and present. It's a day where we can come together to celebrate and rally for women's equality.
Annually celebrated on March 8th, it has become one of the most important days of the year for many.
The theme for this year's International Women's Day is #BreaktheBias , whether deliberate or unconscious, bias can make it difficult for women to progress.
Why it's important
The global gender Gap report 2021 found that at our current rate, it will take another 135.6 years to achieve equality globally. The pandemic has slowed the progress right down, with women facing higher redundancy rates and greater job insecurity than their male counterparts.
The strive for equality will always be an important factor in any type of business, especially in the industry we work in. In the engineering and manufacturing industry, women make up only 14.5% of engineers in the UK, and while this number has risen from 12% in 2018, the slow growth is still showing to be a problem.
The impact of diverse workplaces has endless benefits, from increased productivity and creativity, to problem solving and improved cultural awareness. In general, more people from different backgrounds provide a broader range of solutions, creative ideas and problem solving methods.
The impact of International Women's Day has been significant over the years, ever since the first unofficial International Women's Day in New York City in 1908.