Singapore-based engagement and data aggregation platform WomenIconsNetwork.com (WIN) on Thursday (17 December) launched an equality collective in support of expanding C-Suite support for gender balance in Singapore workplaces.
The Collective For Equality aims to “promote and support the actions of organizations, programs and people working towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 that deals with achieving Gender Equality and empowering all women and girls”, said WIN in a statement.
Other than expanding C-Suite support for gender equality, the non-profit Singapore-specific initiative also aims to Deepen organisation commitment for gender equity and broaden the pool of aspiring women leaders.
The Collective, which will be led by a Council of Leaders on a pro bono basis, will call on CEOs in Singapore “to not only commit time, effort and resources for ensuring gender-balanced workplaces but also share their goals, experiences and challenges, thus inspiring equality in all walks of life”, said WIN.
Patient intelligence empowerment firm DocDoc’s co-founder and president Grace Park will be part of the Council of Leaders alongside C2C e-classified marketplace Jualo CEO Manisha Seewal and INSEAD Emerging Markets Institute executive director Dr Vinika Rao.
The Council will be expanded with “other like-minded leaders”, said WIN.
Park said that while the SDG 5 Goals “are common for the world, every country has to work within the boundaries of economic, social, and cultural realities”.
“Thus, it is important that leaders in Singapore come together to discover innovative yet effective ways to overcome the challenges of gender inequities,” she added.
Seewal, who is also the group chief marketing officer of Southeast Asia’s largest automotive marketplace Carro, said that every organisation regardless of “size, sector or domicile will have to play its part to ensure that Singapore is truly a gender-balanced place of work”.
“However, we have to recognize and assist organizations that need a nudge and a push to discover the long-term benefits of pursuing a gender- balanced strategy,” she said.
Dr Rao said that “some of the reputed corporates in Singapore have covered considerable ground in the journey towards gender equality”.
“Their experience should both inspire others to follow suit and provide learnings on best practices for developing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” she said, adding that such is “especially relevant today to ensure that COVID-19 does not disrupt decades of hard-earned progress towards developing a gender-balanced workplace and society in Singapore”.
WIN co-founder and director Vishwesh Iyer said that problems in tackling gender inequities “have been further exacerbated by the pandemic”.
“It is important for leaders to recognize that working towards a gender balanced workplace is one of the biggest challenges facing us today at the intersection of social and economic inequities,” he said.
The Collective will also add to the ‘Conversations on Women Development’ that the Singapore Government has recently rolled out.
Following the Singapore launch, The Collective will also be launched in Malaysia and India in the near future.