August 25, 2022 Industry Leaders Share Insights on Women’s Equality Day

This Women’s Equality Day, industry leaders discuss the leaps women have taken and the progress that is still to be made.

Friday, August 26th is Women’s Equality Day. The day is a historic reminder of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

As we focus on women’s issues and gender equality today, we can look to places where women are underrepresented in leadership, workforces, and opportunities to get an idea of what we must continue to change.

Below women in leadership positions across many industries shared their thoughts on this historic day, including what advice they would give to other women and what changes we can continue to fight for moving forward.

Caroline Seymour, VP of product marketing at Zerto, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company

Women’s Equality Day is a good reminder for everyone that the equality movement isn’t over. From my experience in the technology sector, women remain significantly underrepresented. In 2021, tech roles held by women increased by a mere 2%. We can do better.

To fix the gender gap issue we need realistic initiatives that can be easily implemented today, such as creating gender-neutral job descriptions, ensuring women are part of the interviewing team, ensuring that interview rounds include diverse candidates, conducting regular pay equity reviews to attract and retain candidates, offering mentorship and advancement programs, and regularly evaluating hiring and promotion processes to eliminate bias.

To make change happen we need to implement progressive strategies that result in women being hired into tech roles. I encourage women to build strong networks of men and women. We can all help each other and learn from each other. We must also actively mentor young girls and encourage them to pursue STEM studies in higher education. Solving gender disparity in the workplace is not a one-sided solution. Diversity of thought is invaluable to any company and should be something we all work hard to achieve.

Nicola Kinsella, SVP of global marketing, Fluent Commerce

“Each year when Women’s Equality Day comes around, we are again reminded of not only the great strides made in addressing inequality but how far there is left to go. Especially in the field of technology, there are still issues of gender pay gap and lack of representation. It might be easier for some to wait for others to fix these issues, but businesses need to be part of the structural change.

There are many things that businesses can do to be part of the movement for equality—things we practice internally as well. ‘Remuneration leveling’ or removing everyone’s details from your system, allows you to compare salaries across similar roles in respective regions. This can help with ‘leveling up’ people across roles as well as making sure salaries are comparable with the going rate in the industry.

Leaders, when you look around at the other women in your places of work, ask yourselves how you can bring them up with you. Make sure you are fostering a culture that is diverse, open and inclusive.

As women, especially in a male-dominated industry, it’s important to always speak your mind and be an advocate for the change you want to implement. Don’t wait for equality, but instead fight for it.”

Jen Locklear, chief people officer, ConnectWise

“Women’s Equality Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how far women’s equality has come over the past 100 years. There are more women working in the technology sector than ever before, making some incredible contributions.

With that being said, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. There is still a significant gender bias in the industry with women often expected to meet higher standards, yet still being paid less than their male counterparts.

Organizations should consider what they can do to propel further change, exploring initiatives such as offering additional support for women who are balancing caring responsibilities alongside their work. Or offering flexible working. Perhaps they could deliver a female-centered mentor programme to support women’s career progression. Ensuring the recruitment process is assessed for bias is another important consideration.

It’s only by assessing policies and practices that organizations can instigate actionable and lasting change to close the tech gender gap. We all have a collective responsibility to ensure that women’s equality remains a top priority this Women’s Equality Day and beyond.”

Dr Shirley Knowles, chief inclusion and diversity officer, Progress

“Women’s Equality Day is the perfect opportunity for all organizations to reflect on their initiatives to support women and to ensure that they’re doing everything they can. It’s important to be objective and assess whether the organization’s initiatives are creating real change, not just paying lip service to the idea. Eradicating bias at recruitment level is just the beginning.

In the tech sector, women remain a minority—making up just 30% in 2021. For leadership, the figures are even more shocking with less than a fifth (19.2%) of Fortune 500 CIOs being women. If those numbers are to change, real action must follow the sentiments so frequently expressed.

At Progress, we have a number of initiatives designed to encourage and empower women. We have a company-wide Employee Resource Group (ERG) ‘Progress for Her,’ which provides women the tools they need to build their networks and professionally develop. We also offer women self-paced learning modules and peer coaching, which can be done at their own pace and thus do not risk excluding part-time working mothers or those who have career gaps due to maternity leave. We also launched a Women in STEM scholarship series in 2019 and introduced the Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India. Our aim is to continue to encourage women to choose STEM and to support their professional development once they are there.”

Annemie Vanoosterhout, release and project manager, Datadobi

“I was hopeful that the pandemic would bring about a shift in work-life balance and create a better work environment for all. However, a number of companies are going back to their old norms. It might be that many enterprises want to be as cost-effective as possible and don’t want to invest in implementing improvements because of economic constraints. However, changes like the allowance for remote work would greatly benefit the mental health of employees, especially women and mothers balancing family life with their job.

On Women’s Equality Day, my advice to young women aspiring for a career in tech is to walk your own path. Even if it takes a detour, you will end up where you are supposed to be and where you will shine. Don’t shy away from going outside your comfort zone, and set small, intermediate goals and targets to work toward. It’s easier to make small changes regularly than to make big adjustments later on. Keep learning, not only in the form of courses but also from colleagues and people you admire, whatever their gender is.”

Erin Dertouzos, vice president, people strategy, strongDM

“In honor of Women’s Equality Day, I want to encourage company leaders who are looking to improve gender diversity in their organizations to start at the beginning: the hiring process. Requiring certain degrees, or the job description itself eliminate who applies. I have encouraged recruiters on my teams to push hiring managers to think about whether or not degrees are even actually required for the roles that are being advertised. Many studies show that women are less likely to apply to roles if they don’t think they fulfill each and every required aspect of the position, which can be a barrier to bringing on more female talent to your team.

Companies also need to think about how women experience interviewing. When people see folks that look like them, they’re more likely to want to be a part of that team. If a woman is interviewing with all men, they won’t feel as comfortable in that space, and you could be missing out on great people because your current team isn’t designed with them in mind. More than once, I have refused to even consider interviewing for a company with an executive team comprised of all men.

We also need to think about the actual environments candidates are interviewing in. I once worked somewhere where women weren’t passing whiteboard engineering exercises at the same rate men were. One day I understood why, after I noticed a group of male interviewers standing in the doorway while candidates worked on coding problems. After we shifted where the interviewers were positioned, improvements on the test came almost immediately.

By examining every facet of the interview process, company leaders can create more space for diverse talent which will only serve to benefit the organization in the long run.”

Gianna Driver, CHRO, Exabeam

“In recent years, the tech industry has made substantial progress toward creating more inclusive, equitable and diverse environments. Representation of women has improved, but work remains to address persistent gaps within the talent pipeline: promotion rates are not equitable and women continue to lose representation at all levels of the career ladder.

Organizations need to remain vigilant and intentional to create healthy, diverse, thriving cultures; this entails actively investing in the growth and psychological safety of all employees. Embracing learning, normalizing mistake-making and listening go a long way toward cultivating environments conducive to empathy and the celebration of diversity.

The journey of inclusivity isn’t linear, isn’t defined by reaching an endpoint, and takes continual, iterative tending. When diversity, equity and inclusive practices are implemented effectively, organizations become vehicles for embracing vulnerability, empowerment, and the celebration of authenticity.

At Exabeam, we are consciously leaning into and listening to the voices of trans and cis women as well as our non-binary community. We value diverse perspectives and know this translates into business results, but more, it translates into a more fun, authentic and human work experience. Campaigns like Women’s Equality Day highlight the importance of amplifying our efforts in creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone knows they belong.”

Svenja de Vos, CTO, Leaseweb Global

“Organizations are under pressure to adopt impactful diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and rightfully so. It’s good that many organizations have managed to shift priorities to accommodate these needs, however, there continues to be persistent gaps overall and where it’s important.

According to research by Mckinsey & Company, organizations have achieved improved women’s representation across the board, however, there is still a significant gender imbalance as promotions to leadership roles are not equitable, and women of color continue to lack representation at every level.

The continued state of disparities, highlights a ‘broken rung’ within the corporate ladder. If companies continue to fail in seizing the opportunity to recognize and properly support women in their organization, they risk an unconscious gender bias within their company culture leaving women with an unclear path forward.

As women in tech, it’s important to make our voices heard and our contributions seen by continuing to develop leadership and technical skills, acquire industry knowledge, and mentor other females on a path towards leadership positions. In order to drive change, we must push equitable practices that not only promote acceptance within the workplace, but also foster an all-inclusive work culture that embraces diversity at its fullest potential.

Campaigns like Women’s day of Equality, reminds us to commemorate the women who broke barriers to make a better future for the field. This day highlights the negative impact of workplace imbalances and amplifies efforts to encourage more women to fight their way up the corporate ladder. As our world continues to undergo a digital transformation, we need to keep leading the charge towards a more inclusive, diverse and fair working environment. Not just for us, but for future generations of female leaders.”

Lindsay Mantzel, senior full stack developer, Retrospect, a StorCentric Company:

“Women’s Equality Day is a holiday that evokes optimism when you reflect on the great strides that have been made, while also reminding us that there are opportunities remaining for further improvement.

I am indeed fortunate to work for a company that greatly values diversity in the workplace. Likewise, from an early age I was encouraged to strive to be the best I could be, and to freely pursue my interests in STEM.

Are you wondering what you can do to help fan the fires of a girl or woman with an interest in STEM? My advice would be that to start, all you really need is to show a positive attitude! Next, encourage curiosity and focus on the fun of learning something new. You can also highlight successful women in STEM that came before and are still blazing trails. However, most importantly, whether it is STEM or they decide they want to pursue another career path – it’s all good! And remind them, as Dr. Seuss astutely stated, ‘If you get the chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.’”

Renata Budko, head of product, Traceable:

“Today we recognize the importance of a continued effort to encourage the best possible contribution from all the members of our society and eliminate inequality. It is up to us as leaders to build a nurturing workplace where there is no glass ceiling and to work with all the employees to avoid conscious and unconscious biases.

Despite the progress, there is still a lack of representation of women and minorities, particularly in the technology industry. More qualified women in the high-tech workforce benefits the business, the country, and the society at large. There are a variety of tangible steps that companies can take, such as encouraging women mentorships, insisting on more diversity in the university recruiting, and eliminating gender pay gap.

The aspiring female engineers can also drive the change at a personal level. It is vital we continue to learn from coworkers and the people we admire, regardless of age, gender, and upbringing. Female junior engineers and interns should actively participate in the innovation process and evangelize their career path to girls who are still in school to enact structural change.

On Women’s Equality Day, I tell the young women on the technology career path, “Lean in. Lean on others and learn from them. Believe in yourself and make others believe in you. That’s how we shape the new world.”

Sylvia Zachary, cybersecurity and software director – secure communications (SCOM), Cubic Mission & Performance Solutions

“The words ‘diversity’ and ‘equality’ are often mentioned in a corporation’s credo, but rarely do organizations create significant actions and initiatives that invite everyone to the table equally. Although there have been great strides to be more inclusive and diverse in the technology industry, there is always room for development. Women deserve all the same opportunities as their male counterparts, and for that to happen it initially requires an open mind with a willingness to listen. Leaders are responsible for the work environments they create and nurture. When an organization’s culture is curated with tolerance and understanding that promotes diversity, leaders tend to see engagement that supports innovative ideas and solutions for businesses.

I praise the women around the world for tearing down barriers within their industry. Diversity and inclusion are the key pillars to a positive, compassionate, and productive work environment. I highly encourage any woman to be open to opportunity, be agile, tenacious, be bold, explore numerous career paths in engineering, and inspire others. This Women’s Equality Day should be focused on creating safe communities for women and encouraging each other to reach for more and what they deserve.”

Nicole Wilson, senior program director, Cubic Transportation Systems

“In the spirit of Women’s Equality Day, I want to emphasize the importance of empowering women to feel confident in their roles and aspirations. In business and in life in general, women should never feel intimidated sitting in any room but rather recognize that the reason you are in the room is because you are supposed to and have every right to be there.

As women, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard and be proud of our abilities instead of worrying about perceived shortcomings or past struggles. Growing up in Mississippi, I constantly felt like an underdog since our state was not known for its education. As I grew older, I connected with positive mentors, who reassured me of my value and instilled a sense of confidence in me. Through this, I learned to give myself compassion and grace. I started looking at every situation as an opportunity to learn from, improve upon and then share that lesson to help someone else. To this day, this perspective encourages me to keep pushing forward and to help others that might have similar circumstances or challenges.

I have been fortunate to have two strong women as my mentors, both professionally and personally. Now, it’s important to me to carry that torch and lift up other women and future generations so that we can continue to break down barriers until they no longer exist.”

Arti Raman, CEO and founder, Titaniam

“Upon reflection of my role as a female founder of a tech company, I realize that I am one drop in the bucket in the widespread market of technology founders. Yet when I show up to events, it never ceases to astonish me how rare it is to find other women in this space with me. I have been to conferences where I’ve skimmed through the speaker list and found myself to be the only female in the lineup. When I went to present to the audience of 50, there were two women in the room with me. This is statistically supported, with women making up 28% of the STEM workforce and research which shows that girls tend to lose interest in sciences and technology subjects when they are as young as 12.

One of the most important things I will ever do as a woman is be a role model. That is, to stand where I am, as a proud woman in technology, and to believe in the next generation of girls choosing their careers, and the women already in the workforce with interest in joining the field. I am where I am because people down the line believed in me, and knew that I could do the things I set out to do – from getting my advanced mathematics training to creating my encryption technology to filing for patents to founding the company with those products. I stand where I am now, with the message to girls and women everywhere that it doesn’t matter what is expected of you or what society tells us we should accomplish based on our gender. I want girls and women everywhere to know that they are good enough, and they can do it. More so, I would love it if you did. I would love to see you here, in this space, with me. We need you.”

Anne Tiedemann, SVP people and investor relations at Glasswall

“In late 2021, Deloitte Global predicted that in 2022 we would see ‘large global technology firms, on average, reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces’ – an increase of just over 2% since 2019. While any increase is a good thing, we’re barely scratching the surface of reaching true gender equality in the technology industry.

One of the main barriers to women’s equality in tech is attracting talent in the first place. The key to this is early education, exposure, and flexibility. There is often still a discriminatory nature of hiring within tech – many job postings are written as though men are their only target, which is unsurprisingly putting many women off who may be interested. Ensuring that job adverts are completely gender-neutral and welcoming to all is just the first step. Once organizations have more female employees, it’s important to showcase that fact to encourage more women to apply to the company – having clear role models will allow women to picture themselves in the same position or organization.

It’s important that we practice what we preach! At Glasswall, we’ve established the Women in Tech committee, made up of multiple women from across the company who meet together once every month to discuss how women can excel in their roles, support the company in reaching its business goals, and ensure that all employees at Glasswall experience fair and equal opportunities.”

Sarah Moore, CMO, Beekeeper

“This Women’s Equality Day, it’s irrefutable that we’ve come a long way since American women earned the right to vote after the 19th Amendment was passed 100 years ago. That said, 80% of the global workforce serve in frontline roles, with women holding most of those jobs. As employees in frontline industries have been hit the hardest the last two years, women have carried most of the extra burden. They cannot work from home. They risk health exposures as they keep our world running – in retail, hospitality, manufacturing and construction. Childcare is unreliable or unaffordable on hourly wages, and schools struggle to staff classrooms and bus routes.

Wages are not keeping up with inflation, which has both a financial impact and hidden, often untreated, mental health implications. Is it any wonder almost every industry is struggling to fill empty roles? This in turn forces unpredictable schedules and extra workloads for workers, while supply chain shortages create an extra layer of chaos for workers on the frontline.

No one should be surprised that women are experiencing record levels of exhaustion, burn out, and ‘quiet quitting’. Now is the time for action.

Employers need to balance profits with people: providing meaningful acknowledgment and creative benefits that cater to demands like flexible scheduling, access to benefits and receiving more than just a “living” wage. Let’s use today to remind us of what needs to be quickly implemented for our frontline workers vs. playing ‘lip service’ and slowing down equality for all. “

Loretta Jones, VP of Growth, Acceldata

“We continue to see growth and welcome change in diversity and inclusion, especially in the tech sector. However, Women’s Equality Day is a reminder that gender equality is still a work in process, and there is still a way to go to remove sexism in the workplace. To make real progress, we all need to be honest with ourselves about our implicit biases and be open to change. Companies can’t address implicit bias through policies and procedures or compliance sessions, but through open dialog with practical tips on recognizing and addressing implicit bias.

My advice to women breaking into the tech industry is to keep at it. Don’t be daunted or intimidated, and don’t be afraid to ask for help because that’s how you learn, grow and advance. The tech industry is vast with many opportunities out there – you will find the right place for your skills.”

Andrea Montero, Director of Product, Forter

“Financial inclusion and reaching the unbanked and underbanked is a complex, multifaceted issue. On Women’s Equality Day, we should celebrate the vital role women play in the global economy while acknowledging the progress that must be made to provide women, especially women of color, equal access to the digital world.

The Global Findex 2022 report found that the challenge of verifying identity online is a major factor in the unbanked population. Women with limited or no online footprint are often more likely to be denied when making a purchase as they’re deemed “too risky” for fraudulent behavior. This is based on outdated and biased assumptions about identity. You can’t possibly verify someone’s trustworthiness based solely on factors such as their credit history, IP address or zip code.

The power of digital commerce lies in its ability to connect billions of people around the world. It’s the responsibility of every merchant, financial service provider and vendor to ensure digital commerce is accessible to everyone.”

Samina Subedar, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, StorCentric

“Each year on August 26, Women’s Equality Day is celebrated. While a tremendous amount of progress has been made, in the workplace in particular there remains work to be done. For instance, Catalyst reported that women currently hold just 32 (6.4%) of the CEO positions at the S&P 500 companies. Likewise, according to Pew Research, even though women now earn the highest percentage of both undergraduate and advanced degrees, they remain a small percentage of degree earners in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) – areas where women remain underrepresented in the workforce as well. 

Yet, while there remains work to be done, we cannot ignore how far we have come. And, as a woman that has built a successful career in technology, I can personally attest to how fulfilling and rewarding it can be. So on this Women’s Equality Day, I am reflecting on and appreciating all those that encouraged and supported me along the way. The importance of gender parity in the workplace is preceded by equal access to education across the globe, thereby cultivating an environment of gender equality. It is critical that we actively advocate for educational programs that show real world examples of successful women in technology, which can in turn provide inspiring role models. It is also important to champion female-based technology internships and hiring at your organization (not just the right thing to do, diversity optimizes business processes and creates competitive advantage for your company). And, are you a woman in technology? Then, please consider acting as a mentor. There are many organizations around the world focused on such mutually rewarding opportunities.”

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