- Why is gender equality important to Hong Kong as a City, a Financial Centre and as a community?
Everyone benefits when we have Equality. We can expect decision making sets to improve, broader perspectives and insights are contributed, engagement increases and companies make more money. Besides, women and girls have role models to look to, people are more empathetic with one another and we have a more caring culture. It’s a win-win for everyone.
- How far has Hong Kong progressed towards furthering Gender Equality in recent years, and what more is there to do?
While Hong Kong has come a long way since 2012 with the new equal opportunities legislation in place and women are now making up 15% of the board seats, Hong Kong still has one of the lowest female participation rates in the workforce in Asia, at just 49.6%. Women are also underrepresented in senior leadership, on corporate boards and in government, and yet 52.3% of our graduates are women. More attention is absolutely needed in addressing societal implicit and explicit biases towards women which sadly is still holding women back.
Nevertheless, the good news is that there is commitment to address the issue. Companies are evolving, more aware of the changing world. They are consciously paying more attention to aligning corporate purpose with values, culture, talent development, retention and defining inclusive leadership behaviours, this is all important progress in creating better inclusion for all.
- How do top-down commitments to diversity and inclusion help build resilient businesses and a sustainable future for all?
Tone from the top plays a significant role in driving behavioural change and defining culture. True inclusion can only exist when everyone in the organisation feels they belong, have a voice and are valued. Holding leaders accountable for this mindset of inclusion and embedding these behaviours into the fabric of the company is key to impactful sustainable change. We have greater expectation of our leaders. Leading responsibly, ethically and with purpose is the only way to lead for a sustainable future.
- In your words, what needs to be done to advance gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow?
Proactive sponsorship of talent is one of the most effective interventions that can significantly advance women in the workplace. If every leader took responsibility to actively sponsor, platform and champion women to ensure these women are visible and spoken up for in those critical decision-making discussions when she is not in the room, women will get noticed and be given a shot at those high-stake opportunities. This is how we pipeline more women into P&L roles which then leads to board.
- What role can innovation play in promoting gender equality and the diversity agenda?
Innovations such as social media platforms, online communities have been game changers. They help shape culture, deepen engagement, provide real time insights, give minorities a voice and allow for communities to connect and grow.