What does embrace equity mean to you?

Personally, #EmbraceEquity means to accept that everyone is different which makes them who they are today. To embrace equity, we must first acknowledge our biases and take active steps to challenge. Only when we remove biases, can we appreciate differences and celebrate diverse perspectives. It is about equal opportunities and equal voices, disregarding stereotypes and solely focusing on the individual. 

My favourite part of working in a global role as a trade finance professional is the diversity of people. Regardless of gender, origin, or organisation, everyone is treated with respect and as equals. Unfortunately, this is a privilege many people around the world cannot enjoy. To change this, it starts with ourselves committing to embracing equity. This is something I commit to doing with every interaction. 

What does embrace equity mean to you?

It means embracing diversity and being fair and impartial to gender, race and faith with meritocracy as the key objective. We need to embrace equity as a mindset in order to listen without bias, engage without prejudice and decide without discrimination. This mindset leads to empowering creativity, ensuring inclusivity and spurring innovation. In a nutshell, embracing equity is great for business and definitely great for the community.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

Gender equity means to me neutralising gender as a factor in success. Different genders can, of course, be different and I believe in cherishing our differences; a world where we are all the same is not one in which I would like to live. But I hope everyone can agree all genders are equal and in a gender equitable world, our differences will be welcomed and not be a cause for bias or unequal treatment of any form.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

We are all different, that means that some start from a place of advantage, others from a place of disadvantage. 

Imagine two women fell into a hole and we want to get them out so we send down a ladder to help them climb out.

Same hole, same ladder provided, same opportunity to get out of the hole.

However, while one of the women starts climbing the ladder, the other is unable to not because she doesn’t want to but rather because in the fall down the hole, she broke her back and is unable to move.

Equity means that while we provide one woman with the ladder to climb out, we recognise the reality that the other woman would need more/a different type of assistance to get out of the hole.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

#EmbraceEquity is about helping to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and thrive. Equity is a choice, the right thing to do, but also economically equity fosters higher profitability and a more sustainable growth. All of us can do things in this matter. It means challenging stereotypes and biases that hold people back, promoting diversity and inclusion, and advocating for policies that support gender equality. By embracing Equity, we can break down systemic barriers and discrimination that have led to unequal outcomes for people of different genders, races, cultures, backgrounds, skills, education, etc. It’s about creating a world where everyone has the same opportunities and access to resources. So let’s embrace gender equity and work towards a world where everyone can live and work free from discrimination.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

Trade connects people from all over the globe with various cultures, languages and backgrounds. To be successful in trade, embracing equity is very important and forms part of our day-to-day business. The beauty of trade is the varied business environment, the opportunity to work with people from different countries and cultures and to learn from them. For me embracing equity helps, brings joy to my daily business and is a fundamental requirement.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

#EmbraceEquity means for me first and foremost freedom. Our gender or background should not determine a life’s choice or a career path. The goal of embracing equity is to make sure that our inner drive and motivation can lead us to the place where we want to be, and we as individuals are free to choose this place and to embrace it.

From a career perspective, it means to provide continuous and appropriate support for each and every person to accompany individual ambitions. I personally consider myself to be very lucky working within Credit Agricole CIB where fairness and inclusivity are major pillars, and having met along my professional journey in Trade Finance industry managers, mentors, co-workers and business partners who trusted and inspired me and who continue to do so every step of the way.

For me, embracing equity means respecting all individuals and providing everyone equal opportunities.

To get there, we need to recognise that not everyone starts on a level playing field and some individuals need a helping hand to access the same opportunities. When thinking about equity, we need to identify the barriers hindering these individuals and provide them with the tools they need to be on equal footing.

Embracing equity means that I do what I can to help others access equal opportunities – whether this is through putting people forward for roles they will excel in, coaching them to help reach their goals, or supporting them to be in positions where they too can make a difference.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

Equity is value. It is not only financial; it’s social, human, environmental… and if we really look, we can see there is much value around us that is yet to be recognised, accepted, nurtured and rewarded. IWD is a day to remind us all to embrace women’s equity.  As women we should all recognise our own value and strength and come forward with it. It’s a day to remind society that embracing women’s equity is not a zero sum game. It’s a game where we all rise above and win. 

What does embrace equity mean to you?

#EmbraceEquity to me is not just the ethical thing to do, it’s a cold hard business imperative. We operate in a fiercely competitive environment, and I want to be out there with the absolute top talent available irrespective of gender or any other category. If we get it right, the industry will see it, and we will attract the best. Our customers will see it, and we will pick up the best business. Our communities will see it, and we will contribute positively everywhere we operate around the world. It’s been a while since I started my career as the only woman in the Trade Finance team – now I’m part of a management team that is majority female, is diverse in many other ways, and features some of the most impressive people I’ve ever met, of any gender! But you only have to look at our industry to see how far we still have to go. 

What does embrace equity mean to you?

I’m lucky to be part of a workplace that supports me, values inclusiveness, and gives me access to the tools and resources I need to succeed. Sadly, this isn’t the reality for everyone. By recognising my privilege and the work of those who came before me – I want to make a difference for other women. I feel a strong obligation to create positive change and help others reach their full potential. By establishing an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with equality, we create a world where we all can thrive, regardless of gender or any other factors. To me, equality means valuing everyone, no matter what. Let’s be bold, embrace our differences, and harness our combined strength to achieve great things!

What does embrace equity mean to you?

I have lived, studied and worked in Russia, Brazil, the UK and the Netherlands. Having been exposed to the wide ranges of societies, companies and teams, I regard myself as a cross-cultural professional. Working at MUFG, a global corporate bank with Japanese roots, suits me like a glove, and made me even more aware of the importance of equity and respect on the work floor. Equity has always been an important and obvious value for me. I associate Equity with inclusion, connection and a sense of belonging, all of which help to increase and maintain a positive working environment and engagement. Importantly, they are vital to the success of an organisation and of its clients.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

In 2023, any successful long-term strategy requires that the company fully commits to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their business. Everyone’s preconditions are different, even though one might be at exactly the same place at a given moment. Equity makes sense because it means turning to a wider discussion about what it takes to succeed. Not only scraping the surface by defining gender or nationality. Irrespective of what box one falls into, one person’s way to success may be infinitely different, longer or harder than another one’s. Providing appropriate tools to enable real individual achievement requires understanding of where people come from and what kind of measures would make the biggest difference to their unique story.

What does embrace equity mean to you?

#EmbraceEquity is believing in yourself; accepting support; and supporting others. My first lesson in believing in myself came from my mother. I grew up in the 1970’s, when women were just starting to see themselves as equals. I remember coming home from school, and telling my mother that when I grew up, I wanted to marry a doctor. I had heard this at school from female classmates. My mother replied, “If you think doctors are special, you should be one.” I learned at that moment that I had the right to see myself in any role I found interesting. I would not be a leader in Trade Finance if I had not accepted the mentorship and support of leaders who wanted me to exceed. I am grateful to the people who supported my journey. Finally, I feel it is important to be that support and mentor to others. As a leader in Trade Finance at a Global bank, I seek out others – across all diversity spectrums – to say, “You can do this, and I want to help.”