7 Ways to Invest in Women and Accelerate Progress #IWD2024

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The SOAR programme was a very positive, stimulating experience - inspiring me to ‘think bigger’.

Jane Maze-Riley View Profile

Providing access to networks and resources that allow women to feel seen, heard, and acknowledged for their contribution is key. As is ensuring women feel supported to pursue their next ‘big thing’ – whether it be a promotion, working on a high-profile project or extending their development in another way. Sponsorship initiatives, such as Urbis and Cistri’s SOAR program, provide a pathway for individuals to develop a positive relationship with a collective of senior colleagues.

As part of our SOAR program, sponsors can share practical experience and advice to support the SOAR participants’ progress and drive positive performance outcomes. The sponsorship at play is about advocacy and expanding participants networks. SOAR has also contributed to talent retention and since the program’s inception, 70% of the participants have advanced within the company through the support of their sponsors.

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The more flexible the workplace can be, the more diverse.

Anna Barclay View Profile

Enabling our people to work with flexibility acknowledges intersectionality and allows people to bring their authentic self to work. Work is only one part of someone’s life, and being able to do so flexibly makes it possible to achieve a greater sense of work-life balance.

It is no secret that women often take on the lion’s share of care giving hours and domestic responsibilities, whether it be looking after an elderly parent or picking up the kids from school. Flexible working helps to ease the way that this disproportionately disadvantages women in the workplace and can look like; working-from-home arrangements, alternative start times, and part-time work. Through supporting all employees to take advantage of flexible working arrangements, we start to move the dial for cultural change.

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By raising women up into leadership positions, it is creating more opportunity across the business and paves the way for others to also reach those leadership positions.

Sophie Lam View Profile

Seeing women in influential or leadership positions is powerful. Representation allows individuals to envision a rewarding career and aspire to positions of seniority and leadership. Through investment in the acceleration of women, we can move towards greater gender balance across organisations at all levels.

Encouraging organisation-wide goal-setting and supporting managers to make tangible steps which support gender balance in their teams, leads to real change. Celebrating the success and achievements of our women provides further visibility of our female talent and enhances workplace culture.

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I think it’s so important to work in a culture where you can bring your whole self to work.

Poppy Wise View Profile

Women are only truly supported when both parents, regardless of gender, have access to parental leave schemes that are based around empathy for the life changing circumstances of becoming a parent. A strong parental leave scheme empowers women to prioritise their family while minimizing or even eliminating any possible negative impact on their career.

At Urbis and Cistri we offer 18 weeks paid full-time parental leave for primary parents and work with staff to ensure they feel connected during their leave; have peace of mind in their job-security; and that they are comfortable when the time comes to return.

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Don’t sit back and hope you will be asked a question. Lean in. Be heard.

Natalie Hoitz View Profile

One of the best ways to invest in women is to empower women to invest in themselves. Going beyond a budget allocation and providing resources, it is crucial that we also enable women to take time away from the BAU to prioritise learning and development. This extends to providing opportunities that consider flexible working arrangements.

Learning opportunities should be a healthy balance of developing work-based skills and personal-interest skills. A business-wide culture that embraces learning and development opportunities is essential to ensuring individuals feel comfortable to participate. At Urbis and Cistri, we acknowledge the uniqueness of our people, offering a broad range of learning opportunities that are aligned with their interests and goals.