GrokTalk Blog

This International Women’s Day falls on the one-year mark of the beginning of one of the most difficult periods we’ve collectively experienced. Last year at this time, we were aware of the new, dangerous strain of coronavirus and feared it was about to hit us close to home. While we were uncertain of exactly how our lives and livelihoods would be impacted — we were even more oblivious to its disproportionate impact on the lives and livelihoods of women. We went on to endure a year of  social upheaval and political turmoil that exposed the fissures in the very foundation of justice and equality, and threatened the progress we’ve made toward creating a fair and equal society for every man, woman and child.

#EachforEqual is this year’s International Women’s Day theme. This #IWD2020 observance gives us the perfect opportunity to reflect on what we’re doing, as business leaders, to create a gender equal workplace, and to ask ourselves, "am I walking the talk?" To me, Each for Equal means everyone deserves an equal opportunity to be successful, personally and professionally — and we’re all responsible for helping each other along the way. As a mother and CEO, I take this as an imperative to do whatever I can to provide my family and colleagues with the resources and support they need to thrive across all areas of their lives.

When I heard the theme for International Women's Day 2019, a balanced world is a better world, I felt a deep personal resonance. As a daughter, mother, mentor, and CEO, I strive to create a more balanced world for myself and my team, and inspire others to do the same. I believe that if you want to encourage change, you need to create it for yourself and then help others feel empowered to make a difference in their own communities, families, and organizations.