International Women’s Day 2019 was about Balance
What an exciting few weeks it has been for female empowerment. On February 11th we covered Women and Girls in Science Day and this past week we celebrated International Women’s Day, whose 2019 theme is #BalanceforBetter.
We are entering an exciting historical period where the demand for gender-balance is creating a better working world, said organisers, “Balance is not a women's issue, it's a business issue.” Their message was to strive for a world with gender-balanced boardrooms / governments / media coverage / employment and, ultimately, gender-parity in wealth, which are essential in order for economies and communities to thrive.
Parity in the workplace was also the message coming out of the International Women’s Day Leadership Symposium hosted at Humber College this past Wednesday 6th March. Daily Goods Design LABS (DGDL) was there to support our DGDL Collective colleague Adriana Ieraci of GYBO Robotics Network who organized it, as well as our clients, Myant Inc, who were presenting a workshop looking at the future of healthcare with their engineered fabrics and wearable tech.
Messages included the future of work, skills, and how to get more parity in engineering and STEM. Engineers Canada, for example, is behind the 30 by 30 initiative (having at least 30% women engineers - the critical mass needed to influence change – professionally certified by 2030). Executive Lucy Casacia, discussed Leadership in Smart Cities and Infrastructure. Having pivoted in her own career four times, she noted the courage and confidence that it takes to be a pioneer in male-dominated industries and stressed the importance of communication and collaboration in achieving those career goals.
Another message that repeated was one that we @dgdesignlabs believe to our core - that gender-balance makes for better, more inclusive and innovative products and services. It is heartening to see more and more businesses employ this vision year-round, by supporting females through mentorship, education and working with them in the pursuit of careers in STEAM or building a more equitable work future in design.
As we all face an ever-changing work landscape thanks to: technological changes, the impact of AI/Robotics, environmental and political changes, and the issues of privacy and consumer trust - it has become imperative for women change-makers to stand alongside their male counterparts, equal in the decision-making that will affect them and earning equal pay for their equal efforts. We hope you are striving to create #BalanceforBetter in your own lives.
IEEE Toronto Women in Engineering and GYBO Robotics Network Sponsored an International Women’s Day Symposium at Humber College
Organizer Adriana Ieraci (left) introduces Smart Cities’ Lucy Casacia (right)
Symposium participants brainstorm new design concepts during Myant’s ‘Textile Computing and the Future of Women’s Health’ workshop
Panel discussion on ‘Skills for the Future’ and other work trends