Empowering future women leaders
MORE often than not, gender inequality arises due to stereotyping of roles, responsibilities and duties and even by profession.
In order to make a difference and minimise the gap, women will need a lot of support and cooperation from men, asserts Standard Chartered Malaysia Board chairman Datuk Yvonne Chia.
“Gender inequality exists everywhere in the world. It is just that gaps vary due to different cultures. We need to understand that people comprise both men and women who are complimentary to each other and not substitutes,” says Chia in her keynote address at a women empowerment event organised by the bank recently in its efforts to promote gender parity.
Chia was the first to break the proverbial glass ceiling in local banking, when she became first woman CEO of a commercial bank in 1996. The women’s event’s theme is #PressforProgress, which was also the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day.
Titled “Empowering the Next Generation of Female Leaders – One Woman At A Time”, the forum focused on strategies aimed at empowerment in the changing world and women’s positive contribution to the Malaysian economy.
The panel discussion saw women leaders from various sectors such as British High Commissioner to Malaysia Vicki Treadell, Prof. Emerita Tan Sri
Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin, President, National Council of Women’s Organisations, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Chairman, Malaysia Debt Ventures; , Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Financial Officer Mabel Lau, and Head of Financial Markets Sylvia Wong.
The panellists discussed pressing issues pertaining to empowering the next generation of female leaders and how breaking the glass ceiling starts by changing the work culture.
“We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that is free from bias and where everyone can realise their full potential, and in so doing, make a positive contribution to our organisation,” said Standard Chartered Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abrar Anwar. Abrar also sits on the bank’s global Diversity and Inclusion Council.
In Malaysia, 19.2% of board seats in the Top 100 listed companies on Bursa Malaysia were occupied by women as of 31 December 2017 – up from 16.6% in the same period last year.
Currently, nearly 60% of the bank’s total employees in Malaysia are women; the executive committee also has a strong 42% female representation, and the bank’s board comprises 30% women.
Standard Chartered Bank launched “Goal” in Malaysia, its globally-acclaimed development programme which uses sport and life skills education to transform the lives of adolescent girls. It has reached over 2,700 girls to date. Its Education for Entrepreneurs has reached close to 100 women entrepreneurs and start-ups since its launch last year.
Zarinah, who is also the co-founding chair of 30% Club Malaysia chapter said, “We are seeing more boards acknowledging that gender diversity makes good business sense. And with more qualified women making themselves available for board appointments, we are almost reaching our target of having at least one woman on Boards of the top 100 PLCs by 2018”.
Treadell added, “Women’s economic and political empowerment are really important. Women are more confident in engaging in things if they feel economically empowered”.