AXA POWERS WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE AND BEYOND
Ihave been a working since I was in my early 20s. I started my professional career as an elementary school teacher. But, wanting to work more in the field of sociology (my college degree), I went into doing research for a doctoral candidate.
When the first Senate was re-established in 1987 I was able to work for the Philippine Senate in 1988.
I went back to doing research and at the same time handling the newsletter for a Makati-based NGO. It was there, and me already in my mid-30s, that I found my way to working in a newspaper, and then when that paper changed hands, I joined The Philippine STAR.
I have been seeing changes taking place, albeit slowly. There are changes, nonetheless.
I listened in on the “She Talks Asia Summit 2021, “#REFRAME: Same, Same But Different,” which was participated in by an all-female cast. They were AXA Philippines chief distribution officer Marie Raymundo and a panel with mom-entrepreneur Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of Rags2Riches and host Lexi Schulze, for an engaging discussion on working women, their struggles, and how companies like AXA are creating a safer and more progressive environment for them.
The segment started with a question from Lexi: “What stops women from advancing in their careers? How do we overcome it?”
Raymundo answered, “It can be cultural. Just like here in the Philippines, especially during my time, the primary expectation is that women have a family, and their career is only a second priority. For me, it’s not a matter of ‘or’ but of ‘and.’ It’s a decision I made, and I was very outspoken about what I wanted.”
Ruiz added, “It’s also practical. In my experience, many women take a long pause from their career when they get pregnant and take care of children. For those who actually want to get back on track with their careers, there are practical, systemic and cultural barriers that are stopping them. The practical reasons include recovering from childbirth, post-partum blues or depression, and breastfeeding challenges, among others. Many of this can be augmented with better policies on child care or maternal care.”
AXA Philippines has parent- and women-centric policies and initiatives. For example, it implemented the global parenting policy in 2017, providing 16 weeks paid maternity leave and four weeks paid paternity leave for newborn parents.
As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, AXA also launched “Fin Lit 101: What’s Your Game Plan” to empower educators and women in various communities by raising awareness on the value of savings and elucidating the importance of insurance in proper money management. The financial literacy program also offers grassroots training in public schools, universities, and micro-finance institutions on topics like financial planning, savings, and investments.
Furthermore, AXA Philippines employees, led by president and CEO Rahul Hora, participated in a social media campaign, #ChooseToChallenge, to raise awareness and show support for young girls and boys who need protection. The employees were encouraged to post a “Choose to Challenge” statement on their personal social media accounts and on AXA’s Workplace@Facebook page. The campaign also raised funds for the Virlanie Foundation, a non-government organization that cares and provides for young girls and boys in need of protection.
I know this is a road less traveled — with many bumps along the way — but with AXA’s initiatives to uplift women in owning their voice, embracing their values, and reframing their life, change for women can’t be far behind.