International Women’s Day 2023
Today is International Women’s Day (IWD), a global event held annually on 8th March. First celebrated in 1911, IWD has since become a significant day for women’s rights and gender equality around the world. It aims to raise awareness of and engagement with:
- women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements
- the challenges faced by women internationally
- women’s rights and gender equality
- efforts to accelerate gender parity and end gender-based violence
It is also the day that comedian Richard Herring spends his time on Twitter, responding to people sarcastically asking, “When’s International Men’s Day?” (It’s in November).
Transparency is key to achieving gender equality in the workplace and, at Equator, we’re proud to have a diverse team, representative of the communities in which we operate. We took a look at the gender split across the Equator network, from the UK to Canada and the US. Here’s what we found:
- There are 135 people in our UK network and, of those, 71 (53%) are women and 64 (47%) are men.
- Across the US and Canada, we have 190 team members; 124 (65%) are women, and 66 (35%) are men.
We’re committed to providing a healthy work/life balance and providing development opportunities to all of our team members, regardless of gender. Are we getting it right? If we could be doing better, we’re always open to suggestions and ideas.
To honour International Women’s Day, we spoke to women across the Equator network about their professions, the career experiences that shaped them and the role models who most influenced them. We hope you find them as interesting and insightful as we did.
But first, why is International Women’s Day so important?
In a nutshell, the answer is that women the world over still don’t have equality, equity, and dignity.
- The character of the Joker has won the same number of Oscars as the whole of womankind ever has for directing.
- During the pandemic, much of the early PPE was sized to fit men, leaving women on the frontline unnecessarily exposed to the virus.
- According to the WHO, it is estimated that one in three women will experience some kind of physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
- Worldwide, more than 250 million women alive today were married before their 15th birthday, and over 125 million women currently live with the consequences of FGM.
- According to the United Nations, women make up 70% of the world’s 1.3 billion people in poverty.
To quote Audre Lorde, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
We have a wealth a female talent in the Equator business across our global network, and this year we’ve added our first female MD to a team bursting with talented and successful women. Rachel Johnson is one of a handful of women from across Equator that we have interviewed to find out more about what they do, their route into their role and their experience of being a woman in the workplace. Their responses are just a snapshot of the experiences of women across the team but, as we mark International Women’s Day and celebrate this year’s theme of ‘embrace equity’, there are some inspiring insights here.
In conversation with…
Rachel Johnson
Rachel joined equator as global managing director in January 2023 She is responsible for all business operations across the worldwide Equator studio network, with a remit that includes developing and delivering the company’s strategic vision and overseeing all teams and business functions, including client services, creative and finance.
What has it been like as a woman building this particular career?
I have worked with lots of male colleagues throughout my career and have often been the only woman in the room, but my colleagues have been incredible and have only ever treated me with respect. That said, I have sometimes felt like I had to be one of the guys to fit in, so, in the early days of my career, if I had to leave early for an appointment for one of my for kids, I wouldn’t give the reason. It’s taken a while for me to feel that I could bring both the professional and personal side of who I am to work and, like many women in leadership roles, I have had to wrestle with imposter syndrome. But I’ve had many conversations with other female leaders about overcoming workplace assumptions and confidence issues – as women, we have to remind ourselves that we have a right to be here and to tackle any misplaced perceptions head on.
Have you ever had a mentor or mentored others?
I was provided with a mentor when I was part of the MAP leadership training program with Matthews. He was part of the company but outside of the business area where I was working and I found it very useful to have someone to help me reflect on both business and personal challenges. Having a mentor helped me challenge my thinking and I learned a lot about myself and about business and leadership through that experience.
Since then, I have been a mentor to several others, mostly women. We don’t often pause enough in our work life to build each other up and provide a sounding board that’s neutral and a safe space. I have enjoyed being that sounding board and have always taken as much away from relationships where I have mentored others as I did from being mentored myself.
Who are your female role models?
It’s the people I’m interacting with every day – other women who are leaders who speak up and bring their talent to the workplace. My mom and sisters and my maternal grandmother are also huge influences. My grandmother was a working mother with a career in the sciences back in the days when that was very rare. She had children a little later than her peers because of her career and I see her as a trailblazer for generations who came later. There is more work to be done, but we have definitely made a lot of progress since her time.
If you were to give some advice, either to your younger self or to another woman seeking to embark upon the same career path as you, what would it be?
To be a little kinder to yourself. As a younger mom and working person, I have given myself a lot of grief about not being fully anything – neither the mom I wanted to be because I was building my career, nor the professional I wanted to be because I was balancing work with the stress and responsibilities of home. Give yourself permission to take on both roles and don’t feel guilty about being both.
In conversation with…
Bernadette Sheppard
With over a decade of project management experience under her belt, Bernadette is responsible for leading and managing brand strategy and design for a variety of CPG clients out of our Toronto studio. Trusted to act as a brand guardian for industry leaders such as Kellogg’s and Diageo,
Bernadette is committed to effective brand storytelling; mentoring, coaching and the development of creative teams.
What do you love about what you do?
I love being able to create partnerships by collaborating with others, and the mix of strategic and creative thinking involved in my role. What we do here in Toronto, and across Equator’s global network, is much larger than what you can see within the four walls of the office – we produce results that allow brands to engage with their customers, which is really exciting.
At any point during your career have you experienced any form of sexism?
I think I have been fortunate in working with female leaders for most of my career, which I think remains quite rare. You still hear of some organisations having a ‘boys’ club’ environment, which creates career progression and workplace challenges for women that men simply don’t face. More and more women are breaking those barriers, though, and I’m excited to see more organisations, like Equator, promote successful female leaders.
Who are your female role models?
I’ve had a few role models, the first being my high school teacher, Mrs McNaught. She was such a strong, independent woman who believed if you worked hard and focused you could do anything. She taught us to always be ambitious and aim high; and her advice to be who you are and be the best you can has guided me throughout my career. My daughter, Amanda is also an inspiration to me. Her strength has driven her to go against the grain and pursue workplace success in her own way. She’s proof that today’s generation of women can map their own route to achieving their goals.
If you were to give some advice, either to your younger self or to another woman seeking to embark upon the same career path as you, what would it be?
Don’t settle for a position just because it pays well or because it seems easy. Challenge and push yourself…and remember that failures are temporary lessons we can learn from. Continue to adapt to adversity and always be your authentic self.
In conversation with…
Sophie Partington
Finance manager Sophie joined Equator in January. She works on the commercial and technical sides of accounting, looking at client profitability and identifying opportunities while also overseeing important day-to-day accounting activities.
What has it been like as a woman building this particular career?
Finance is a male-dominated industry, so naturally you come in and feel like you have to be that bit more assertive in order to be heard. Most of the time people aren’t doing it on purpose but, as a young woman, when you’re dealing with men who’ve been in the industry for decades, you do feel like you have to prove yourself to them.
Have you ever had a mentor or mentored someone else?
Yes. I was lucky; she was a woman who had been in the same position, gone through the same process and was now very successful. Hearing her views and how she’d handled situations was so helpful. I’d like to mentor someone one day and help them decide where to take their career.
Who are your female role models?
Like a lot of women, I look at my mum and my grandmother and how they handle the balance you have to have in life. Then there’s Grace Beverley, who started off as a fitness and sustainability influencer and has created her own businesses. She’s very honest about the struggles of being in business and she shows a strong work ethic. I also admire Vivienne Westwood – she paved the way for women not to have to be super feminine.
In conversation with…
Rachel Buchanan
Packaging designer Rachel recently joined Equator and has a BA (Hon) Graphic & Communication Design degree from the University of Leeds. She’s worked in the industry for six years and has spent the past eight months working on CPG projects for some of our UK and US clients
What has it been like as a woman building this particular career?
The design industry is quite male-dominated, but at Equator I do feel like I’m listened to. Equator is actually the first place I’ve worked where the design team is really balanced when it comes to the mix of male and female designers. If there’s something I want to get involved with, I know that, if I speak up, I’m going to get noticed. Some of my other female friends in the industry have been ignored or felt like they’ve had to push a bit harder to get noticed. But I think the makeup of the industry is changing. When I was at university the lecturers said it was the first year where females outnumbered males, so I think the tide is turning. You need diversity in the design industry to make sure what’s being created isn’t just coming from one perspective.
If you were to give some advice to another woman embarking upon the same career path as you, what would it be?
Have more confidence in yourself and trust your own judgement. When I started out I had really bad imposter syndrome. On reflection, if I’d have trusted my own judgement and spoken up a bit more then I wouldn’t have struggled as much. You’ve got to be confident and a little bit pushy. I say this to my sister who is doing illustration – another creative sphere that’s competitive. You have to keep pushing and knocking on people’s doors and have that confidence that you are good at what you do. So, network more, speak to more people – especially other female designers – and get yourself out there.
In conversation with…
Jennifer Zhagui
Jennifer is the office co-ordinator for the Chicago office, a role that requires her to wear many hats, tackling everything from administrative duties to IT assistance, and organising events as a valued member of The Culture Club.
How did you get into this career?
I have a background in the arts, so I’ve always been drawn to places that are very creative and dynamic. A lot of my previous roles have been in a creative field. It’s important to me to be somewhere where I love the people, am inspired by the work and where the environment is energetic! When I saw this job come up at Equator, I thought it looked like a really fun place, which made me want to shoot my shot, and I’m glad I did!
Have you ever had a mentor or mentored someone else?
A couple of jobs ago I did, when I was in the non-profit sector. My mentor was the director of the community center we worked at, and she was an amazing mentor. She encouraged me to pursue higher education and was very supportive of me as a Latina woman. There are different challenges when you’re a woman of colour, especially as first generation in the US, so she was a strong supporter and I love her! We’re still in touch and I’m really grateful for her mentorship.
Who are your female role models or icons?
While I admire many women in the creative field and pop culture, my role model who I still look to today is my mother. She taught me the value of perseverance, hard work, and generosity.
