Website: https://www.siemens.com/global/en.html
“This year’s International Women’s Day has a theme that really resonates with me – Choose to Challenge.”
“I believe we all need to do more of that to break down barriers that still exist in many sectors. As an example, I work in engineering, leading the Energy Solutions business at Siemens plc. Having been in this industry for 17 years, I look back on a successful career but being female in a male dominated industry does mean you come up against preconceptions and bias, whether you’re an apprentice on the shop floor or managing a multi-disciplinary team.”
“If people have to prove themselves regularly just because of their appearance, age or gender, then we all have a responsibility to tackle this mindset together. The good news is that things are starting to change and there are big inclusion drives in organisations like Siemens.”
“People are beginning to really believe in the value of diversity, and to act on it. So I am hopeful that we will see more people being selected for roles because of their skills, experience and passion rather than assumptions made based on their gender or background.”
“Only when we truly harness everyone’s potential will we be able to create different outcomes for the biggest challenges the world is facing, such as climate change and global pandemics.”
“Choose to Challenge captures this – we need environments where you can constructively challenge perceptions and openly create culture change. The key is to not just to recognise the problem, but to be part of the solution. We need to ask ourselves, are we challenging ourselves? How can we do things better? If we all change what’s in our control, it adds up and we will collectively make a difference.”
“Most importantly, International Women’s Day is not a day for women only. Throughout my career I’ve learnt from, worked with and been supported by fantastic men who I know will continue to break down barriers and use the day to celebrate the value that women bring to all parts of life.”
