International Women’s Day 2024: What advocacy and allyship means to our colleagues

Each have some great ideas on how we can take our firm’s culture a step further – read more below.

Tania’s take

Tania Toh is a partner in our Investment Funds team, based in Singapore. When we asked about her thoughts on how women and allies can advocate for gender equality, she was inspired by last year’s IWD theme: embracing equity.

“Equality and equity are two different things,” she explained. “Instead of going after equality or a level playing field, we should recognise that any team is multi-faceted. Walkers has a top-down, bottom-up culture focused on embracing diversity and inclusion that we want everyone to buy into,” citing our DEI programs and initiatives as examples of positive change in the industry.

And Tania’s view on how we can inspire inclusion? By celebrating our differences rather than hiding them. “People take time to train for marathons, care for elderly parents or children, or have other needs like ADHD and mental health. It’s about accepting these differences and how we can each contribute in meaningful ways despite them.”

As for promoting an inclusive culture in our firm, Tania’s a fan of the firm’s hybrid working arrangements and Walkers’ allyship culture. “It’s a win-win for everyone. These cultural shifts encourage retention, and women feel they can lean into their roles. With that comes increased confidence, a sense of ownership and drive to contribute,” she said.

Elenie’s thoughts

Elenie Falconer-Cloutier is our Cayman Islands finance director for Walkers Professional Services. Her belief is that men and women each have a role to play in mentoring women throughout their careers and at every progression level. “That includes actively supporting them for starting and succeeding in senior leadership roles with the necessary coaching, visibility and resources to excel,” said Elenie.

The latest FTSE Women Leaders Review has found women now make up a record 42% of board positions in FTSE 350 companies – but there's still more work to be done. Elenie agrees companies with more women in senior leadership roles foster a more inclusive culture. “When diverse perspectives are valued and everyone has equal opportunities, it adds strength and character to any company,” she said.

As for her thoughts on making our firm more inclusive, Elenie’s response is simple: leading by example. “I try and create opportunities for employees to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas,” she commented.

Julia’s view

Julia Keppe is a Finance and Corporate partner in our Jersey office. For her, advocating for gender equality in the workplace comes down to two things: culture and communication. “Every workplace should understand women face challenges men don’t - and no, not always related to children!” she said. “On a serious note, throughout our industry, I’d like to see more women speaking openly about these challenges without fear of judgement. As Tania pointed out, it’s about accepting our differences and recognising we all have valuable contributions to make.”

Fostering those conversations is the first step – but how can companies make sure they’re really listening? In Julia’s view, this involves a top-down approach. “Really listening and ensuring women’s concerns are taken on board is a great way to inspire inclusion,” Julia added. “For me personally, I'm a beneficiary of Walkers' flexibility in the workplace. It’s something I've needed since day one, so it’s great to see it in action here.”

Julia also mentioned how she believes meaningful support networks, at work and in professional networks, are the way forward. Our global Women of Walkers network is open to any woman or ally who wishes to help further equal opportunities in the workplace.

Final thoughts

We hope these interviews inspire you to think about how we can inspire inclusion at every level. We should all be thinking about how we can create a safe environment for women and allies to raise concerns, celebrate differences and have the resources they need to get into senior leadership roles. At Walkers, when everyone can thrive, our firm thrives.

This is the second part in our International Women’s Day series – you can find part one here. For more info about this year’s theme, click here.