What does it mean to truly inspire inclusion?
Marking IWD 2024, Tatler Asia featured a range of people discussing what it means to truly Inspire Inclusion.
This hugely informative and inspiring feature formed part of Tatler Asia's excellent Front & Female's In Conversation platform that sees a series of discussions between women making an impact in their respective regions and fields.
Tatler Asia is part of Tatler, first published in 1709, a powerful mix of glamour, fashion, society and features and is well known for its excellence in editorial content, insightful perspectives, and importantly championing a focus on the issues impacting women.
Talter Asia champions insight into issues impacting women
Each year, International Women’s Day (IWD) sees gender equality elevated in the spotlight, bringing into focus progress made, and celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
Marking IWD 2024, Tatler's Front & Female asked people what it means to Inspire Inclusion.
The magazine has been featuring brilliant stories about women making movies, Asian singers celebrating womanhood, and women fighting for rights, as well as those triumphing in global corporate leadership positions, pioneering designs in furniture, and those in the philanthropic sector who are all making the lives of other women better. There are also interviews with a feminist photographer, an athlete making waves, an illustrator looking to educate about sex, and a leading literary voice, among many others. Yet International Women’s Day (IWD) also serves to expose the gaps that persist and how far there still is to go when it comes to issues like gender inclusion, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women, from online gender-based violence to domestic violence. So, while Tatler Asia shone a light on women and celebrated their achievements, it was also important to raise awareness about discrimination and further issues relating to women. IWD, is a day to recognize and take action to drive gender parity.
To support the IWD 2024 Inspire Inclusion campaign, individuals across Asia shared why we all still need International Women’s Day, what the 2024 theme of Inspire Inclusion means to them, and how they are embracing that theme personally and/or professionally.
A great read indeed from the exceptional team at Tatler Asia.
Meet Sophie Mathur, Partner & Asia Head of Corporate for Linklaters in Singapore
“For as long as women are not yet equally represented at all levels in our workplaces and social organizations, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a good time to remind people of that aspiration. IWD can be a time to celebrate trailblazers and shine a spotlight on the next generation of changemakers. It is also an opportunity to share stories—and our stories are powerful. Someone’s words at a panel discussion or podcast could open a mind, inspire someone to be an ally or (and this one is close to my heart!) share a life hack with a multitasking mum. Inspiring Inclusion means creating an environment where everyone feels seen and heard and feels like they can bring their whole self to work. I have benefited from Linklaters’ inclusive culture since I joined almost 25 years ago and now, as part of the Firm’s leadership team, I want to pay that forward. I am intentional about creating space for those who may be reticent to take it and using my voice to amplify quieter voices. Linklaters is committed to giving our leadership the training and support to lead with empathy. Participating in our reverse mentorship program, where a more junior colleague mentors somebody in a more senior role, gave me many a-ha moments. So did being a sponsor of our global Women’s Leadership Program, where I had the privilege of supporting the journeys of high-potential women from across the Linklaters global network. It gives me great pleasure to note that today, 35 percent of the partners and nearly 50 percent of the total lawyers in our Singapore office are women.”
Meet Eny Bawse, Founder of Self Love Cupid
“International Women's Day is just like Valentine's Day. It's still important to have one day to remind everybody else why we need to be celebrated as women—even though it would be best to be recognized for it all year long. When I established Self Love Cupid as a community, I made it clear that we welcome everyone, no matter their religion, sexuality, ethnicity, or political beliefs, as long as they follow our group rules and treat each other with respect. I'm delighted to announce that this May, we'll be launching our first-ever peer support group for the Filipino Domestic Worker Community. I am happy now to have a Filipino volunteer on board and have decided to include the Filipino community as one of our future program's target beneficiaries. To me, Inspiring Inclusion means that every woman should be treated with respect, not just those in the workplace (corporations) or those who have achieved something noteworthy. It should include every woman who supports you daily, such as your housekeeper or those taking care of your family. Inclusion has been a central topic of discussion this year, particularly in terms of creating more inclusive workplaces. However, this hasn't reached our workplace which is everyone's home. Inspiring inclusion should encourage you to include those women who make your life comfortable. It actually still baffles me how many women fail to treat those women who are taking care of their families with equal respect while they are out there fighting to be treated equally.”
Meet Vasana Jantarach, Managing Director of Exotic Food Co in Thailand and a YPO member
“In recognition of International Women's Day, we celebrate the strides made towards gender equality, a journey we're actively part of at our company. Equality isn't just a goal for us - it's a reality. Women hold 60 percent of our leadership roles, significantly higher than both the global average of 27 percent and Thailand's commendable 32% of women in senior positions. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident, recognizing that true success comes from valuing every perspective equally. Our embrace of this year's theme, Inspire Inclusion, is reflected in our day-to-day operations, where gender disparity is a non-issue. Strategic decisions benefit from female insights, and women confidently occupy roles traditionally dominated by men, including plant managers, IT managers, engineers, and even chauffeurs. We actively shape the world as it should be - one where every woman has the opportunity to achieve her fullest potential, free from bias and barriers, exemplifying our belief that capability knows no gender.”
Meet Sanjay Sarma, CEO, President & Dean of Asia School of Business
“One-hundred-and-fifteen years after the first International Women’s Day (IWD), many of the issues that inspired the original event remain relevant. For example, women earn less than men, women entrepreneurs receive fewer investments, and women retire with fewer savings. The glass ceiling persists as if it were riveted in place, yielding only grudgingly to repeated pushes. IWD is necessary to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women, of course, but also to continue the push for parity and equity. 'Inspire Inclusion' really hits home for us at Asia School of Business (ASB) because it's core to our mission. We believe that diversity makes our actions more effective, our strategy more resilient, and our behaviors more thoughtful. This is particularly true because at ASB we have many thoughtful, insightful, and dynamic female colleagues who shape and pressure-test our decisions as we embark on a mission of innovation. In fact, I have been struck by how much of a melting pot Malaysia is. The ASB team is the most diverse team I have worked with. Inclusion, therefore is not just the moral thing to do - we see it as a key enabler in our development of a new, modern approach to education. The world faces many challenges: climate change, technological disruption, conflict, and demographic changes. The low participation of women in the workforce, and the relative absence of women in leadership positions, makes the world less capable of confronting the issues we face. For this reason, as an educational institution, inclusion is of particular importance in our mission. Our mission therefore is not just to increase inclusion, but to create more women leaders, and to inspire inclusion across all sectors.”
Meet Maya Hari, CEO of Terrascope and a YPO Member
“This year's theme of inspiring inclusion really hits home, because true inclusion still remains elusive in our global society and business landscape. Consider this: Do we promote pregnant women? Are new fathers granted equal parental leave? How comfortable are we (really) with gender fluid pronouns? Are vulnerable communities and minorities integrated into our growth strategies? Are we thinking about the future and planet we're leaving behind for generations to come? These conversations are uncomfortable but necessary. “The journey from lip service to genuine inclusion isn't simple. It takes practice, embracing mistakes, and learning from them. And it can only be built on a bedrock of trust, guided by passionate architects and champions who dare to envision an outrageously inclusive world. At Terrascope, our mission to help enterprises keep the planet habitable for all means demands that diversity and inclusion be at the forefront. Our leadership team embodies diverse genders, identities, orientations and generations - fostering inclusive conversations where diverging views are encouraged and safeguarded. While this journey isn't without its bloopers and stumbles, we must all learn to embrace and navigate differences with humor and humility.”
Meet Carina Chorengel, Senior VP for Commercial, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
“I believe that International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to focus our attention on celebrating the achievements of women in our society, as well as reflecting on the areas where women still face very real challenges in different areas of their lives, including work. In many ways, the hospitality industry provides significant opportunities for women. Today, at Hyatt, we are proud that nearly half of our 33,000 full-time colleagues in Asia Pacific are female, and that a growing proportion of women hold leadership positions in the region. In fact, women made up half of our most recent Hotel General Manager Development Program cohort, which is wonderful to see. However, the reality is that there is still much more to be done to create a more equitable world. To me, this year’s theme of Inspire Inclusion encourages us to look at how everyone, regardless of background or gender identity, can be made to feel they can contribute, be included, and hold a sense of belonging. This is close to my heart as Hyatt has made caring for others central to our purpose - part of which means making our people feel welcome and accepted. As Executive Sponsor of the ASPAC chapter of Women@Hyatt, our global network to nurture our female talent, I have been able to see first-hand how mentoring and building a supportive culture, can create environments where women can lead and thrive. I am also proud to be a member of our Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, chaired by our CEO, Mark Hoplamazian, which focuses our attention on how our organization can continue to be a place where everyone feels included and empowered, regardless of their background.”
Meet Jackie Wang, Country Director of Google in Thailand and a YPO Member
“International Women’s Day is an important moment to spark conversations and remind us of the slow - rightfully so since this is such a complex problem - but important progress towards gender equity worldwide. As we celebrate the achievements of women who've broken ground on this day, it’s also a humbling reminder of how much work still remains to be done and why each day becomes important for small but consistent change to take place. This year's theme of 'Inspire Inclusion' deeply resonates with my values as a leader. To me, true inclusion means creating a space where every voice is heard, respected, and valued in decision-making. My goal is to inspire changes and cultivate a culture where women from all backgrounds don't just feel like they belong, but know they have the opportunity to thrive. I’m extremely proud to say that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a priority at Google. Our approach to DEI is deeply rooted in building greater inclusivity in our products to ensure that many more people can benefit from technology as well as building a workforce that’s more representative of our users, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone—where people of different views, backgrounds and experiences can do their best work and show up for one another. And one where all of us have a sense of allyship to support people who are different to us. In 2023, we were thrilled to see a record-high percentage of women in leadership positions in APAC. We want to keep that momentum going in 2024, focusing on development and retention programs for women.”
Meet Goh Suet Lan, President of Women of Will in Malaysia
Photo credit: Fady Younis
“International Women’s Day is a strong platform for issues, challenges and achievements of women to be raised, discussed and celebrated. It is through collective efforts such as these which are based on shared interests and common goals that we are able to continue to push boundaries and raise benchmarks for the changes we aim to bring about for women globally. “Inspiring Inclusion is about the efforts we make and the examples we set to build the value of including women across multiple layers, and when this is consistently practised, will transcend the present and create change for generations to come. Supporting low income women who are predominantly single mothers, Women Of Will aims to empower women through the set up of their own businesses and the development of sustainable livelihoods. The achievement of financial security often imbues them with a sense of confidence and strength they never had before, consequently inspiring some of them to take on more responsibilities which include community leadership roles and even the setting up of their own NGOs. The impact of empowering the women, and including them in leadership roles within their communities is powerful, inspiring and transforming not only their own lives, but that of their families and the communities in which they live.”
Meet Cecily Liu, CEO of Fong Yi Group
“International Women’s Day is the day to foster dialogue, raise awareness, promote gender equality, and empower women and girls worldwide. It serves as a reminder of the progress made towards gender equality and the work that still needs to be done to achieve a more just and equitable society. To me, Inspire Inclusion should be translated into action by creating awareness and an open forum to start the dialogue. This year, our most important campaign will be dedicated to DEIB (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging). Partnering with other brands and companies who also value DEIB, we can build solidarity among women across different backgrounds, and intersections of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and more. Promoting DEIB is not only the first step but an important step, and it should be on CEOs’ agenda. People around us will start to understand that struggles and aspirations are interconnected and that collective action is essential for achieving meaningful social change.”
Meet Pauline Ho, Chief Operating Officer & Assurance Partner of PwC in Malaysia
Photo credit: Daniel Adams
“International Women’s Day serves as an important reminder that we must celebrate the journey of every woman, every single day. Malaysia has achieved 30.6% women representation on the Bursa Malaysia Top 100 public listed companies since 1 June 2023. We can do more, aiming for a minimum of 30 percent women representation on each listed company’s board. This year's theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’ focuses on two crucial points. We need both men and women to inspire others through role modelling, sharing experiences, setting strategies and implementing policies that encourage diversity and inclusion (D&I). Diversity without inclusion will not deliver desired outcomes. Women need to feel safe to voice their views and believe that they are included in the decision making process.“Being part of PwC Malaysia’s leadership team, I work with the D&I team on short and medium term target setting for gender, social and disability inclusion, recommending policies and monitoring progress towards these targets. I also work with Human Capital Leaders and D&I Leaders across PwC Asia Pacific territories to embed D&I into business and people strategies. On a personal front, I hope that my actions in driving D&I will inspire my teenage triplets to become more inclusive in their lives.”
Meet Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott & Managing Director of Digital Ventures, CapitaLand Investment
“Ascott stands as a testament to the power of diversity and inclusion. As we celebrate International Women's Day (IWD), we proudly embrace this year's theme of Inspire Inclusion. Women constitute over 50 percent of our workforce, holding pivotal positions within our leadership ranks, driving innovation, and shaping our global presence. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture extends beyond our internal dynamics. It encompasses our dedication to supporting and uplifting the underprivileged in the communities we operate. Partnering with organizations like the Singapore Council of Women's Organizations for this year’s IWD, we strive to make a tangible difference by providing essential resources and opportunities for those in need. At the heart of our efforts lies a belief in the transformative power of hospitality - not just in delivering exceptional guest experiences, but in creating spaces where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive. Through mentorship programs, training initiatives, and community engagement, we are dedicated to inspiring inclusivity today and every day.”
Meet Kawal Preet, President of Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa Region for FedEx Express
“One thing that I am very conscious of is that the region that I lead is the most diverse in our FedEx network. The notion of gender equality varies greatly in the markets we operate. So, it’s incredibly important to build an inclusive workplace culture where women can thrive as much as their male counterparts do. At FedEx we’re currently using advanced technologies and data to transform our business and make supply chains smarter. To achieve this, we’re encouraging every employee, regardless of gender, to take ownership in innovating how we better support our customers and build differentiated products and solutions for what’s next. We can only achieve this by ensuring a level playing field both within and outside the organization. International Women's Day is an important moment for us to put key issues that women face under the spotlight. But as leaders we need to address these issues 365 days a year.”
Meet Katherine Lo, Founder of Eaton Workshop
“It’s meaningful to celebrate things, especially things you may take for granted. For me, International Women’s Day is a chance for us to honor and acknowledge the contributions of girls and women everywhere, throughout history and today. ‘Inspire Inclusion’ captures perfectly what we’ve been building since our founding with Eaton Workshop, our brand which bridges social and environmental consciousness with creativity. The idea of “The Third Place”, a place outside of home and work that you feel belonging in, helped to spark one of Eaton’s goals which is helping people to experience belonging. Eaton has been known as one of the most inclusive places to work and visit, for women, LGBTQIA, people of color, and other groups that may not get mainstream attention. At both of our locations in Washington DC and Hong Kong, Eaton is known for being a place of deep belonging for all from a wide range of groups, cultures, and backgrounds. At Eaton Hong Kong, we’re especially proud of our Women’s Festival, which Eaton co-founded with Sally Coco and Reel Women in 2018. Our Women’s Festival has been running for five years and is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, bringing together women from all walks of life for exploration, community and healing. Our Women’s Festival proceeds go to a variety of Hong Kong women’s organizations that promote gender equality and women’s rights. As a woman and business leader, I am proud to have Eaton Workshop embody the inclusive spirit behind International Women’s Day.”
Meet Bee Kheng Tay, President of Cisco ASEAN
“The technology industry has made strides in gender diversity and inclusion, but the gender gap persists, with the World Economic Forum estimating 131 years to close it. International Women’s Day is an important occasion for the public and private sectors to continue building on the conversation and driving the need for a diverse and inclusive culture. This is something we call “Conscious Culture” at Cisco. At its core, it means modelling inclusion in our interactions with one another and speaking up when we see behaviors that are out of line with our principles of dignity, respect, fairness, and equity. Cisco sees diversity and inclusion as a strength and one that is inclusive of gender, ethnicity, race, orientation, strengths, and more. We have made gender inclusivity a priority through various initiatives and ecosystem support. These include the Cisco Networking Academy which has trained nearly 4.5 million students in Asia Pacific in key technology skills, 30 percent of whom are female and we continue to raise this proportion. Internally, we have various programs that foster connections and develop female leaders. Our employee resource group Women of Cisco allows employees to lean into mentoring, networking events, and community give-backs. Jump, a global Women's Leadership program for mid-level women, focuses on developing world-class leaders, closing the gender gap, and retaining talent. DARE supports early-career women with exercises, activities, and tools to articulate their value, build support networks, empower each other, and plan bold career paths. We remain positive about the future of gender diversity and inclusivity, and are eager to spearhead and lead more initiatives that support women in the field and empower female graduates to join the innovative world of tech.”
Meet Ada Fung, Executive Director, Head of Advisory & Transaction Services – Office Services for CBRE in Hong Kong
“International Women's Day (IWD) was first honored in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March 1911, so this is a day with a rich history; yet, IWD continues to evolve. Like many special occasions that are celebrated around the world, I do believe IWD is more than a day in the calendar, as it is a constant reminder to our, and future generations, of the importance of gender equality. Many would challenge, why is this just for women? Truth be told, women are still suffering from various degrees of discrimination, biases, and violence in many parts of the world. This leads to countless women being put in poverty or disadvantaged positions and unable to fulfil their true potential. In Hong Kong today, efforts towards gender equality have evolved tremendously, a testament to the support from all parties playing their parts in securing a gender-equal future, regardless of the gender or generation they represent. This year’s theme really excites me. To me, Inspiring Inclusion is a commitment and conscious effort to influence others. This includes promoting the true meaning of inclusion, and to embed inclusion in the day-to-day activities in our community, workplace, family life, and beyond. To Inspire Inclusion also means we all have a collective responsibility to nurture an inclusive world. Across our ecosystem in CBRE worldwide, we have launched programs focusing on training, promoting and empowering all employees to embrace equity and inclusion, ensuring not just our leaders but all levels of employees understand the importance of inclusion. As for myself, I make conscious efforts to demonstrate that, both at home and at work, success should never be determined by gender, but the willingness to go above and beyond challenges that lie before us. Make it your DNA, and you will inspire others, and with a bit of luck, others will do the same, and together we can contribute to raising awareness and help the world to become a better, more equal place.”