Summary
Our Equal Footing network aims to help achieve a gender balanced workforce. Fully inclusive and open for anyone to join, Equal Footing particularly encourages men to get involved and join the network to act as allies for improving gender balance in Wood. We are determined to create an inclusive gender culture within Wood, which includes women, men, and minority genders.
The network strives to Influence mindsets by raising awareness of the need for, and benefits of, gender balance to the economy, employee happiness, improved safety and much more, and constructively challenge gender bias. It also seeks to encourage more women to pursue STEM subjects and careers. In addition, we work closely with all employee networks to foster intersectionality.
Objectives
Focus on our community and intersectionality – bringing men into the conversation to own their responsibility, for women to recognise their role as allies for each other, minority genders and men, and the overarching theme of intersectionality to work together collaboratively with other networks and groups.
When we talk about women’s inequality, it’s everyone’s issue. We need to create a forum and a space that welcomes men and other genders into these conversations; and we wanted our new name to reflect that. Our purpose is to focus on equality for women, recognising that men have a role to play with that, and that they too benefit from workplaces and society when there is improved gender equality. Additionally, we want to raise the profile and discussion of minority genders. When people feel heard and included, we can achieve more as a workforce. The name Equal Footing perfectly represents what we stand for and what we want to achieve.
Sarah Clark
Area Project Engineer and Network Chair
We aim to be fully inclusive and that means tackling challenges and discussing issues which face all genders.
Of course, we will still be championing women in the workplace and celebrating milestones such as International Women’s Day in March and Women in Engineering day in June, and we will also support International Trvansgender Day of Visibility in March, International Non-Binary People’s Day in July, and International Men’s Day in November.
Amanda Nelson
Technical Professional and Network Chair
It’s fantastic to see the culmination of several months’ work with the relaunch of the gender equality network. Gender equality touches so many areas of life at Wood and the new committee is full of ideas to keep it at the top of the agenda.
Nina Schofield
Executive President HSSEA
I’m really pleased to be involved in Equal Footing and it’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm from Sarah, Amanda and the committee members. We already have great female leaders at Wood, including some very recent senior appointments, but also appreciate that there is so much more we can do. Real change with regard to gender equality at Wood is within our grasp, and I encourage everyone to get involved, listen and speak up to help us achieve our targets.
Mike Collins
Executive President Projects
