Embrace equity on International Women's Day 2023

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness about discrimination and explore action we can all take to drive gender parity.

Through our customers, every day we work with a whole host of inspirational and incredible women, and so this year we wanted to shine a spotlight on just a few of those who show us exactly what can be achieved when we all #EmbraceEquity.

Kathryn at Copyhouse and Joa at Github have been kind enough to share their insight on everything from their greatest professional achievement through to changes they’d like to see to ensure women are better represented in the workplace.

Embracing equity means fighting for fair and equitable action that goes further than simply offering equal opportunities, acknowledging the fact that people start from different places and so may need different types of action or support to achieve their goals.

We firmly believe that gender equity should be part of society's DNA and recognise that no one of us is the same, which is why it's incredibly important to support women in working their way.

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Kathryn Strachan, CEO and Founder, Copyhouse

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Tell us about your greatest professional achievement?

My greatest professional achievement is building CopyHouse from a team of one to a team of 25 in only three years. I’m incredibly proud of the team we’ve built, the work we do for clients and how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.

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What advice would you give to women starting out in their career?

You do you. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be or how you should behave. I’ve never been very good at fitting in the box and people have often tried to make me feel bad for that. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to listen to myself and make the decisions that are right for my family, business and self – even if they don’t conform with social norms.

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How does the type of space you work in influence your personal and/or professional life?

I hate working from home as my favourite part of my role is spending time in-person with other people. I love having the flexibility to work wherever my work takes me and always having a nice space to meet clients or get some admin done. Space definitely influences how I feel and my mental health so it’s important for me to be in spaces that support that.

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What changes would you make to ensure women are even better represented and supported in the workplace?

I wish I could get rid of stigmas surrounding women and our roles in society. As the breadwinner in my family, I often get asked questions about spending time with my daughter and whether I’m separated from my husband (as I live in London and he lives in Edinburgh). Men can also be primary caregivers.

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Joa Kim, Director of Global Workplace Strategy, GitHub

Tell us about your greatest professional achievement?

There are several moments I am proud of but I always return back to any time I launch an office or workplace program - this always takes so much heart and sweat and change management!

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Who has been your greatest female inspiration at work?

Very early in my career, I had a female manager that always guided me with transparency, patience, and humility. I will never forget her! We worked together for several years at a huge tech company and every interaction I had or witnessed with her, she stood her ground on things she really believed was right, battled several challenges in spaces and meetings where she was the only female leader, and continued to lift other women up.

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What advice would you give to women starting out in their career?

This is a tough one for me still but never feel like you have to apologize for who you are or what you need. I spent a lot of time early in my career saying sorry for things, when I look back, are not things to apologize for.

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How does the type of space you work in influence your personal and/or professional life?

Definitely increased awareness and need for flexibility and inclusivity - spaces that have both form and function to inspire, help people collaborate better, and are welcoming and accessible.

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What changes would you make to ensure women are even better represented and supported in the workplace?

For me it starts with vocally advocating for and lifting-up other women whether that's in how I think about hiring, mentoring, and/or speaking-up even when it's really scary.

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To find out more about International Women's Day and #EmbraceEquity, visit their website.

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