31 DAYS OF EMBRACING EQUITY

In March, we celebrated International Women's Day and we used the opportunity to raise awareness and bring its importance to Mercedes-Benz.io. Because the truth is, only with collective action and shared ownership can we drive gender parity and make International Women's Day impactful.

So, during March, we explored different topics related to gender equality. We're glad that our MB.ioneers joined us on this journey by reading, sharing their thoughts, and continuing this important conversation.

Women.io Panel Talk

To break down gender barriers and to create and support a tribe of empowered women, we established Women.io - a group of MB.ioneers who organize different initiatives to support this goal. One of these initiatives is a quarterly Panel where we invite inspiring speakers to talk about their journey and focus on areas like empowerment, equality, and diversification.

On March 14th, we welcomed Paula Bellizia, Partner and President of Global Payments at EBANX. She talked about her impressive career journey at companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple and gave us insight into topics such as leadership, diversity, inclusion, and digital transformation. Not only was it a blissful conversation, but also a beautiful reunion with our CEO Silvia Bechmann as both used to work together at Whirlpool Corporation 30 years ago.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

The first action we can ALL take is to educate ourselves and learn more about Equality & Equity. From TED talks, YouTube videos to reports - we provided educational context for our MB.ioneers to think, reflect and talk to each other.

A global history of women’s rights, in 3 minutes | UN Women

How much progress have we achieved in the global struggle for equal rights, and how much work remains? From worldwide suffrage campaigns to the rise of #MeToo and digital activism, we have marched slowly forward. But today, the fight for gender equality is far from over. Discover the noteworthy women, grassroots movements and historic milestones that have changed the world for women and girls.

https://youtu.be/m\_UjYOfmkn8

Women's History Month | Udemy

Since March marks not only Women's History Month but hosts International Women's Day, we brought our MB.ioneers a learning path dedicated to exploring more about how to navigate the workplace as a woman and how to learn more about allyship and ways of supporting your fellow women colleagues.

5 simple steps to becoming an Ally

Being an Ally means being aware of our advantaged status and using it to actively support and include people in less leveraged positions. When it comes to the workplace, an Ally builds partnerships that raise awareness, offer to mentor, and advocate. Shared connections teach about the needs that exist within a group and allies share goals and give access to the resources needed to reach them. Such experiences are the first steps to becoming a trusted ally. Here are some tips to become one:

1. Listen more than you speak: An effective ally takes notice and listens, seeking out opportunities to learn.
2. Mentor others: Your place of privilege doesn’t mean you didn’t work hard to get there, but it does mean you have the power to coach others.
3. Share the spotlight: Look around your next meeting or conference and survey who’s not there. Share your access and opportunities.
4. Recognize – and correct – exclusion.
5. Be strategic in your advocacy: Just like you can’t donate to every worthy cause, an ally can’t effectively champion every underrepresented group.

Women in the Workplace Report 2022 | McKinsey & Company

Women in the Workplace is the largest study on the state of women in corporate America. In 2015, LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company launched the study to give companies insights and tools to advance gender diversity in the workplace.

The 2022 report focuses on how the pandemic has changed what women want from their companies, including the growing importance of opportunity, flexibility, employee well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Click HERE to read about the study

Power on: How we can supercharge an equitable digital future | UN WOMEN

Women and girls remain underrepresented across the creation, use, and regulation of technology. They are less likely to use digital services or enter tech-related careers, and significantly more likely to face online harassment and violence. The choices we make today will profoundly impact the path forward. HERE are four steps we can take in the right direction.

"A seat at the table" isn't the solution for gender equity

Women and girls are conditioned to believe success is "a seat at the table." Creator, actress and author Lilly Singh thinks we need to build a better table. In this hilarious, incisive talk, Singh traces the arc of her career from up-and-coming YouTuber to history-making late-night talk show host, offering four ways to build a more inclusive society where girls are encouraged and empowered to do great things. Watch her talk HERE.

How diversity makes teams more innovative

Are diverse companies really more innovative? Rocío Lorenzo and her team surveyed 171 companies to find out - and the answer was a clear yes. In a talk that will help you build a better, more robust company, Lorenzo dives into the data and explains how your company can start producing fresher, more creative ideas by treating diversity as a competitive advantage. Watch her talk HERE.

How to design gender bias out of your workplace

Equity expert Sara Sanford offers a certified playbook that helps companies go beyond good intentions, using a data-driven standard to actively counter unconscious bias and foster gender equity - by changing how workplaces operate, not just how people think. Watch her talk HERE.

Know more about our company or MB.ioneer by following us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram!