It’s International Woman’s Day again. Just 24 hours to celebrate equality?
One of always possible’s core beliefs is that we should always do everything we can to walk the walk.
Our role is to help businesses and public services to look up and look out, to prepare for the future, and to be as inclusive and collaborative as they can – as a tool for sustainable growth and better wellbeing.
Are we always as good, ourselves, as we encourage our clients to be? Definitely not.
Do we try? Yes, and we can always do more.
Our good friend Mo Kanjilal, Co-founder of Watch This Sp_ce asked some good questions this morning:
Today we will see lots of brands change their logos pink, run brand campaigns and celebrate the day with features. If you’re one of those, some questions for you….
– Are women included in teams across your organisation?
– Are women represented in senior leadership roles where you work?
– Are women included in all decision-making?
– Are they paid equally and fairly for their work?
– Are you paying women to speak at your events?
– Are you giving a platform to men who say sexist things about women, discriminate against women, and more?
– Are you taking action to break down the biases that women face?
– How often do you pass the mic to women?
– Are you actively addressing discrimination against women?Working on addressing these things and more is what today is about. Taking action to break down biases is far more powerful than turning your logo pink, running a feature about women to promote your brand, or asking women to work for free (or to pay you) for your own publicity.
Levelling the gender playing field is one area we focus on hard. But, maybe it is for you to judge how well we’re doing.
One thing is certain. Being the business you want to be, with the impact you want to have, focused on the change you want to make – is a year-round, 24/7 mission.
Who we work with
Yesterday, it was confirmed that we’ll be supporting the brilliant Miss Represented on the next stage of their development. Described as a programme for ‘young women exploring life through the arts, making powerful work for personal development and social change’ – but it is so much more than that. For a decade now, this project has started to become a movement of empowerment and positive impact.
Over the past three years, we’ve stood behind some extraordinary female-led businesses and projects – helping to create space and help people to navigate uneven paths.
From our report on the Gender Action project in 2019, tackling gender stereotyping in teaching, to designing the >BREAKTHROUGH and The Confident Business mentoring and workshop programmes for female founders.
We have been proud to provide pro-bono and low cost support to growing female-led charities, social enterprises and artists, such as Survivors’ Network, Pick Your Own, Soundcastle, Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust and Noraay
Who we give platforms to
Our podcast, The Possibility Club, has 50% female voices from across business, society and culture.
Recent episodes, in our 5 Big Questions series, feature candid interviews with neuroscientist Dr Charlotte Rae, tea entrepreneur Krisi Smith, healthcare activist Dr Julia Grace Patterson, Higgidy CEO Rachel Kelley and space lawyer Dr Heather Allansdottir.
We always have mixed gender event panels, finding public speaking opportunities for high profile women as well as inspiring women who have had few prior opportunities for public speaking. Our all female panel for Does Brighton Dare? last month focused on creativity and risk, with provocations and game-changing ideas from Bonnie Greer, Emily Berwyn, Alex Barker and Helen Jewell.
Our governance
73% of the always possible core team is female; 66% of the senior leadership team and 57% of the whole management team. 31% of the company shareholders are female.
Decision-making is collective or moderated, with never a male-only perspective on strategy or operations.
We don’t have any female non-executive directors yet; which will change in the next 12 months.
There is no gender pay gap.
The actions we take
As we grow as a business, we grow in our ambition to not just create an equal society, but a fair one. We will champion female leaders and their teams, creating platforms for women from all backgrounds and lived experiences.
We will be unafraid to call out misogyny and sexism where we see it, and if we naively perpetrate it.
We will seek contracts with ambitious female-led businesses, and undertake research and events that promote, celebrate and showcase female entrepreneurialism and social reform.
We will constantly review our policies and ambitions, assessing any potential direct or indirect disadvantages for women, and making them right quickly if any are found.
How do you think we’re doing? And can you answer Mo’s questions?
