Today is International Women’s Day, an annual day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women all over the world. To raise awareness against gender-based bias, the theme this year is #BalanceforBetter.

While it may seem like a balanced world at times, with female prime ministers and CEO’s, the truth is women are often under-represented in business and their achievements can go unnoticed. At Bristol Media, we recognise the integral work women do within the creative industries in Bristol and feel it is important to celebrate and show our support. Fortunately for us, we have some inspiring women on our board of directors who want to highlight what International Women’s Day means to them.

“If there’s one thing I want women on this day to do, it’s apply for that job.”

For Kate Gorringe, Bristol Media Director and Creative Director at Mr B & Friends it’s about raising women up in opportunity and confidence to achieve the success they deserve:

“Not long ago I met a design director who quizzed me on how to make the leap from senior creative to creative director. I was taken aback that the more I talked to her about ‘putting yourself out there,’ the more she tried to talk herself out of it – ‘What if I can’t do the job?’ This just throws a spotlight on how we habitually doubt our own abilities. Thing is, she almost certainly can do the job already, she’s probably been doing it for years, but she’s shrinking back when we know the guys are pushing themselves forward, even if they’re less experienced.

“If there’s one thing I want women on this day to do, it’s apply for that job. You won’t be able to do everything on the job spec, you won’t get every question right in the interview – but guess what, neither will the men. Let’s redress the imbalance – apply for that job, we are all routing for you.”

“Making gender balance a matter of fact rather than a matter of ambition must be the goal.” 

Roberta Fuke, Bristol Media Director and CEO of Speed Communications adds: “Balance in all things just makes sense. And gender balance in business makes perfect sense. So why are women so under-represented and under-rewarded so often? Empowering, encouraging and enabling women to both effectively contribute to and benefit from their contributions, is not only good business practice, but critical to shaping a balanced and better world. Making gender balance a matter of fact rather than a matter of ambition must be the goal. I’m delighted to support #IWD2019 and #BalanceforBetter.”

“I take responsibility in my role as a mum and a woman in helping (my son) experience balance.” 

Lis Anderson, Bristol Media Board Director and Director of AMBITIOUS PR: “Promoting gender balance in our business is something that we discuss openly and importantly act upon. The industry is changing, and we support that. At home, one of the challenges / opportunities I think about often is being a mother of a young son. I will never know what it’s like to walk in his shoes, as he’ll never understand what it’s like to walk in mine, but I take responsibility in my role as mum and a woman in helping him experience balance and hopefully playing some role in equipping him for his future.”

“I pledge to celebrate women’s achievements.”

It’s not just the females on the board who are working towards achieving a better balance. Chris Thurling, Bristol Media Chair and Executive Chairman of Armadillo CRM, says “I have two daughters and don’t like the idea of them experiencing a gender-biased society. Women need to have the same opportunities as their male counterparts and I will support them at every step, so I pledge to celebrate women’s achievements, not just on International Women’s Day but in the future, too.”

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? Are you or your business promoting a balanced workplace? If so, we’d love to hear how! Connect with us on Twitter @Bristol_Media.

[Image: Roberta Fuke (top left), Kate Gorringe, Chris Thurling (bottom left) and Paul Appleby, Directors of Bristol Media]