Women's Empowerment Principles

Empowering the region’s youth through Listaproperty’s ‘Take Your Daughters to Work’ event

February 11, 2018 Gabriela Solís

By Carla Maria Emanuel Issa, Managing Director at Listaproperty

In October last year, Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) UAE signatory Listaproperty hosted the ‘Take Your Daughters to Work Day’ (#ListapropertyxTYKTWD), which encouraged working mothers to bring their daughters to work for half day. Following a hard day at work, mothers and daughters gathered at the luxury 118 property owned by Signature Developers. Suzanne al-Houby, the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest and its seven summits, joined the event and spoke on her achievements and trials during her lustrous career.

Empowering the youth at Listaproperty

As part of Listaproperty’s mission to empower the region’s youth, it envisioned bringing a concept popular in the United States to Dubai. The “Take Your Daughters to Work” initiative began in 1992 as part of the “Year of the Woman” when women in the workplace understood the importance of the “working woman” concept beginning from adolescence. The concept evolved over the years to take your daughters and sons to work, but nonetheless the message sticks.

The concept of the event sprouted from Listaproperty’s founders and WEPs’ Steering Committee members, Kim Kelaita and Rasha Nashaat Hassani’s endless involvement in various initiatives. From founding their own organizations in real estate, technology and retail as well as serving on the board of organizations such as WEPs and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), they are both very involved in our community and the workplace. As mothers themselves, they empower their own daughters each day by serving as examples of what it is to be a working mom.

Kim and Rasha are only two women in our community, and there are many more moms like them who inspire their daughters through their own hard work and believe, “Giving out daughters a first hand look a what we “moms” do all day is a great example for them to know they too can do it all and do it all with passion and purpose.”

The #ListapropertyxTYKTWD concept was created alongside the UNGC-UAE Local Network and the WEPs common goal in furthering local initiatives “for women, by women”.

The outcome of the event is to create awareness around how important it is to expose daughters to the idea that she can achieve both being a mother and being someone important in her workplace. We made sure to include women who are not mothers themselves, or do not have daughters, but have sons, who are equally important in any initiative that supports working women.

Only the beginning

Listaproperty hopes #ListapropertyxTYKTWD will be the first of many such events over the coming years. In cooperation with the UNCG-UAE Local Network and WEPs UAE, this will be an ongoing initiative for years to come.

Furthermore, Listaproperty would like to see the Emirati community more involved as their workplaces are particularly entrepreneurial and unique in other ways. We have heard a number of Emirati women discouraged by the fact that they are “placed” for a position in a ministry where their creativity and other talents may not be appreciated or used. Creating awareness around a woman finding her place in the world, so to speak, is important work and often the kind of guidance girls in their teenage years, and beyond, will seek.

To register and become a signatory of the WEPs UAE local network, click here or contact our Outreach Team at Hanane.Arif@socgen.com and malouf.ag@pg.com.

WEPs UAE Industry Insiders presents:Jane Siney for Standard Chartered

January 24, 2018 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is something that unites us here at the Bank. It’s not about targets for the sake of targets but about recognising that the diversity of our workforce is our strength – whether in terms of gender, race, nationality, background and experience.

As we advance into 2018, it’s also time to step up the game! The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) network in the UAE continues to grow in numbers with its list of new WEPs signatories from different business operations. To further strengthen our WEPs campaign in the region, we have extended our engagement platform to incorporate stories from potential signatories, as well as those from our own taskforce and from other UN bodies.

First up, let’s catch up with Standard Chartered – a household name for most of us and a multinational bank that lives and breathes its ground-breaking policies for women, with many taking their place at the upper echelons of its organisation. Jane Siney is their UAE Head of HR and here she takes us through her daily realities and plans for 2018:

WEPs UAE: Hello Jane! Please introduce yourself and the role you currently hold.
Jane: Hello, I’m Jane Siney – Head of HR UAE for Standard Chartered Bank. I am married with two children (Lily age 6 & Amelia age 2). I was born in Ireland and immigrated to Australia when I was 3. We have over 2,300 employees based in the UAE, with country, regional and global teams based here – so quite a diverse mix!

W: So what is it that brought you to this role?
J: I have spent most of my career within HR in the banking sector. My first role post university was in recruitment and my career has moved across different areas in HR, although predominantly in the generalist space. I have worked in Sydney, London and now Dubai.
The reason I was attracted to the bank (and Dubai) was because of the growth opportunities. I had never worked in an emerging market, so Standard Chartered was very appealing to me. I was working in London prior to joining the Bank and at the time of the financial crisis. There was plenty of work for HR professionals as you can imagine, but none of them really appealed to me. Standard Chartered was one of the few banks that were focusing on growth and I was offered the opportunity to work in Dubai in the Retail Bank. My first time in Dubai was two days before I started my new job!

W: So let’s get down to business; what measures does your company have in place to help with Diversity & Inclusion in the region?
J: The bank is very committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and provides growth and development opportunities for everyone. On gender equality, we have ambitious targets around attracting and retaining female talent in the industry. We have some of the best policies in the region which support men and women manage their work life balance, including options to work flexible hours and work from home, whilst continuing to meet the needs of our customers. In addition, we offer 20 weeks maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave – both on full pay. There is also an option for all employees to avail of three months sabbatical leave.

W: What do you feel these policies have achieved?
J: The most important achievement is that our employees feel we value them personally as well as professionally. We have some great examples of both men and women working flexibly, and not just those with children. Two examples come to mind – one lady who was training to climb a mountain and needed more flexibility on time she spent in the office in order to get the most out of her training. A second example is a gentleman who wanted to support his wife who was recently returning to work post maternity leave – he leaves early each day to collect his son from school and then logs in when he is back home in the evening.

W: Why are these policies so important right now?
J: We recently launched our purpose statement “Driving commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity.” Diversity is at the core of who we are as a Bank, whether it’s the diversity of the markets in which we operate in or the people whom we employ. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is something that unites us here at the Bank. It’s not about targets for the sake of targets but about recognising that the diversity of our workforce is our strength – whether in terms of gender, race, nationality, background, experience, etc. By bringing different approaches and opinions to the table, we can drive real change and ultimately become more successful.

W: And finally, is there more you’d like to achieve?
J: I think there are a lot of positive conversations around the importance of gender diversity in the workplace, however many of these conversations are led by women themselves! I would like to move the conversation towards gender equality and identifying those people (men and women) who champion diversity. Making small changes like these can sometimes have the greatest impact.

CTG: Committed to making the 2030 SDGs a reality

December 18, 2017 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

CTG: Committed to making the 2030 SDGs a reality

WEPs UAE signatory Committed to Good (CTG) is committed to making SDG5: Gender Equality, SDG8: Decent Work & Economic Growth, and SDG16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions a reality by 2030. CTG employs 91% local people on our projects in fragile countries from Libya and Somalia to Afghanistan – this ensures funds and resources go back into the local economy.

In most war-torn countries, there are thousands of families that have lost men in conflict, and women are the only breadwinners. We have to find ways to employ these women, which is often culturally challenging, if we are to help boost the local economy. In time, this will help bring peace and stability. Read more

Watch this video:

Listaproperty.com’s Take Your Daughter’s to Work Day

October 19, 2017 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

Listaproperty.com’s Take Your Daughter’s to Work Day

Listaproperty.com, a signatory company of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (#WEPs), has launched the first edition of “Take your Daughter to Work Day” an initiative that invites working mothers to bring their daughters to work for half a day. This event matches the recent commitment made by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, toward empowering future generations through education and tolerance.

The concept of “Take your Daughter to Work Day” began in the United States in 1992 as part of the “Year of the Woman”, when professional women realized the importance of inspiring young girls with the “working woman” figure. The programme is still celebrated in the United States and the UAE will soon follow the lead.

The #ListapropertyxTYKTWD event, responds to the company’s mission of empowering youth in the region by “giving our daughters a first-hand look at what we “moms” do all day.” Those were the words of Kim Kelaita, Listaproperty.com’s co-founder and UNGC-UAE Local Network and #WEPs committee member.

Following this activity, mums and daughters will enjoy an afternoon tea at the luxury 118, owned by Signature Developers, while they listen to Suzanne al-Houby the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest and its seven summits.

Empowering Women through Flexible Jobs

October 19, 2017 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

On Monday 25th of September, more than sixty women gathered at the superb installations of Gold on 27, at the Burj Al Arab, to be part of the second session of Levelling the Playing Field Series with Brandy Scott. The afternoon event was made up of selected topics regarding the reality faced by mums who want to get back to work after taking a career break in the UAE.

After welcoming everyone, Brandy Scott, as moderator of the panel discussion, acknowledged the sad position women are put into when they have no other option but to give up their careers to raise their kids. “The idea that you have to be either dedicated to yourself or to your family is not helpful in this life”, she said. She also added that combining children with career is possible, a statement that was the center of discussion throughout the conversation.

Helen McGuire, Hopscotch’s co-founder, and Louise Karim, co-founder of Mumsatwork, were among the panelists that held the conversation around this issue, honoring their commitments as signatory members of the United Nations Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The panel also included the presence of experts in the field of negotiation, labor law, and HR recruitment.

The speakers shared their knowledge, insight, and advice on subjects that were a concern among the audience, such as career choices for women with kids, flexible jobs, maternity leave and career shift. The panelists also gave advice on how to upgrade negotiation skills and how to deal with the difficult subject of telling your boss you are starting a family.

The working mums present were also inspired by the personal experiences that some of the panelists shared. These admirable women acknowledged some of their difficulties and anecdotes on how they manage to balance career and motherhood.

During the questions and answers session, a wide concern among the female audience was showcased, regarding the lack of opportunity offered to those mums looking for a flexible job to get back to work; a reality that companies such Hopscotch and Mumsatwork, are trying to overcome.

Women’s empowerment has many different forms, and there’s no doubt that creating flexible jobs for talented women who want to partake on the workforce, is one of them. Having this option available benefits the companies, women, and society.

If your company is also working towards women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community, and you are interested in becoming an active member of our task force, please do not hesitate to contact us to find more about how you can join.

Empowering women through flexible work – ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ with Dubai Eye at Burj Al Arab

September 25, 2017 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

Empowering women through flexible work – ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ with Dubai Eye at Burj Al Arab

On 25 September, more than 60 women gathered at the superb surrounds of Gold on 27 at the Burj Al Arab to be part of the second session of ‘Levelling the Playing Field Series’ with Dubai Eye’s Brandy Scott. The afternoon event was made up of selected topics regarding the reality faced by women who want to get back to work after taking a career break in the UAE.

After welcoming everyone, Brandy Scott, moderator of the panel discussion, acknowledged the sad position women are put into when they have no other option but to give up their careers to raise their kids. “The idea that you have to be either dedicated to yourself or to your family is not helpful in this life”, she said. She also added that combining children with a career is possible, a statement that was key to the discussion.

Helen McGuire, Co-Founder of Hopscotch.ae and Louise Karim, MD of Mums At Work, were among the panelists that held the conversation around this issue, honoring their commitments as signatory members of the United Nations Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The panel also included David McKenzie of McKenzie Jones and experts in the field of negotiation, labor law, and HR.

The speakers shared their knowledge, insight, and advice on subjects that were a concern among the audience, such as career choices for women with kids, flexible jobs, maternity leave and career shift. The panelists also gave advice on how to upgrade negotiation skills and how to deal with the potentially tricky subject of telling your boss you are starting a family or that you would like more flexibility.

The women present were also inspired by the personal experiences that some of the panelists shared. These admirable women acknowledged some of their difficulties and anecdotes on how they manage to balance career and motherhood, as well as tackling difficult conversations and career choices.

During the question and answer session, a wide concern among the female audience showcased the lack of opportunity offered to those looking for a flexible job to get back to work; a reality that companies such as Hopscotch and Mums At Work are trying to overcome.

Women’s empowerment takes many different forms, and there’s no doubt that creating flexible jobs for talented women who want to partake on the workforce is one of them. Having this option available benefits business, women, and society.

If your company is also working towards women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community, and you are interested in becoming an active member of our task force, contact our Outreach Team at Hanane.Arif@socgen.com and malouf.ag@pg.com for more info.

Empowering Women through Education “The Circle” Financial Literacy for Women, by Société Générale

September 14, 2017 Gabriela Solís

WEPS

Empowering Women through Education “The Circle” Financial Literacy for Women, by Société Générale

The first session of The Circle, a series of roundtables on financial literacy for women, was held last September 14^th by Société Générale as part of its commitments as a signatory member of the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).

In partnership with the Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), the event took place at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, where as many as fifty businesswomen and female entrepreneurs working in Dubai and members of the DBWC, gathered to listen to bank experts share their knowledge on financial matters.

“This is about us trying to give you what we know, so please make sure you interrupt the speakers. Please ask questions.” were the words of Richad Soundardjee, Société Générale’s CEO, who gave the opening speech encouraging all attendees to engage and actively participate in the conversation.

Hanane Arif, Business Development Officer at Société Générale, and leading charge of the WEPs agenda in the bank, stated on her welcoming speech: “We are doing this for you, with you”, she reminded the audience, urging them to give feedback at the end of the session on the subjects they wished to see addressed in the next roundtables. She also said that The Circle is an initiative that responds to this Year of Giving. Knowledge in financial matters is what Société Générale chose to give to the female community.

In this first session, the presenters covered topics related to the state of the region, banking, Islamic finance and investment in financial markets; expositions that proved successful among the attendees, who kept the session interactive with their questions.

By the hand of an enormously talented team in banking who volunteered their time for this event, the women present at the session left the room with more knowledge and confidence regarding financial matters for their businesses and personal life.

All members at WEPs are extremely proud to see their signatory companies moving forward on empowering women in the region and creating opportunities for all women to participate actively in society. Recognizing the value of women in the workplace, marketplace, and community, helps to build a better society and a stronger economy. Signing the WEPs is an active way to commit to this cause.

If you share the same values as ours and have a company based in Dubai, please do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about how you can join and what can you do to help strengthen the talents of women in the region.

To know more about the agenda and the presenters of this past event, click here.