For better or worse, research shows that all the issues we have to deal with in the world are directly dependent on the issue of gender inequality and would be significantly improved by solving that one. Even at the level of the Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality is one of the Goals with the greatest impact: that is, any improvement in its indicators, would automatically mean improvement in more than 5 other Goals. Equality is an economic issue (the global economy is damaged by 160 trillion dollars a year due to gender discrimination), an issue of social cohesion, environmental sustainability, global peace (the participation of women in peace negotiations increases the duration and quality of the peace achieved) and well-being at all levels of social life.
Openness and inclusion are key pillars of our work. Women On Top aims to empower people who face discrimination at work because of their gender -it just so happens that, in Greece and internationally, the vast majority of these people are women. It goes without saying that if a man wants to attend the empowerment workshops we organize, he is always welcome as long as there are still free spots - and this is because our priority remains to empower those who do not often have access to such opportunities. It also goes without saying that we welcome men in all our open events, as speakers, participants, listeners. And, in a corporate context, we need men to participate equally in all our work-life balance-related activities as well as those that are aiming to prevent sexual harassment and to eliminate the effects of our unconscious biases. We do keep some of our programs, such as mentoring, women-only, and this is because we want all women - and those who define themselves as women - to be able to share the challenges they face at work in an environment of understanding and confidentiality.
Yes, we are. We know feminism is a movement (or several movements) that seeks equality and freedom for all genders and the introduction of new principles and values in the way we do things, in the economy, work, politics, education, entrepreneurship, governance, public debate. So we adhere to the goals of feminism that have always been linked to cooperation and inclusion.
Frankly, we don't think that's the case. Why; The short answer is that, in recent years, our country has been ranking very low in the European Gender Equality Index, with an average score of 53.4/100, in contrast to the European average of 68.6/100. The long answer is as follows: The total employment rate of women is 44.4% and of men 59.7%. The unemployment rate of women is higher (20.2%) than that of men (13.7%). In the field of entrepreneurship, the self-employment rate of women in schemes that employ staff is 4.6%, while that of men is 8.9%. The number of elected women in the Greek political scene is one of the lowest among EU countries. The National Parliament includes only sixty-five (65) women, while the government has 2 female ministers and 3 female deputy ministers. In Local Government, and specifically, in the Municipal & Regional elections of 2019, in a total of 332 Municipalities and 13 Regions, 19 female Mayors and 1 female Regional Head were elected. The percentage of women's representation on the Boards of Directors of the largest listed companies in Greece amounts to 10.2%. The wage gap stands at 12.5% and the overall wage gap is estimated at 41.4%. In the field of science and technology in Greece, women make up only 12.7% of ICT specialists, while they earn on average 22% less than men, 85% of Greek women have been victims of sexual harassment in their work. These figures show, at least to us, that we still have a long way to go in the field of equality - and we are here to cover part of the way.
We always need volunteers, in a variety of fields, but we just can't use them all at the same time. There are specialties that we lack a lot of (mentors, photographers, graphic designers, educators, administrative support volunteers), so if you happen to be available for any of those you won’t have to wait much before you are called up to contribute! In other specialties, which are characterized by periodicity (trainers, event management volunteers etc.), waiting time may be longer, but your contribution will always be valuable to us.
Women On Top is indeed a non-profit organization - this means that no one, not even its founders, has access to any of its profits, and that these are always used either to grow the organization or to support its beneficiaries. It does not mean, however, that the organisation doesn’t have expenses or that it doesn’t need to sustain itself. There’s rent to be covered, associates to be paid, materials to be purchased, as well as an executive team that needs the necessary resources to do the work with the best possible impact!
The necessary resources that WoT needs to sustain itself and implement its strategic programming come from 4 main sources: from our corporate partnerships, from EU funding, from philanthropic foundations (Greek or international) and from periodic crowdfunding campaigns, in which we ask people who believe in our work to support a specific initiative of ours. All this data is documented every year in the organization's annual report and of course is in accordance with the principles outlined in our statutes.
"Women On Top" is shorter and makes you pay attention, right? It’s not just that, of course! We believe that all of us have something we want to "get over”: unemployment, lack of confidence, a difficult boss, a situation we don't know how to handle, a life transition, [fill in the blank]. While "at the top" talks about the top, "on top" speaks about our small personal victories. Which, at the end of the day, add up to many small top moments for each of us.
Of course! We know that each company and each team have different needs and objectives, and may be at different points in their organisational journey. Our goal is to meet those teams at exactly the point where they are, and co-design their next steps, to help them reach their desired destination. To accomplish this, sometimes we need to investigate in depth the particularities and needs of the company and/or design and implement actions that are specifically tailored to their sector, size, and ambitions.
As Women On Top, we focus primarily on gender equality issues, always through an intersectional lens that takes into account all the identity characteristics of the women we support, and the multiple discriminations that may result from these characteristics. That is, we do not treat women as a homogenous group with similar characteristics, but recognize the effects that factors such as age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or a disability or long-term illness may have on them.
If you are interested in consulting, training and project management services that cover the full spectrum of diversity, beyond gender, you can contact inc.lude, which was created precisely to support companies and organizations more holistically, at any point in their DEI journey.
For the design and implementation of the consulting and training projects we undertake, to promote gender equality, we use 3 main theoretical frameworks, which we combine with our years of experience of collaboration with companies and organizations. The 3 frameworks are:
The Women’s Empowerment Principles
The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) were presented in 2010 by UN Women and the UN Global Compact and adopted by the UN General Assembly, the G20 and the G7. They provide a platform to mobilize corporate action towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular SDG 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The seven Principles provide guidance for businesses to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace, the marketplace, and their wider community.
Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is adopted internationally as a strategy to achieve gender equality. Gender mainstreaming refers to the preparation, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, regulatory measures and funding programs aimed at promoting equality between men and women, and combating discrimination.
The guidelines of the International Labor Organization
The International Labor Organization takes a two-pronged approach to promoting gender equality. First, all its policies, programs and activities aim to systematically address the specific and often different concerns of both women and men. These include the practical and strategic gender needs of women. Second, targeted interventions are made – based on analyses that take into account these concerns and needs – to enable women and men to participate and benefit equally from development efforts. The five key elements of the action plan to make gender mainstreaming a reality are: strengthening institutional arrangements, using accountability and monitoring mechanisms, allocating sufficient resources to the gender mainstreaming effort, improving and increasing staff capacities in terms of gender, and improving the balance in the number of women and men employed, at all levels.
Investing in equity and inclusion needs to be part of any company’s strategy, first and foremost because it’s the ethical thing to do. Even if you’re one of those people who think that ethical doesn’t necessarily equate to good business practice, there are a whole bunch more reasons why, at least in this case, you need to reconsider.
No matter your industry, here’s what equity, diversity and inclusion can offer to your organisation:
Εnhanced innovation and creativity: A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters a variety of perspectives and experiences. This diversity can lead to more innovative solutions and creative ideas, as individuals from different backgrounds bring unique insights to the table.
Improved decision making: Diverse teams are better equipped to make well-rounded decisions. By considering a variety of viewpoints, companies can make more informed choices that take into account a broader range of perspectives and potential outcomes.
Better problem solving: Inclusive environments encourage open dialogue and collaboration, allowing teams to approach problems from multiple angles. This can lead to more effective problem-solving processes and solutions.
Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction: Employees are more likely to feel valued and engaged in an inclusive workplace where they feel their contributions are recognized and respected. This can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, productivity, and retention.
Attracting top talent: Companies that prioritize equity and inclusion are more attractive to top talent, especially individuals from underrepresented groups. This can give companies a competitive edge in recruiting and retaining skilled employees.
Improved reputation and brand image: Consumers and clients increasingly expect companies to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. By investing in equity and inclusion, companies can enhance their reputation, strengthen their brand image, and build trust with stakeholders.
Compliance and risk mitigation: Many jurisdictions have regulations and laws pertaining to workplace equity and inclusion. By investing in these areas, companies can ensure compliance with legal requirements and mitigate the risk of lawsuits or reputational damage associated with discriminatory practices.
Access to diverse markets: A diverse workforce can better understand and connect with diverse consumer demographics, leading to improved market understanding and more effective marketing strategies.