International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8th to recognize women's achievements in various fields and to work towards gender parity. The theme for International Women's Day 2023 is #EmbraceEquity, which aims to guarantee equality of outcome for women by providing them with equal opportunities.
According to the organizing group International Women's Day, equity recognizes that every individual has different circumstances and requires specific resources and opportunities to achieve an equal outcome. This year's campaign urges people and companies to reflect on how they can contribute to solving inequality and promote equity as a key factor in creating a level playing field for men and women.
In the print and allied trades industry, women are still underrepresented, especially in manufacturing positions. However, several women from this industry have shared their thoughts on the progress towards gender equality.
Elodie Bugnicourt, the sustainability manager at Graphic Packing International, believes that diversity, equality, and inclusion are crucial in creating a productive working environment. She emphasized that women could work in underrepresented positions such as manufacturing and make a significant contribution to producing packaging.
Zoe Deadman, the managing director at KCS Print, highlighted that there has been good progress in gender equality in office-based roles such as sales and marketing. However, women are still hesitant to work in production roles due to the factory environment and the physical nature of the work. She believes that showcasing the technological advancements in the industry can attract more women to join the print and allied trades.
Kath Doran, the managing director at Spectrum Plastics, has seen significant changes in the print industry in the past 35 years. She highlighted that the recognition of women for their ability has significantly improved, and the industry has become more inclusive. She emphasized that this shift is not limited to the print industry but reflects society's changes.
Beth Marston, the client success manager at PSE Offline Marketing, believes that International Women's Day is an opportunity to reflect on the changes that still need to be made. She emphasized that equity recognizes individual differences and allocates resources and opportunities accordingly to achieve equal outcomes.
Charlotte Scott-Parker, the technical specialist at James Cropper, emphasized the importance of creating greater inclusivity in the paper, packaging, and print industry. She believes that the sector needs to showcase career paths and create role models for the next generation of talented women to aspire to and understand the opportunities available in the industry.
At Custom Stickers, we are proud to have a workforce that reflects a diverse and inclusive environment. One of the ways we achieve this is by maintaining representation of men and women among our employees.
We believe that having a gender-balanced workforce is essential for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By having an equal number of men and women, we ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute their unique perspectives and experiences.
We also believe that promoting gender equality is not only the right thing to do, but it is also essential for our company's success. Studies have shown that diverse teams with a range of perspectives and experiences are more innovative and perform better than homogeneous teams.
In conclusion, the print and allied trades industry has made progress towards gender equality, but there is still a long way to go. Embracing equity and creating inclusive environments are crucial in promoting gender parity and creating a level playing field for men and women.
