CDW UK Marks #IWD2023 with a Call to #EmbraceEquity

CDW celebrates International Women's Day with its own take on #EmbraceEquity

This year, International Women's Day is about giving equity a huge embrace. Although equality provides all genders with equal opportunities, women require more than a level playing field. Equity recognises people's different circumstances. It ensures people are given the exact resources and opportunities they need to reach an outcome equal with others.

In the lead up to International Women's Day, we've been reflecting on how we see #EmbracingEquity at CDW.

Penny Williams, Vice President of Sales, CDW UK

Equity and equality, two words that I hear used so often to describe how the channel provides opportunities for women, but these are two unique approaches. Equality, giving everyone the same resources and opportunities; it is the easy path to thinking you and your business provides women the chance to shine. Equity recognises that everyone has different circumstances and allocates the specific resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

Throughout my career as a leader, I have focused on ensuring equity for all, which is why the IWD #EmbraceEquity campaign focus for 2023 is so very important to me. It provides the chance to shine a light on how to do better and be better, as leaders, co-workers and as an Organisation.

I am proud to drive a business that has adopted a listening approach, a growth mindset, a new understanding and a willingness to challenge convention and adapt. Building new paths and processes that support long term success founded on equity for all.

Three areas where CDW's approaches support the IWD #EmbraceEquity campaign are:

• The Women's International Network (WIN), an inclusive community of coworkers promoting equity, supporting the personal and professional progression of CDW’s diverse and talented women
• A Talent Review Programme that ensures individual success through personalised development plans that recognise a co-worker’s previous destination, the resources and opportunities they need to be the best version of themselves, whilst contributing to our ongoing success
• A Graduate Sales Academy focused on building the talented teams of tomorrow, irrespective of gender, identity, race, belief, or background. Proudly delivering a 50/50 ratio in 2023. With a vision to drive greater equity in the future through new recruitment, onboarding the progression approaches.

Now over to my colleagues to share what the IWD and #EmbraceEquity campaign means to them.

Himesha Randeni, Hardware coordinator - Warranty, Integrated Service Operations, CDW UK

#EmbracingEquity at work helps to build an inclusive environment where we all feel confident to contribute the unique skills that help motivate us to love what we do. As we move into an era of equity, DE&I training will be critical for organisations to ensure people are being held to the same standards and expectations as their colleagues to give them a sense of belonging and purpose.

Hayley Doyle - Public Sector Team Leader, CDW UK

I believe that the success of a workplace depends on employees having an equitable experience and it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute towards this shared goal. It is important for organisations to recognise that not everyone is starting from the same point. Adopting a skills-based hiring model where people are hired based on their skills and experience is one way that organisations can #EmbraceEquity.

Bhasha Laad, Senior Accountant – Accounting Projects, CDW UK

#EmbracingEquity is one of the core foundations of a healthy workplace environment and of a functioning society. There can be no real collective progress without equitable opportunities and the sooner we realise and take on that concept, the better our chances of developing, maintaining, and sustaining a successful workplace. I embrace diversity, equity and inclusion through constant communication and learning. The more I connect with people, the more I am able to appreciate different perspectives and truly develop a diverse mindset.

Tara Barbieri - VP & GM Orchestration, CDW US

A sense of fairness and impartiality is key to making sure every single person on my teams knows their contributions are heard and assessed on merit, which builds trust. As a leader, I look for opportunities to give people the chance to shine and diversity is always my first consideration alongside experience, talent, background and ambitions when we’re building new teams. I am truly grateful to work on a team where #EmbracingEquity is the norm. I get an equal share of airtime; my ideas are always considered, and we discuss solutions based on probability of success.

Susan Cotton, Senior Marketing Manager – Sponsorship, Charities and Corporate Events, CDW UK

Building a comfortable environment that encourages open communication and understanding is the first step in fostering an egalitarian workplace. Talent can be discovered anywhere, this is crucial to promote, encourage, and recognise individuals as well as their special qualities. As a co-lead in WIN, I understand the significance of having a strong network and the crucial connections across CDW that the WIN group provides.

Flannery Devine Gibbons, Category Lead – Hybrid Platforms, CDW UK

A workplace is only as successful as the people within it – by #Embracing Equity, we create an environment that allows everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. This fosters a culture of inclusion where people are comfortable in their environment and can truly shine. As co-chair of our WIN group, I believe that DE&I should be embedded into work culture. This starts with the hiring process, ensuring that companies are interviewing a diverse pool of candidates and selecting the best talent from a variety of backgrounds. But to give everyone a platform for growth we must ensure that everyone has a seat at the table and that we draw from a wide array of experiences to allow for diversity of thought when we make decisions.

CDW and IWD

CDW UK is celebrating International Women's Day on Wednesday 8th March. Throughout the day, our coworkers will together lead the call to give equity a huge embrace, with an action-packed day of celebration, discussion and networking. Our Women's International Network (WIN) business resource group (BRG) is at the heart of CDW’s community.

On #IWD2023, numerous events will take place:

• Global live webinar on "Embracing Neurodiversity: Creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace by embracing our differences" (in partnership with Women's Opportunity Network, WON, US)
• Walk with WIN to discuss how we can promote equity at work
• Networking event, hosted by WIN, in partnership with Dell

Watch coverage of all our events @CDW_UK