Latest news with #gender equity
CTV News
20-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Windsor advocate named one of construction's most influential people
More than 7,200 women are working in Quebec's construction industry (photo: Mikael Blomkvist / Nour Hachem, a local advocate for gender equity and inclusive workforce development, has been named one of construction's most influential people by SiteNews, a newspaper about Canadian construction. Hachem founded Build a Dream, a nonprofit organization to empower underrepresented groups in skilled trades, STEAM, emergency response and entrepreneurship. 072025 - Nour Hachem Nour Hachem named one of construction's most influential people for 2025. (Source: Build a Dream) The organization works to reform the employment landscape in male-dominated industries. In 2024, Build a Dream received $10 million from the federal government to expand apprenticeship support in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Hachem's recognition comes before Build a Dream's 6th Annual International Day of the Girl Breakfast at St. Clair's College. The breakfast takes place on Oct. 9 and brings together employers, educators, government leads and young women. Her organization has supported over 67,000 individuals. 'Our work is about more than awareness, it's about results,' said Hachem. She said Build a Dream works to show employers how to build inclusive workplaces and give jobseekers the tools they need in the workplace.
The Herald
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Steady but uneven: Women slowly climb the corporate ladder in South Africa's boardrooms
South Africa is making 'steady but uneven' progress towards gender equity in corporate boardrooms. This is according to the 2024 Spencer Stuart South Africa Board Index which tracks the composition of boards in the country's 50 largest JSE-listed companies. The report reveals that women now account for 37% of all directors and 40% of non-executive directors (NEDs) which is a significant improvement compared to previous decades. The report also showed persistent gaps especially in executive leadership and long-term retention. 'Sixty percent of boards now include at least one woman in a top executive position either as chairperson, CEO, CFO or another executive director. This signals that women are not only entering the boardroom but increasingly occupying key decision-making roles,' the report said. The index showed that despite these gains progress remains inconsistent. Just 43% of newly appointed NEDs are women and 22% of them have no prior board experience which is a sign of what the report calls a 'persistent pipeline problem'. The report also provides insights into age and tenure differences. The average board member is just under 60 years old but female NEDs are notably younger than their male counterparts, averaging 57.9 years versus 62.3. New directors are younger still, at 55.7 years. However the average tenure for women on boards is only 4.6 years compared to 7.5 years for men, raising questions about retention and long-term influence. In addition to gender, the Spencer Stuart Index tracks other dimensions of diversity including race, age and nationality. It found that 32% of board members are historically disadvantaged South Africans (HDSAs). Among these, HDSA women average 55.4 years in age and 4.9 years of tenure, slightly above the average for female directors. Still, the report cautions that women remain underrepresented at the highest rungs of corporate leadership. Globally, the MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI), which tracks thousands of companies, reports that just 6.5% of CEOs and 9.1% of board chairs are women. The MSCI ACWI said the number of female CEOs worldwide has doubled since 2019, and 18.8% of CFO roles are now held by women. However, pay disparities persist as in 2022, male CEOs earned an average of $6.5m compared to $6.3m for their female counterparts. The communications sector showed the starkest gap with men outearning women by nearly $10m, while in industrials, women out-earned men by $4.4m on average. South Africa's progress, though slow, is notable as a Stellenbosch University study highlights that in 2008, only 14.3% of JSE-listed company directors were women. By 2017, that figure had risen to 20.7%. Yet, it still lags far behind the demographic reality as women make up 51.2% of the population and 45% of the economically active population. Internationally, some countries have taken bolder measures. Norway enacted one of the world's first and strictest gender quota laws in 2003, mandating 40% female board representation. It became compulsory in 2006, with penalties for noncompliance. The result was fewer listed companies. with many delisting to avoid the law, but the move led to better qualified women in leadership and a reduced gender pay gap. Spain's 2007 Gender Equality Act took a softer approach. It set a 60/40 gender balance target but without strict enforcement. Instead, it used incentives such as preferential access to government contracts for compliant companies, encouraging voluntary change. Despite global shifts, gender parity is still a long way off. The MSCI projects that women will make up 40% of board members globally by 2033. Full gender parity (50:50) isn't expected until 2040. TimesLIVE
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Women Are Sharing The "Unhinged" Ways They Practice Microfeminism Every Day, And I Am LIVING For These Replies
Last year, I wrote about the growing trend of people sharing the "microfeminisms" they practice daily — the small but redemptive, affirming, and powerful acts aimed at making the world just a little more equitable for women. (The trend began when creator Ashley Chaney coined the term in a viral video sharing how she confronts subtle misogyny at work with "microfeminist" acts, such as addressing women first in emails, even if less senior. Thereafter, thousands, and I really do mean thousands, joined in, and the term stuck. Personally, I think it should be added to Merriam-Webster now or something.) The trend has resurfaced on TikTok once again, but this time, a user prompted, "I wanna hear more. I'm not talking about 'Oh, I always address women first.' I'm talking unhinged behavior." The replies, of course, delivered, and were just too good not to share. Here are some of the best ones: Related: 1."Give them a princess handshake when they introduce themselves only to other men." 2."every time a man tells me he's 'babysitting' his kids i said 'oh it must be hard not to have custody.'" 3."When I'm addressing a group of people and say 'Ladies and the sons of ladies.'" 4."My daughter is 4 and doesn't know men can be doctors because her ped, dentist, and vet are all women." 5."If a man says 'hi young lady' or something similar I respond 'hi old man.'" 6."In response to mansplaining, I interrupt loudly with, 'Reclaiming my time!' It almost always results in uncontrollable laughter from others in the room, which has the added benefit of thoroughly embarrassing the mansplainer." Related: 7."when a man starts mansplaining over and over, I wait patiently until he is done, and when he asks me if I understood, I reply. 'I understood it right away, but if it makes you feel better, you can keep explaining it.' Gets them every time." 8."I change all the Alexa voices in my house to [male], so my daughter gets used to telling men what to do. I'm a guy." 9."I'm a waitress at a steakhouse and anytime a couple is sharing a steak, I put the steak in front of the woman and the empty plate in front of the man." 10."I always say, '...for a man.' when complimenting a man." 11."I own a cleaning company and I use all pink trash bags for bachelor [men's] homes. 🥰" Related: 12."A guy at work sighs really loudly every time someone says something he disagrees with, so I sigh anytime he speaks. For some reason, he thinks this is 'hostile' and he is correct." 13."At a family reunion someone was making an excuse for her husband being quiet and I said 'good, husbands should be seen and not heard.'" 14."I turn my camera off in a Zoom meeting if I'm being mansplained to, and only turn it back on when the mansplaining is over. Then carry on with my topics as if it never happened." 15."When a man tries to mansplain something or hijack my idea I just say, 'You're really starting to understand it. That's awesome. Let me know if you have any other questions about what I said.' And then continue on with what I was saying." 16."Saw one recently as a response to mansplaining: 'Do you suffer from correctile dysfunction? Its ok, no need to be embarrassed. Millions of men have it.'" 17."I use makeup metaphors at work instead of sports ones. 'Team I think [we're] forgetting the primer before our foundation here.'" 18."I'm an attorney and when male opposing counsel gets really aggressive or rude I like to say, 'You're being really emotional. Let's talk about this another time when you can get better control over your emotions.' 😅" Related: 19."When a man gets [unnecessarily] angry, I explain to people around us that men have daily hormone cycles and it's probably his 'part of the day.'" 20."I'm a firefighter and I only bring sunscreen with glitter. The guys will ask for sunscreen and unbeknownst to them will be covered like Edward in twilight." 21."I ask dad the admission questions & about their kid's health history, meds, allergies, diagnoses, etc. They always direct all the questions to mom & I say 'omg I'm so sorry I thought you were dad!' Then they get even more awkward. Love it 👏 22."I use feminine words while complementing them. 'Good morning Hank. Wow I love that new blouse!'" 23."my old boss used to wear cowboy boots to work and i would tell him his kitten heels are cute." 24."I tell men I love their pixie cut." finally, "i save my friend's [boyfriends and husbands] contact in handmaids tale format: Matt OfClare, Ryan OfMadison, Josh OfEmily, etc." Got any other hilarious and "unhinged" microfeminisms that you practice to add? Please, add them all down below in the comments. We could use 'em right now. Also in Goodful: Also in Goodful: Also in Goodful:
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
The Sports Bra, a bar that only shows women's sports, is opening in Boston
A bar dedicated to showcasing only women's sports on its TVs is coming to Massachusetts. The Sports Bra, which got its start in Portland, Oregon in 2022, announced Tuesday it will open bars in three new cities, including Boston. There are no details yet on exactly when or where The Sports Bra will open in Boston. The bar also announced it is opening in Las Vegas, Indianapolis and St. Louis. "The addition of these new locations will help fuel the movement for gender equity in sports and provide even more opportunities for fans to watch, cheer, and connect over their favorite women's teams and athletes," The Sports Bra said its announcement. The original location and founder Jenny Nguyen were profiled on CBS Sunday Morning. Nguyen said the idea started when she and her friends were looking for some place to watch the women's NCAA basketball championship game. Since then, The Sports Bra has been backed by investors like Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who is married to tennis legend Serena Williams. Now it's expanding across the country with the new franchise locations. "Each new location will carry the same heart and mission as our original one in Portland-uplifting women-owned businesses, serving delicious food, and creating a welcoming space for everyone who wants to belong to a community and be part of the movement," Nguyen said in a statement. Among the local women's professional sports teams highlighted by The Sports Bra in its announcement are the Boston Fleet (hockey), the Boston Banshees (rugby), Boston Legacy FC (soccer), the Boston Guard (lacrosse) and the Renegades (football).
