International Women’s Day Calls for Accelerated Equality
Here’s How Our Members Intend on Making It a Reality…
Each International Women’s Day, the world comes together to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, calling for accelerated equality across borders. International Women’s Day has taken place for over a century, with the first taking place in 1911 and having the support of over a million people. Today, the movement - celebrated every 8 of March - continues to resonate across countries and industries, with billions calling for accelerated equality for all.
Through ISPE’s Women in Pharma®, we continue to work towards a more equitable future for women and other marginalized groups, with leadership, programming, and events surrounding the celebration of everyone’s achievements, as we work to bring treatment plans and technologies to market. This International Women’s Day, we decided to ask our ISPE Women in Pharma leaders how they felt about the 2023 theme, #EmbracingEquity.
Here’s What Our Members Had to Say:
ISPE’s South Central Chapter Women in Pharma Liaison and Women in Pharma Ambassador
As a success-driven and goal-oriented woman in the pharmaceutical industry, I will lead by example. I will provide a workplace environment where all people feel equally valued, and their uniqueness is not only accepted, but surrounded with unequivocal support.
ISPE’s Women in Pharma Ambassador Chair
I embrace equity with a sublime and easy act of love, every day, called listening. Listening to others with no prejudice, leaving bias and ego behind, is a concrete way of granting access to all opinions in our lives and make everyone feel like equals.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee, North America (East Coast)
Equity and career access, for me, means that a person who genuinely invests in their career development has an outcome that reflects their aspirations regardless of their identity. My personal pledge as a leader that is embracing equity is to reinforce that one woman invited to the table is not sufficient. I will continue positive actions to increase representation while celebrating women and their contributions.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee Co-Chair
To embrace equity is to transcend differences by providing fair and unbiased support, resources, and opportunities for us to create an inclusive world.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee, North America (West Coast)
As the Pharmaceutical industry evolves, we need equity in our workplaces to provide a path toward better medicines for patients. Consider the possibilities that greater representation can bring to the problems we solve and the medicines we make.
Women in Pharma Ambassador
Equity is about creating an inclusive world, one in which we all belong. As a leader, I pledge to promote equity by serving as an ally to individuals who need support. I will continue my efforts in ensuring all voices are heard and people are recognized for their contributions.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee, Europe, Emerging Leaders Liaison
Embracing equity means for me creating a society where all people, regardless of their background, gender, or identity, have the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. This requires a commitment to challenging gender stereotypes and biases and promoting diversity and inclusion, and I vow to be an agent of change. I vow to educate myself and others, use my voice, and collaborate with others to make this change.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee, Asia Pacific Region, Emerging Leaders Advisor
I have always been passionately enthusiastic about diversity and inclusion in every aspect of my personal and professional life. I believe that Women in Pharma will be able to provide a platform to promote equity in the workplace through shared understanding and concern for all. We believe in equity unreservedly as it will create an inclusive world. Through our collective efforts, we hope to impact positive change. We are optimistic that the industry will realize that equity is the right thing to achieve. We should not think we can achieve equity easily. We must rally our whole community in our own sphere of influence to believe in it and truly embrace it!
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee Chair, North America (East Coast)
I’ve always believed in equal opportunity for equal effort is the true meaning of equity. I hope that we can one day exist in a world where we are judged by our contributions rather than our gender, race, or background. I believe in the importance of embracing equity today, and every day, as we strive for a more inclusive and diverse workforce within the pharmaceutical industry. By welcoming new ideas and new perspectives, we are paving the way for innovation and that’s where hope for the global community is born.
Women in Pharma International Steering Committee Member, Latin America (Mexico)
It’s been a great effort on behalf of many to have fair treatment be a norm in social and work environments, hoping to close the gaps of inequality. Still, it’s not enough. There are still signs of unfair treatment rooted in biases based on gender, preferences, economic situations, and ethnic backgrounds. In order to be truly equal, we will have to create a culture of equality perpetuated by intention, action, and contributions as we continue to pave the way. This is the best way to honor and recognize those who first advocated for change, and to create more equitable world for current and new generations. International Women’s Day goes beyond women, and serves as an opportunity to advocate for fair and equal conditions for all people.
Spanish Translation – Original Quote: Ha sido un gran esfuerzo de hombres y mujeres al paso de los años para tener un trato justo tanto en el ámbito social y laboral, por lo que al día de hoy las brechas de desigualdad se han ido cerrando, sin embargo no es suficiente, ya que aun hay muestras de tratos injustos derivados del genero, preferencias, situación económica, lugar de nacimiento y origen ético. El que todos podamos ser tratados de forma igualitaria, con los mismo derechos, será derivado del crear una verdadera cultura de la igualdad que se viva día a día, lo cual depende de cada uno de nosotros, de nuestras acciones y aportaciones para seguir abriendo el camino, esta es la mejor forma de honrar y reconocer a los que iniciaron este cambio, así como dejar mejores oportunidades a las nuevas las generaciones. En el día internacional de la mujer se reafirma la equidad como uno de los ejes principales para reconocer diversidad y generar condiciones justas e igualitarias para todas las personas.
International Women’s Day
About Women in Pharma®: ISPE's Women in Pharma group is a member-exclusive initiative committed to bridging gender, cultural, organizational, and geographic boundaries to maximize the impact women have on the pharmaceutical industry, and their respective communities.
Women in Pharma aspires to create a pharmaceutical industry that is equitable, inclusive, free of biases and stereotypes, where diversity of thought thrives.
