Reflections in the wake of Women’s History Month

by Abigale Locklear

With Women’s History Month concluding in March, Charles Aris Executive Search now reflects on the amazing women and inspirational leaders we highlighted throughout the month.

In addition to featuring women in top executive roles around the globe, we also celebrated women within our own firm. We conducted an internal panel session, featuring six female team members, to highlight and discuss their backgrounds and Charles Aris journeys. By understanding their experiences and stories, we can create a more welcoming and inclusive environment.

We’ve made strides in gender diversity – from no female vice presidents in 2010 to six in 2021. With 43 percent of senior leadership and 46 percent of all full-time team members now female, we used the month to bring forward a conversation about women in the workplace and continue to increase the proportion of women at all levels of our organization.

We are committed to making the workplace an inclusive space for all as we strive for equity in our organization and beyond. We also acknowledge that we have a long way to go, which is why we chose Women’s History Month to listen and reflect on prominent female leaders throughout the month.

We now share the standout quotes from inspirational executives and organizations we highlighted internally throughout March:

“The most important thing I learned in college was to think for myself and to not let other people intimidate me.” – Susan Wojcicki, YouTube CEO

“There’s strong social research that women often judge their performance as worse than it actually is [while men judge their own performance as better than it is]. Believe in your own abilities.” – Donna Carpenter, Burton CEO

“There’s a very clear trend that women are having a harder time in the workplace than men; women of color are having a harder work experience than White women; and Black women are having sort of the hardest experience overall.” – Rachel Cooke, Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation deputy director

“With humility and gratitude for the opportunities America has afforded them, the Ozmens are committed to pay it forward to the country that catalyzed their success. In particular, Eren Ozmen is proud of her role in creating and supporting thousands of American jobs.” – Sierra Nevada Corporation

“I believe in intersectional feminism and empowerment because there are so many intricacies that mainstream feminism has missed. I’m not here to reinvent the wheel, but I am here to shed light on our stories.” – Jessie Medina, FEMX Quarters Founder & CEO

“Every good idea we have at Oracle comes from our employees. By building diverse and inclusive teams, we benefit from each other’s strengths and perspectives to make good ideas great ideas. We strive to create a culture where everyone belongs and has a voice in driving innovation.” – Safra Catz, Oracle CEO

The Charles Aris team will maintain this momentum by celebrating Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in May and will continue to work toward a more equitable future for all in the workplace.