Closing the Gender Gap

On Friday 16 June, WUAS was present at Hashtag Workmode's Gender Equality networking event in Apeldoorn where women in business had the opportunity to network and meet other women in top positions. Wittenborg was represented by Sinem Dosdogru, Aydan Holtrigter, Maike Nuyken and Sophia Faraji. The aim of the event is to address issues revolving around women in business, such as the large gender pay gap and the low representation of women in higher positions of companies.

Hashtag Workmode is a women-focused workplace for ambitious women in the Netherlands. It was founded in 2015 by entrepreneur and author Emilie Sobels who started Workmode in Amsterdam. Since then, it has spread to six cities in the Netherlands, including Apeldoorn. Their main goal is to put ambitious women on a pedestal and break the conservative gender stereotypes within the business world. Every year, they organise The Self-Made Summit, the business event for ambitious women. In the 2023 edition, Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng was part of a panel where C-level top businesswomen share their personal experiences in a male-dominated business world.

Much work to do

Despite the progress made in the field of gender equality, the gender split in top positions within Dutch business remains strikingly uneven. Startling statistics show a persistent gender gap, indicating that progress is far from satisfactory. By 2022, only 14 per cent of listed companies in the Netherlands have a woman on the management board, while only 33 per cent will have a woman on the supervisory board. Even in the top 250 largest companies in the country, only a quarter boast a board that is not exclusively male.

Another daunting reality is the significant gender pay gap. On average, women in the Netherlands earn 14.1 per cent less than their male counterparts. This pay gap perpetuates inequality and highlights the urgent need for further action to ensure fair pay for women.

In a broader context, the Netherlands' performance on the Global Gender Gap Index is worrying. The 28th position indicates that the Netherlands performs relatively poorly compared to neighbouring European countries like Belgium (10th) and Germany (6th). The Netherlands' disappointing position can partly be attributed to the low number of women in top positions and that many more women than men work part-time.

Equal opportunities and possibilities

At the Gender Equality Network event, co-organised with the Municipality of Apeldoorn, Hashtag Workmode set out to change this gender gap. "We must strive for a society where everyone has equal opportunities and possibilities, regardless of their gender," says Hashtag Workmode on their LinkedIn to announce this event. "This starts with raising awareness and addressing deep-rooted gender stereotypes. Let's raise our children in an environment where they can grow up without limiting gender roles and where they can use their talents to their full potential."

Stephanie Knoors, co-owner of Hashtag Workmode, and Jeroen Joon, alderman for Economy, Broad Prosperity and Safety and first deputy mayor of the Municipality of Apeldoorn, kicked off the event by stressing the importance of gender equality in the region. Joon expressed shock and concern over the persistent gender inequality and stressed that no individual should be judged on the basis of gender. Recognising the existing inequalities in business and society, Joon pledged to work for change by promoting initiatives that support the advancement of women and emphasising the importance of education. "Gender inequality between women and men is unfortunately still a fact of life," says Jeroen Joon on LinkedIn, "even in a country like the Netherlands, which is unacceptable. I am happy to help raise awareness of this and get it out of our society."

Karlijn Straver, programme manager at WOMEN Inc, was the second speaker to take the stage to give attendees an insight into the current state of gender equality. Straver's enlightening knowledge session shed light on the challenges women face in differenuynt areas of life, including health, work, finance and media representation. Straver drew attention to the persistent gender pay gap, the unequal distribution of household chores and the limited visibility of women in the media, highlighting the need to address systemic issues with the slogan: Fix the system, not the women.

The event concluded with an engaging 'Pay it Forward' workshop, led by Dorit Roest. Participants were divided into groups to quickly connect with inspiring women and discover effective ways to support each other. Through this interactive session, Roest facilitated meaningful discussions and encouraged participants to explore avenues for collaboration and mutual empowerment.

The visitors who represented Wittenborg at the event were all very impressed. Sinem Dosdogru conveyed her enthusiasm, calling it a "pleasant environment full of recognition and acknowledgement", while Maike Nuyken found it "super fun and inspiring" and thought it was great to meet so many strong and interesting women. "I wanted to make use of an opportunity to connect with and learn from other women," says Nuyken. "I believe in learning from other people and supporting others to further grow and develop myself, so this was a great opportunity to practice that."

The visitors who represented Wittenborg at the event were all very impressed. Sinem Dosdogru conveyed her enthusiasm, calling it a "pleasant environment full of recognition and acknowledgement", while Maike Nuyken found it "super fun and inspiring" and thought it was great to meet so many strong and interesting women. "I wanted to make use of an opportunity to connect with and learn from other women," says Nuyken. "I believe in learning from other people and supporting others to further grow and develop myself, so this was a great opportunity to practise that."

Aydan Holtrigter attended the event to connect with women in Apeldoorn, to learn more about gender inequality in Apeldoorn and in the Netherlands in general, how these problems are being addressed and what can be improved in the future. "Some of the facts about gender inequality in the Netherlands were shocking and eye-opening," she says. "You wouldn't expect this to happen in this country, but the good thing is that it is being worked on and awareness about these issues is being raised."

WUP 05/07/2023
by Niels Otterman
©WUAS Press