Reflecting on when and how International Women’s’ Day began, the founders and subsequent generations of campaigners have achieved some incredible success.
But it has taken and is taking too long. So we need to maintain momentum and advance further and faster towards a society free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
Embracing diversity, promoting inclusion, breaking down disadvantage and promoting opportunities results in an enriched and inclusive society. It helps us to understand others, their thoughts, beliefs and experiences, their fears and hopes and brings the most important of things into perspective and focus.
Bernicia will shortly launch its refreshed and reinvigorated Housing People, Helping People 2022-2026 Corporate Strategy. This incorporates four simple, but highly impactful objectives, one of which is Demonstrating Organisational Effectiveness and Inclusivity.
Bernicia has, and will continue to promote inclusivity. We recognise that our tenants and customers come from all walks of life and so should we. We aim to employ great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it enriches our skills base and decision making and makes Bernicia a stronger and better organisation.
We know we’ll successfully deliver our strategy, because it’s been created by listening to a wide spectrum of diverse views, experiences and needs. And likewise, the priorities within it will be delivered by our highly valued, diverse and determined workforce.
With an equal gender balance across our organisation, including at Board and Executive levels, alongside the diversity of thought that comes from people with other characteristics, experiences and socio-economic backgrounds, we’re confident that by 2026 our Housing People, Helping People Corporate Strategy will have had a positive and lasting impact on our people, our communities and our business.
As an active and influential member of the North East business community we will use our platform and our voice to directly, and through others, break down the barriers of disadvantage and tackle discrimination, to expedite that vision of a society free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.
To all the impactful, passionate, determined and wonderfully formidable women I know, both personally and professionally, I salute you on this International Women’s Day of awareness and celebration.
