International Women's Day: Focusing on Driving Value for Your Business

International Women’s Day: Focusing on driving value for your business 

Written by Ryan O’Keeffe, Managing Director, Corporate Communications, BlackRock 

I #ChooseToChallenge equity in the workplace. I believe that an equitable workforce is the best value-driver for your business. 

It is crucial to champion the elevation of women, in both a personal and professional context, everywhere in the world. I don’t just say this as a husband, a son, a father of two daughters and a brother of two sisters. I say this as a business leader. 

This month we celebrated women everywhere in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. But it cannot be a day or a month – businesses need to make this a full-time priority. A company that celebrates diversity – differences in backgrounds, experiences and perspectives – will find that it enjoys a more connected workforce, one that solves problems more effectively and delivers better outcomes for its clients and other stakeholders. 

We’re on a journey towards gender equality, and we have a lot of work to do. However, there are some bright spots: I am proud to be part of a European Executive Committee that is more than 40% female. I benefit every day as a member of a team made up of so many women – intelligent, capable leaders whose innovation and tenacity drive the Communications strategy of the world’s largest asset manager. 

We cannot allow fear of failure to hold us back. The prize is too great, and the duty – not only to our female colleagues but also to our shareholders – is too weighty. We need to run at this – HARD! As Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley, told us last week at our Women’s Initiative Network IWD event, “Fear has no place in your success equation.” 

Celebrating International Women’s Day at BlackRock 

BlackRock’s Women’s & Allies Initiative Network (WIN) engaged thousands of colleagues through a photo challenge that brought to life the theme of International Women’s Day, #ChooseToChallenge. 

Employees from around the globe posted pictures and shared what they chose to challenge. For every photo, BlackRock made a donation to the Malala Fund. As a result, BlackRock donated $50,000 to the nonprofit that is helping to break down barriers to education for the 130 million young girls out of school today. Here is what some BlackRock colleagues will do to create an inclusive world.