As International Women’s Day approaches, it’s important to examine how gender roles shape women’s careers, particularly regarding caregiving responsibilities, and how male allyship can address these imbalances.
Women who serve as primary caregivers often face significant career disadvantages, with research showing mothers experience a “motherhood penalty” in earnings.
Personally, I’m lucky enough to co-parent my 11-year-old daughter with an involved father. Working in events means that I don’t always work 9-5 hours. I wouldn’t be able to do my job if he weren’t available to pick up the reins.
While equal paternity leave policies are increasingly common, there remains a significant gap between policy availability and cultural acceptance of men taking on caregiving roles. True progress requires all genders feeling empowered to embrace caregiving without fear of professional penalty.
When businesses support women through equitable policies and inclusive cultures, they enhance their overall organisational performance.
Female representation in business is something I’m deeply passionate about. Sadly, PL has never had a woman host our flagship event of the year, the Cannes Do. This was one of the first things I wanted to change when I took up the role of Head of Operations at PL. I’m absolutely delighted to have found the perfect candidate, and we look forward to introducing an exceptionally talented individual on the day!
I have been empowered by the new PL regime to be able to make these long overdue changes, and I wouldn’t be able to do this without the support of our PL CEO.
The role of male allyship in women’s career advancement has never been more crucial. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the male allies in my life for their support. If we want meaningful change, that’s where it starts.