- Carole Cartica
WOMEN ARE CRUCIAL TO SUSTAINABILITY!
Ecology has become a central concern in society. However, eco-actions seem to be implemented more by women than by men. Is it a women’s thing?
Whether they are greener or not, the point is that women are crucial to sustainability!
Faced with global warming, women are increasingly at the forefront of efforts to reverse the trend.
A fight that goes hand in hand with women’s emancipation and the recognition of their rights. Let’s read more about how as change-makers, women are playing a growing part in creating a more sustainable world.
Breaking the glass ceiling and bringing sustainability to business
Companies at the international level are now paying attention to every element of their value chain, whether it’s ethical supplier relationships, eco-responsible sourcing, energy management, green lifecycle and waste reduction among others. Opportunities for sustainable innovation and management continue to grow, opening up new career opportunities, notably to women, with the potential to lead meaningful change. Women who break the glass ceiling also have a significant impact on individual behaviour and awareness, while driving change and innovation at the corporate level.
Women are driving the sustainability movement
In general, it has been observed that women are more motivated than men to develop their sustainability knowledge and are more in demand for sustainability-oriented positions. It’s no secret, women are more inclined to care about others and be socially responsible, which eventually, leads them to care about environmental issues and be willing to engage in green behaviours.
In addition, women are more powerful consumers and eco-responsible for more sustainable household decisions. Marketers have also traditionally advertised more to women knowing that, they are apt to buy more lifestyle products across a range of green categories.
The dedication of women to make a positive contribution to the environment.
More aware of ethical and responsible lifestyle choices, women are driving dramatic growth in several sustainability-related sectors. This growth is directly linked to Responsible Consumption and Production.
The beauty industry, for instance, is reducing its waste by encouraging customers, through discounts, to use refillable and reusable packaging. Plus, new trends are greener and organic beauty products.
The rise of sustainability across such industries is also helping to rewrite the rules of ownership, especially among younger age groups like millennials. There is a growing trend toward renting instead of buying traditional goods, starting with homes, but also subscription and rental models for goods as diverse as clothing, recycled running shoes and furniture, thus encouraging minimalism and mostly, circular economy.
With a growing emphasis on buying local, circular economies, sustainable supply chains and support for ethical production, the sustainability agenda has made its way into products and processes, but beyond that, into the heart of business strategies.
Sustainable living isn’t just about avoiding plastic bags or sorting your waste: it starts with your relationship with your community and environment and extends to your role in business. This evolution is largely favoured by women who hold more positions of responsibility in their families, in companies and also at the political level.
The impact of the shift in sustainability on your career and your business
Altruism and empathy are key drivers to becoming more sustainability-oriented, personally and professionally. Are these key traits not synonymous with women’s DNA?
This helps influence positive change at the individual, business and societal levels. This motivation, coupled with the desire to become more sustainable, will lead to growth within this global movement.
By empowering women through education and career development, and by emphasizing the urgency of gender equality, companies can leverage the strengths of women as stewards of sustainability. Gender equality must be considered in your company’s sustainability agenda, not only for equity but also to achieve sustainable success on every ground.
To achieve positive results on the triple bottom line of sustainability – people, planet and profit – it is everyone’s responsibility to drive change, both personally and professionally.
Women taking ownership of economies will inevitably drive better sustainable development initiatives to save our planet.
This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme is #BreakTheBias, highlighting a call to eradicate gender inequality. In alignment with this theme, IWD urges that steps be taken to create a more gender-equal society, in addition to a more sustainable, equitable and diverse culture worldwide so that everyone continues to live out last year’s theme, and more importantly, the magic of moving towards a better and sustainable tomorrow.
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