Engaging Men Program - Closing Event: Men and women Working Together for Impact

The need to Engage Men - Achieving Impact Together

Many studies have shown that gender balance in the workplace is critical to optimising the potential of an organisation’s workforce and delivers real business growth.

However, progress towards gender equality seems to be stalled globally and in Belgium. While women and underrepresented groups have long supported gender balance initiatives, men have been less interested and involved. Indeed research from Ipsos highlights that more than half (55%) of men globally now believe the fight for women’s equality has gone so far, it’s actually led to men being discriminated against.

PWI Brussels believes strongly that we need to address this situation urgently, and that a crucial element of success will be engaging male leaders and colleagues in our mission.

PWI Brussels is proud to partner with Robert Baker to lead the Engaging Men Program.

Robert Baker, Founder and CEO Potentia Talent Consulting, is a long term PWN Global Ambassador and expert in engaging men in gender balance.  He has extensive experience in getting men engaged in supporting gender equality. He is also a Trustee of One Loud Voice for Women and the Sister Sister Global Network as part of his efforts to support gender equality.

He is Vice-Chair of European Women on Boards and a Trustee of UN Women UK and selected by Management Today as an Agent of Change 2019, for his work in advancing gender balance. 

A Boston Consulting Group study shows that in companies where men are actively involved in gender equality, 96% report progress. Conversely, in companies without their engagement, a mere 30% report progress. This is not surprising, given that globally men represent some 75-80% of executives and some 60% of line managers. The decisions they make about the women in their companies and teams can make a huge difference to these women’s careers. 

The closing event of the Engaging Men Program invites all genders to go into dialogue with the men who participated to the Engaging Men Program. How can we as men and women work together to create lasting impact, to become role models on gender equality and advocate diversity.