On Thursday 13 February 2020 300 young women will be spending a day learning more about why the City is a viable career choice for them.
It’s all part of She Can Be…, an initiative run by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal which aims to improve gender equality in business and empower young women to pursue careers in business.
She Can Be... opens up the City to untapped talent through a one day event in which groups of young women visit City firms and meet role models to learn about how their skills are valuable to the workplace, the diversity of backgrounds of the City’s employees, and why the City wants to recruit them.
At a time when 67% of 11 - 21 year old young women believed that they do not have the same chances as men (Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2018), She Can Be... aims to change this perception by empowering young women to make informed decisions about their careers - framing the City as not only a viable, but an exciting option for them.
She Can Be... is a full day event, where young women (aged 15 – 18) from networks across OnSide Youth Zones, Place2Be and Teach First, will visit different corporate organisations in small groups to learn about their business in the morning, taking part in an immersive fictional transaction that illustrates how that business functions.
They will spend the afternoon together at East Wintergarden, joined by City employees both from companies that they visited in the morning and a few further organisations keen to show their commitment to the gender agenda for an exciting afternoon intended to inspire them to consider roles in the City.
Although She Can Be... operates with inclusivity at its heart, the initiative formally falls under The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s ‘Skills’ pillar which targets the barriers that contribute to the skills crisis. Throughout the day, organisations will profile the key skills to show the young women that these skills are enablers to roles in the City, advising on how to develop them and where to seek new skills.
Companies taking part and hosting young women are Albourne Partners, Allianz Global Investors, Aon, Artemis, AICPA, Aurum, Barings, Canary Wharf Group, Capgemini, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Euromoney, Fidelity International, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gulf International Bank, M&G Prudential, Mercer, Polar Capital, Quilter Cheviot, Rabobank, Rathbones, Schroders, Smedvig, Smith & Williamson, Standard Chartered or TP ICAP.
Why this matters
Impact
Our 2019 survey showed:
Quotes from participants
“I really thought that people that worked in investment were mostly men, but it was all women that we worked alongside.”
“I pledge to have confidence in my abilities and remember to take every opportunity.”
Case studies
“At TP ICAP we are committed to ensuring that our culture and workplace are inclusive. We aspire to be an employer of choice for people from all backgrounds, including those under-represented in the City. We were delighted to take part in She Can Be..., hosting a group of young women who participated in a ‘Beginner Broker’ technology simulation. Inspiring young women in this way is immensely rewarding for colleagues at TP ICAP and we hope this kind of activity will attract the next generation of brokers by providing insight into the different career opportunities available in the City.”
Tina Christou, Global Head of CSR & Charity Day, TP ICAP plc
“Everyone at Polar Capital who participated agreed on the importance of promoting such initiatives, recognising our social responsibility to future generations to encourage candidates of any gender and social background to consider a career in finance, to help break down both visible and invisible barriers that may hinder a young person in contemplating investment management as a career option.
For me personally, it was a reminder to look beyond the quotidian responsibilities to the long-term legacy we can individually and collectively as a company establish for future generations by supporting young people as they embark on their professional lives and to be a part of their journey of discovery.
Su Park, Managing Director, Regional Sales Director – Europe, Polar Capital
Key Contacts
Katie Yates, She Can Be… Project Manager, 07780 672699, katie.yates@thelordmayorsappeal.org
Francesca Baker, Marketing and Communications Manager, 07877746155, francesca.baker@thelordmayorsappeal.org
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal exists to have a transformational impact on people’s lives. We are working to create A Better City For All.
Our work brings together businesses, employees, neighbouring communities and charities to find solutions to some of London’s most pressing societal issues.
Our six strategic aims are –
We offer four exciting thought leadership initiatives to change workplace cultures, the impact of which we are building on year on year. These are to create a city that is inclusive, healthy, skilled, and fair.
Useful Links
Website - https://www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/a-skilled-city/
2020 Impact Report - https://www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/about/impact-report-2020/
She Can Be… | #SheCanBe | @shecanbe_ | N/A | #SheCanBe |
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal | @LMAppeal | @thelordmayorsappeal | N/A | The Lord Mayor’s Appeal |
East Wintergarden | #eastwintergarden | East Wintergarden | East Wintergarden |
Resources
Resource | Download | Anticipated Use |
She Can Be… Logo | Website and printed content in relation to the initiative. Please ensure that the logo does not have a white background unless it is placed on a white space. You may need to use the PNG or AI format of the logo to avoid this. | |
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Logo | Website and printed content in relation to the initiative. Please ensure that the logo does not have a white background unless it is placed on a white space. You may need to use the PNG or AI format of the logo to avoid this. |
Distributed by Pressat
T. 020 7332 1582 Additional Contact(s):
Francesca Baker 07877461555