Unilever Pakistan and CIRCLE collaborated through ELEVATE to bring forth ELEVATE FOR EQUITY, an event that took place on March 09, 2022, in Karachi at Avari, Karachi to promote equitable policies within workplaces and enable women to navigate their careers journey successfully.
To commemorate International Women’s Day, Unilever Pakistan, in collaboration with CIRCLE, organized “Elevate for Equity,” an event focused on promoting that when circumstances and needs are different, Equality Isn’t Equal, Equity Is. This event aimed to grow women leaders, improve policies in the workplace, and encourage companies across the country to join hands to build a more inclusive and equitable environment.
Mr Martin Dawson, British Deputy Head of Mission, opened the event by shedding light on the necessity of equitable policies in organizations and how an inclusive work environment can be achieved. The opening keynote was followed by a Fireside Chat With some of the leading CEOs, including Amir Paracha, CEO of Unilever Pakistan; Junaid Murtaza, CEO of L’Oréal Pakistan; Dr Zeelaf Munir, CEO of English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM); and Sadaffe Abid, Founder and CEO of CIRCLE. Among the highlights of the event were the two superwomen – Roshni Baji from K-Electric and Rukhsana Shoaib, a female Careem Captain – who shared their journey of empowerment and how they are breaking stereotypes surrounding the job roles women can pursue.
Another panel discussion was held on Enabling Equity with some of Pakistan’s leading HR professionals, including Jamal Nasir, Chief HR Officer at HBL; Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at K-Electrics; Fathema Zuberi, HR Director at Unilever Pakistan; Saira Khan, Director Human Resources and Industrial Relations at National Foods; and Sana Ahmed, HR Director at L’Oréal Pakistan.
Sidra Iqbal, an internationally acclaimed positive change activist and an award-winning broadcast journalist, closed the event with her powerful words on the concept of equity. She also talked about why it’s more important than ever for organizations to eliminate gender-biased hiring practices and create an inclusive work environment.
Unilever is one of Pakistan’s forward-looking and leading organizations working actively to close the gender gap. Elevate for Equity successfully brought professionals from across industries to share policies and practices on building equitable workplaces and encourage the implementation of gender-inclusive practices across organizations in Pakistan, reinforcing that Equality Isn’t Equal, Equity Is.
Despite the best intentions, equality can sometimes lead to unjust outcomes for marginalized people. On the other hand, EQUITY recognizes that every person may have different needs and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. This International Women’s Day, Unilever Pakistan is promoting equity, not equality. Because when circumstances are different, Equality Isn’t Equal #EquityIs.
