Standard Chartered advocates for women empowerment in the workplace

Standard Chartered Bank recently organised a power-packed stakeholder for its Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking female clients.

Tagged, ‘#choosetochallenge Women’s Roundtable, the attracted over 100 corporate clients from various sectors including manufacturing, technology, corporate real estate, FMCGs, oil and gas and many more.

Speaking at the panel were Asue Ighodalo - Founding Partner, Banwo and Ighodalo Law Firm; Yewande Sadiku, Executive Secretary/CEO Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission; Joke Bakare - Managing Director, Medplus Pharmacy; Bisi Lamikanra – Former Partner KPMG Nigeria and Mobola Faloye – Executive Director/Chief Risk Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria.

All speakers emphasised the importance of organisational support for women in the workplace and the role business leaders play in ensuring women are provided with enabling environments to help them thrive. 

A charge was also made to women to courageously challenge societal status quos, gender bias and disparities through excellence in service and responsibilities; dedicated hard work on the job, continuous self-development through the acquisition of relevant skills, creating opportunities for younger female colleagues to learn and grow; collaborating more strategically with each other and with male colleagues and also to proactively take up responsibilities that support their growth and visibility.

Speaking at the event, Korede Adenowo, Executive Director, Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Nigeria & West Africa, Standard Chartered said,

“IWD as we know it is a day set aside to celebrate female role models and allies, and an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment to gender equality as we continue building an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive. For us at the Bank, it is not a one-off celebration but an always-on agenda that we prioritize across our markets especially in Nigeria. We always #choosetochallenge: whether it's through community programmes like Goal and our Women in Tech incubators, or products and services designed to support female entrepreneurs; we continue to empower women with the confidence, skills, knowledge, tools and opportunities to become leaders in their families, communities and industries. As an organisation, we are proud to not only support women but to speak up and take action to fight for gender equality and create a level playing field for all.

All through the month of March, the Bank will continue to celebrate women through various events and virtual engagement sessions.