Page 42 – 30% Club

Research Collaboration with Monash University Malaysia

Posted on August 26, 2023September 8, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

30% Club Malaysia is thrilled to share a dynamic research collaboration with Monash University Malaysia’s School of Business.

What started as a serendipitous meeting between our Co-Lead of the Influence Pillar, Rejina Rahim, and Professor Grace Hooi, Head of the Economics Department, at a March 2022 event, has blossomed into something remarkable.

The result of which is one of the PhD students took on the research to examine the impact of female representation at decision-making levels on corporate performance on Bursa Malaysia’s public-listed companies (PLCs).

The research found that for every 10-percentage point increase in the representation of women on boards and female executives, there was a significant improvement of 1.4% and 1.2% on the return on investment.

30% Club Malaysia strongly believes that the path to getting Malaysia’s economic engine fired up for a sustainable future lies in empowering all segments of society.

A path towards gender parity and the all-encompassing stakeholder economy has the potential of contributing up to USD50 billion to Malaysia’s GDP according to McKinsey’s Global Institute study in 2018. With this recent finding by Monash University. Malaysia alongside the growth of women representation on Bursa’s PLCs, we hope to see that the ROI numbers grow in tandem for the benefit of all.

Read about it here. Also read about Navigating the Gender Pay Gap: Occupational Insights and Business Strategies in Malaysia here

Australia’s top 20 companies hit 40% women on board

Posted on August 7, 2023August 7, 2023 by Admin

Australia’s top 20 ranked companies made history this quarter (Q2 2023) achieving an aggregate 40 per cent women on their boards.

This success reflects the long-term efforts of chairs, boards, regulators, investors, executive search firms and campaigns like the 30% Club Australia that have ensured continued stakeholder scrutiny of appointments to listed boards.

Of course, the aggregate figures do not tell the whole story. Across the 759 directorships currently held by women in the ASX 300, an overwhelming number are non-executive directors (685) while just 37 are executive or managing directors including CEOs, and only 37 are chairs.

Read the full report to find out more about Australia’s progress toward gender equality in business leadership and 30% Club Australia’s work here.

Where we are

The 30% Club has come a long way from when it was set up in the UK in 2010.We now span six continents and more than 20 countries. We’re actively expanding into more G20 countries

Views: Invisible factors give rise to persistent workplace inequality

Posted on July 20, 2023August 4, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts would not live up to their promise if we’re blind to the invisible factors that hold people back from fully participating in the economy, workplace and school.

Yi-Ren Wang , Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Asia School of Business illustrates this in her op-ed, part of a series of thought leadership pieces, Equity, Equality & Prosperity, in collaboration with The Edge and the 30% Club Malaysia.

Read about it in The Edge ESG section here.

30% Club Malaysia Celebrates a Milestone for Gender Diversity in Corporate Malaysia

Posted on July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

- – Achieved 30% women board representation on aggregate for top 100 PLCs

- – Aims to achieve gender parity in boardrooms of all PLCs by 2030

- – Appoints new strategic pillar leads and creative agency to support ambition

Kuala Lumpur, 13 July 2023 – A significant milestone has been achieved in
Corporate Malaysia with women holding 30.6% of board seats of the top 100 public
listed companies (PLCs) and close to 25% of seats of all PLCs on Bursa Malaysia,
based on data provided by the Securities Commission.

The achievement, proclaimed as a first step for meaningful gender diversity on
Malaysia’s boards, was achieved on 1 June 2023, six months ahead of the 30% Club’s
target date of 31 December 2023.

Dato’ Ami Moris, Chair of the 30% Club Malaysia and Advisor at Maybank Group said,
“The 30% representation is seen to be a tipping point in providing women leaders with
an influential voice, and for boards to move closer to gender parity. The biggest jump
in women on board representation was recorded from 2021 due to Bursa’s Listing
Requirements for all PLCs to have at least one woman director by 1 June 2023,
supported by the collective action of leaders of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).”

“There is increasing push for DEI efforts to serve Environmental, Social and
Governance (ESG) imperatives. As it evolves, DEI is about winning the battle for talent
to future proof organisations for growth and innovation. Numerous studies have shown
that companies with more diverse boards tend to outperform and are ahead on
achieving their climate action goals. Investors are likewise scrutinising boards for their
diversity.”

Stepping up on ambitions and goals

Building on the momentum for diversity, the 30% Club aims to help catalyse more
PLCs to achieve 30% women representation on boards. As of 1 June 2023, 45 of the
top 100 and over 700 of all PLCs have yet to do so.

Dato’ Ami said, “When the 30% Club was established in Malaysia in 2015, its 30%
goal was thought to be highly ambitious. As comparison in the UK, women now hold
nearly 40% of board seats of FTSE100 companies. Our next target is for parity of men
and women on all PLCs by 2030. It’s a huge ambition, but not one that we shy away
from.”

The continued success of the 30% Club Malaysia is attributed to leveraging its three
strategic pillars:

● Activate Pillar – Activating Corporate Advocates that are interested in leading
and signalling their DEI efforts. To date, 51 organisations have joined the 30%
Club campaign. This year they include institutional investors, Khazanah
Nasional Berhad and Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).

● Influence Pillar – Engaging key stakeholders to embed DEI in public policies
and advocate for DEI across their ecosystems. The 30% Club had worked with
the Institutional Investors Council (IIC) to include 30% women on board
representation in its revised Malaysian Code for Institutional Investors.

● Enable Pillar – Building a sustainable pipeline of board-ready women leaders
and professionals through various initiatives such as the Board Mentoring
Scheme in collaboration with PwC. Since 2017, 106 women have been
mentored, and 41% of them have secured board positions.

Since October 2021, the 30% Club Malaysia received active support from Maybank,
its corporate sponsor. that marked a new chapter in the business-led campaign’s
journey.

Dato’ Ami added, “As more companies embrace DEI, the demand for board-ready
women candidates is set to accelerate. Increasingly, we are seeing more women with
sustainability, digital technology and international background securing board seats.”

“I would urge companies to move from mentoring to sponsoring women leaders in the
boardrooms and senior leadership. This involves more active and concerted efforts to
get women with the right competencies and skillsets to the right seats.”

Appointing new leadership and resources

Committed to strengthening and sustaining its business campaign, the 30% Club
Malaysia is also pleased to announce its new steering committee with effect 1 July
2023, comprising the following. INED is Independent Non-Executive Director. ED is
Executive Director.

Chair: Dato’ Ami Moris, Advisor, Maybank Group

● Activate Pillar, led by
Marzida Mohd Noor, INED, Affin Bank

- Frances Po, INED, Sentral REIT Management
- ● Influence Pillar, led by
  Rejina Rahim, Co-Founder, Wahine Capital

- Ar. Ahila Ganesan, INED, Velesto Energy

- Low Ngai Yuen, INED, GDEX and OCK
- ● Enable Pillar – talent engagement led by

- Raj Kumar Paramanathan, Managing Partner, CnetG Asia

- Geetha Kandiah, CEO, KASS International
- ● Enable Pillar – Board Mentoring Scheme led by
  Pauline Ho, Partner, PwC Malaysia

- Norlela Baharudin, ED, Berjaya Corporation, and INED, Prokhas

- Shireen Iqbal, CEO and ED, Alpha REIT Managers, and INED, UM Properties

- New co-leads in their respective pillars.
- The committee includes the Marketing, Communications and Secretariat leads:

- Noelle Lim, Maybank Investment Banking Group

- Jacinta Vythilingam, Spinmeister Communications

- Syaheera Abdul Hamid, Maybank Investment Banking Group

- Wan Mazlina Wan Mustafa
- The 30% Club is also pleased to announce that TBWA\Malaysia, part of the
  TBWA\Worldwide creative collective, has come onboard to assist with creative and
  campaign efforts. TBWA has been named by Fast Company as one of the world’s
  most innovative companies in 2023, for the fifth year in a row since 2019.
- Dato’ Ami said, “The skills and experiences of the new steering committee and
  professionals reflect the intensity of the 30% Club’s work going forward. On this note,
  I wish to thank the previous committee members for their dedication and invaluable
  contribution in laying the foundation for success. They have played an instrumental
  role in shaping the direction of the Malaysian chapter of the 30% Club, and serve as
  an inspiration to all of us. They remain as stalwart advocates.”
- The steering committee takes advice and guidance from the Advisory Council
  comprising Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Dato’ Abdul Aziz Abu
  Bakar, and Anne Abraham.

Great evening of networking and sharing on ‘Inspiring Allyship’

Posted on July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Last month our Corporate Member AMCHAM Malaysia (American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce) along with 30% Club Malaysia hosted “Inspiring Allyship”. It was a special networking event to bring together corporate leaders, professionals, and advocates who share a common vision of cultivating a more inclusive corporate landscape.

The evening began with a welcome address by Siobhan Das Bachran (贝诗凡) CEO, AMCHAM. Our Chair, Dato’ Ami Moris then shared with us some insights about what’s needed to move the needle further to improve gender DEI on company boards and at senior management levels within Corporate Malaysia.

She also shared the good news that as at June 2023, women occupy 31% of the top 100 PLCs’ board seats in Malaysia. This was to have been achieved by the end of 2023, but advocacy and regulation have helped bring this forward! Now begins our journey to parity with more male allies on board.

Three corporate leaders who are male allies also shared their thoughts and experiences about Male Allyship. In the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), a male ally refers to a man who actively supports and advocates for gender equality and works to dismantle gender-based biases and discrimination.

Male allies recognise the systemic barriers and inequities that women and other marginalised genders face and take action to promote a more inclusive and equitable environment.

We heard from Ahmad Shahriman M. CEO, CIMB Islamic Bank who shared with us about “Unlocking the power of male allyship”. This was followed by Rohit Nambiar, Group Chief Executive Officer, Tune Protect Group who enlightened us about “Allyship In Action. Then, Dato’ Sri Idris Jala, CEO, PEMANDU Associates shared his thoughts on “Managing Polarities” and ended his presentation with a mash up of two Blues songs. One an original composition “Hey Brother, Hey Sister” and the Eric Clapton classic “Before You Accuse Me (Take a look at yourself)”.

There was also a brief Q & A with all three speakers that may spur more male allies to join us on our journey to parity.

Thriving diversity with Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia

Posted on July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia celebrated its recent joining as a Corporate Advocate of the 30% Club Malaysia and to generate greater awareness about #DEI and #ESG.

Here are some points from the panel discussion on Thriving By Unleashing The Potential Of DEI at Great Eastern:

👏 Ng Kok Kheng, CEO of Great Eastern General Insurance Malaysia said diversity is not limited to gender and is about mutually benefiting all generations with wisdom.

👏 Surina Ismail said we should value diversity – minorities enrich us with their different perspectives. And we need to make the business case for #DEI to get buy-in.

👏 Michelle Ann Iking said sometimes barriers are self-imposed. Women need to advocate for themselves more, and maximise time and opportunity with mentors that are assigned to them at workplaces.

Great Eastern has 64% women represented with one third in management and senior leadership positions. It recognises that more women can be in management.

„Świadome przywództwo” wydarzenie 30% Club Poland, Fundacji Liderek Biznesu, Page Executive

Posted on June 28, 2023October 9, 2023 by 30club-Poland

28 czerwca 2023 na wspólnym wydarzeniu na wspólnym wydarzeniu 30%Club Poland, Fundacja Liderek Biznesu i Page Executive pod patronatem Fobes Women Polska dyskutowaliśmy o świadomym przywództwie – czym jest i dlaczego jest tak ważne w kontekście działań DEI (Diversity, equity and inclusion).

Inspiracją do spotkania były niedawno wydane raporty 30% Club Poland, Fundacja Liderek Biznesu i Page Executive przedstawione przez Małgorzatę Klokę, Monikę Jezierską oraz Agnieszka Kulikowską, które pokazują, że:

kobiety wciąż stanowią mniejszość we władzach polskich spółek,
progres jest niezwykle wolny,
a w miejscu pracy panie często spotykają się ze stereotypami i barierami, które utrudniają im progres kariery.

W drugiej części spotkania Aleksandra Karasiński, redaktorka naczelna Forbes Women Polska poprowadziła żywiołową dyskusję, w której:

Natalia Włodarska

Mówiła o byciu inkluzywnym świadomie i intencjonalnie, o budowaniu inkluzywnej kultury od samej góry oraz o wyrównywaniu szans – również przez procedury i procesy. Wskazała też na ogromną pasję i zaangażowanie w obszarze DEI pracowników ze wszystkich krajów grupy Warner Bros Discovery.
Aniela Hejnowska

Od ponad 15 lat zaangażowana w inicjatywy kobiece, opowiedziała o tym, jak była świadkiem zmian zachodzących w Francji po wprowadzeniu parytetów. Podkreśliła, że ważne jest partnerstwo mężczyzn, również w biznesie, ale też niezwykle istotne jest wsparcie kobiet nawzajem, co spotkało się z owacją z sali.
Monika Jezierska

Podzieliła się praktycznymi rozwiązaniami wspierającymi kobiety w miejscu pracy (takimi jak mentoring, ścieżki rozwoju bez roli sprzedażowej, częściowe etaty), ale też wskazała na potrzebę pracy kobiet nad tym, że jesteśmy ‘good enough’ i na to, że żeby być na samej górze nie trzeba być ‘Rambo’.
Agnieszka Kulikowska

Kontynuowała wątek praktycznych rozwiązań i zaapelowała, abyśmy byli wymagający wobec HRowców i zewnętrznych rekruterów i nie akceptowali list kandydatów, na których nie ma diversity. Podkreśliła również skuteczność sponsoringu. Wskazała również na dużą rolę mężczyzn pod kątem ich sojusznictwa.
Marcin Petrykowski

Zarysował perspektywę inwestorów i akcjonariuszy, pokazując, że akcjonariusz przyszłości rozumie, że diversity „is the right thing to do”. Podał też przykład funduszu, w którym inwestycje są rozważane tylko wtedy, jeśli przejdą weryfikację komitetu ESG. Podkreślał konieczność wspólnej pracy, ale też zachęcał kobiety, aby wykorzystywały możliwości, które pojawiają się na ich ścieżce kariery.
Paweł Bandurski

Opowiedział o swojej drodze do DEI. Pracował w organizacji z wysokim poziomem różnorodność i dopiero udział w programie mentoringowym i współpraca z kobietami z innych firm i branż pozwoliła mu zrozumieć skalę problemu. Podkreślał wagę KPI i pokazywania korzyści płynących z różnorodności; podkreślił, że w długim terminie najlepszą inwestycją jest wychowywanie i edukowanie kolejnych pokoleń.
Aleksandra Karasińska

Podkreśliła znaczenie danych – dane otwierają oczy, również dziennikarzom; to dzięki danych mamy ten moment ‘aha’. Dyskusję niezwykle trafnie podsumowała, mówiąc, że było to spotkanie inne niż wszystkie, z wysokim poziomem szczerości argumentów.

Wszyscy uczestnicy wskazywali na to, że potrzeba ‘tone from the top’, skoordynowanych działań na wielu płaszczyznach oraz współpracy. To nie My Kobiety, czy Wy Mężczyźni, tylko #TerazMyRazem.

30% Club Poland debiutuje na Perspektywy Women in Tech

Posted on June 14, 2023July 5, 2023 by 30club-Poland

14 czerwca 2023 30% Club Poland zadebiutował na Perspektywy Women in Tech możemy uznać. Bardzo się cieszymy, iż nasze spotkanie „Women go boards”, współorganizowane z Ennbow i EWOB cieszyło się tak dużą frekwencją.

Wydarzenie rozpoczęła Katarzyna Piasecki, założycielka Ennbow, inspirując uczestniczki do sięgania po najwyższe stanowiska i siostrzeństwa. Następnie Milena Olszewska-Miszuris, Co-Chair 30% Club Poland przedstawiła wyniki badania „Niech nas usłyszą! Głos kobiet w korporacjach” przeprowadzone wraz z UN Global Compact Network Poland, pokazującego aspiracje respondentek oraz bariery i stereotypy, z którymi się spotykają.

Aby spółki spełniały cele 30% Club Poland oraz wymogi Dyrektywy „Kobiety we władzach” były spełnione, wiele kobiet powinno zasilić szeregi zarządów i rad nadzorczych. Celem EWOB jest wykształcenie 1 000 „board ready” kobiet w całej UE. O programach C-suite i Board readiness EWOB mówiła Monika Jezierska, członkini zarządu Fundacja Liderek Biznesu.

Mocno oczekiwanym elementem spotkania był panel prowadzony przez Iweta Opolska, członkinię Komitetu Sterującego 30% Club Poland, która namówiła prelegentów do osobistych przemyśleń na temat ich różnorodnych ścieżek kariery.

Aleksandra Hamryszak, członkini zarządu Helbling Technik

Mówiła o swojej drodze od małej miejscowości do władz szwajcarskiej spółki podkreślała, jak ważne jest branie odpowiedzialności za swoje działania, odwaga i podejmowanie ryzyk, oprócz ciężkiej pracy i rozwoju własnych kompetencji
Magdalena Magnuszewska, prezeska Inelo, członkini 30% Club Poland

Mówiła o swojej nielinearnej karierze i ważnej decyzji rozwojowej, którą podjęła, przechodząc ze stanowiska partnerki w funduszu private equity do prezeski zarządu dużej korporacji. Podkreślała także wagę mentoringu i nie ukrywała, iż każda tak duża decyzja wiąże się z pewną ceną i ryzykiem.
Jarosław Królewski, prezes Synerise

Przeniósł nas w przyszłość, w której dzięki #AI i technologii dostęp i poziom wiedzy liderów będzie ten sam, a kobiece kompetencje mogą być cennym wyróżnikiem. Liderzy i liderki przyszłości to osoby umiejące współpracować w grupie i inspirować innych do działania.
Monika Jezierska

Mówiła o tym, jak ważne jest powiedzenie sobie, iż jesteśmy wystarczające (We are enough!) i poszukiwanie role models, którymi możemy się inspirować. Podkreślała też wagę umiejętności stawania granic, także w pracy, oraz rezygnacji z perfekcjonizmu, co ułatwi dziennie życia zawodowego z czasem na rodzinę czy prywatne pasje.
Ewa Drozd

Zostawiła uczestniczki w wieloma praktycznymi wskazówkami, m.in. o tym, jak ważne jest planowanie, systematyczne działanie krok-po-kroku w kierunku wyznaczonego celu, celebrowanie nawet małych sukcesów, rozliczanie swoich planów i refleksja.

Wisienką na torcie było zaproszenie Bianki Siwińskiej, pomysłodawczyni Perspektywy Women in Tech, do rezydencji Ambasadora Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki, Marka Brzezinski, wspierającego wydarzenia.

Bardzo wszystkim dziękujemy i zapraszamy za rok!

Speed Mentoring – Bringing Together Mid-Career Women

Posted on June 10, 2023July 18, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Last month the 30% Club Malaysia held a Speed Mentoring Event bringing together 84 mid-career women from 25 companies, creating an unparalleled platform for growth and development.

Guided by seven experienced and insightful mentors, the attendees had the invaluable opportunity to tap into a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. Engaging in small workshops and mentoring sessions, they not only expanded their professional networks but also collaborated to identify the barriers that hinder their progress.

One prominent challenge that emerged during the event was the issue of visibility or the lack thereof. edotco former Regulatory Advisor Rema Devi Nair, a mentor imparted invaluable advice to women leaders seeking to overcome this hurdle.

She emphasised the importance of women holding themselves to the same standards as their male counterparts. To be taken seriously and recognised as experts in their fields, women leaders must be prepared, purposeful, and knowledgeable, positioning themselves as the go-to experts within their organisations.

Mentor Christina Foo, who is Board member of KPJ, UEM Sunrise, Ancom Nylex and Star Media Group offered valuable insights into effectively managing one’s time and making strategic choices. She empowered women to design their lives, emphasising the importance of setting boundaries and confidently saying “no” when necessary. By doing so, women leaders can allocate their time and energy towards endeavours that align with their goals and aspirations.

CIMB Group Holdings Board Member Ho Yuet Mee compared women leaders to swans – graceful and elegant on the surface, but underneath, their feet are tirelessly straddling the challenges and tasks that come their way.

Women leaders exude a natural sense of poise and grace, and inspire us with their ability to navigate through the complexities of the business world with finesse. But what most people don’t see is the sheer strength and determination that lies beneath their serene exterior.

The 30% Club Malaysia would like to thank all our mentors Rema Devi Nair, Christina Foo, Rejina Rahim, Yuki Aizawa 愛澤友己, Farhan Ahmad, Yuet Mee Ho, and finally, the 30% Club Malaysia would like to extend its gratitude to its dedicated Volunteer Advocates, Raj Kumar Paramanathan, Vani Mahadevan, and Geetha Kandiah, whose unwavering support contributed to the seamless execution of this empowering event.

The 30% Club Malaysia would also like to thank its Corporate Advocate CIMB Islamic for graciously hosting this event and providing an exceptional venue for the participants.

Board Profile Writing Masterclass – What Our Mentees Say?

Posted on May 30, 2023June 8, 2023 by 30club-Malaysia

Recently, the 30% Club Malaysia together with CnetG Asia and HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad organised the Professional Board Profile Writing Masterclass Programme for mentees of 30% Club Malaysia Board Mentoring Scheme.

The programme which has been running for the past three years encompasses interactive discussions, live review of resume, writing workshop and networking lunch.

The participants found the half-day session WoW! as it focused on self-reflections and the power of owning one’s space. Following are reflections from mentees after the programme.

“This session has been valuable as it helps me to evaluate my strengths, weakness as well as what are the competences that I have for board position,” said Luanne Sieh.

“Now, I need to lock myself in the room and put my thoughts in broad profile,” she added with a smile.

For Rayvathi Rajendra she found the programme interesting and useful.

The programme is tailored especially for women who aspire to be on board. The interactive and real-time review of the board profile writing during the workshop was an enlightening experience – we had to apply the tips that have been taught in the first session.

Emi Rice-Oxley wrote on her LinkedIn page that “humility is a virtue but sometimes it comes at the expense of underselling your expertise and achievements. This is true for everyone but especially women. The Masterclass helps distinguish overt, or maybe unconscious, bragging from real achievements,”

She added that “the collective experience of the amazing leaders from diverse industries enriches learning greatly. Regardless of the industry, we share many common concerns and uncertainties in navigating our professional journeys but the support and encouragement we gave each other go a long way to boosting our confidence and success,”

Having conversations, sharing thoughts and experiences from the participants have also helped the mentees to formulate their own thoughts and gave ideas on how to write their broad profile.

For example, how does one convert experiences into strength and competences? And writing them for board profile in a way that entices the board members? This programme helps to address this challenge.

The programme was conducted by Raj Kumar Paramanathan who is the Co-Lead of Activate Pillar of 30% Club Malaysia and Managing Partner of CnetG Asia, an executive search and leadership development firm.

Approximately 15 participants from the mentees of 30% Club Malaysia Board Mentoring Scheme attended the programme.