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International Women's Day 2022
Today on Women’s Day, we review the tragic events on which the origin of this day is based while we are inspired by the conversation with a brave and visionary woman to motivate us.
March 8, 1857 women working in the textile industry organized a strike for more humane working conditions, 51 years later, a terrible tragedy where more than 100 workers lost their lives in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York, this incident prompted women to continue with the struggle and the use violet color by feminism: in honor of the 129 women who died in the textile factory.
In 1910, the International Socialist Congress, meeting in Copenhagen, proclaimed Women’s Day internationally and in the following year on 19 March 1911 International Working Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time.
This year, the motto of annual commemoration by the United Nations with the aim of making visible the different problems related to equality and recognition of women’s rights, is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”
It is another sign that female leadership is crucial for addressing climate change and other crises.
We spoke with Cristina Guillamón, General Manager Grupoptima, a brave, decisive and leading woman in the environmental sector.
1. Is there the woman figure in the environmental sector for “a sustainable tomorrow”?
I believe that more and more women are leading entities and organizations dedicated to the Environment, as well as in general, in all the sectors and even in politics.
Mainly, professionals dedicated to our sector is a purely vocational circumstance. There are many other technician-specialists who are passionate about their profession, they are happy in their work regardless of their gender. This fact, together with her professional and personal competence, has facilitated the incorporation of the woman figure into the workplace.
In GRUPOPTIMA, as a company, we carry out our work beyond the tangible, the fundaments of our values are based on equality, honesty, and excellence in our work thus investing in “a sustainable tomorrow”, always betting on talent and effort, enriching ourselves from the different perspectives that our teams offer us, freely and regardless of gender.
2. What changes are still needed to make equality between men and women a reality?
The gap between genders is getting narrower, things evolve according to the development and progress of the society.
The profile of women has been much more conservative and has been mostly dedicated to the world of family, occupying jobs of less responsibility in order to reconcile family and work.
Thanks to the efforts of the previous generations, women find fewer limitations today, and are being able to contribute on the professional front.
The change necessary for equality is for people to bet and position on their personal mark. Nothing in life is easy and any challenge requires great effort and sacrifice.
3. What advice would you give to women and girls who aspire to lead change in their jobs and in the social sphere?
The first thing is to believe in themselves, to draw their professional project and to invest, bet and dedicate themselves constantly to their purpose.
A project goes through many stages (just like a business), with easy moments and others more difficult, and what helps you reach the goal is to be constant in the planned actions, eliminating fears and insecurities, always believing in you. The two basic ingredients are motivation and perseverance.
PROTECTING THE FUTURE TOGETHER!