It’s easy to say that we’re living in a time of increased equality, not only in the workplace but in every sphere of life. But the more we learn and explore this new culture, we find that it’s not just about equality; we need to go deeper and talk about equity.
A recent definition that I read put it like this:
“Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognises that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”
In the same way our last blog explored equity in a broader sense, this one is about narrowing in on our women – amazing humans who have been sidelined and overlooked for far too long. Not only do we need to create equal opportunities for them, but we also need to provide extra support to compensate for the decades of disadvantage.
In a recent article, a diverse group of powerful and influential women in our industry were interviewed and here were some of the things they had to share about how and where we can improve:
The automotive industry is ever-changing and it is critical we focus on training and enhancing local skills. Our skill requirements were revolutionised during the implementation of our new retail sales model in 2020, for example, and we need to remain agile to ensure we are ready for change.
Penny Sterley, general manager BMW Motorrad SA
I believe it can improve by tackling gender disparity head on and leading the fight to promote more female leaders within the automotive industry. I would also like to see South African motor manufacturing at the forefront of sustainable mobility. It would be lovely to see a locally manufactured electric vehicle in our country.
Fhumulani Mothale, brand manager Audi SA
In all industries I worked in, one of the key areas any organisation can benefit from is enhancing relationships. While performance delivery should always be held to the highest standard, connecting with people must never be overlooked. Bridgestone has come a long way in breaking down a lot of barriers, not just in terms of gender and racial transformation, but in terms of offering people at all levels the opportunity to have their voices heard.
Nirvana Sivalingam, head of procurement Bridgestone Southern Africa
In my humble opinion, transformation in the boardrooms — we need more women who are passionate about our industry to take up more spaces. SA has a diverse mix of women who are fully capable to lead and add their valuable insights to shape our industry to greater heights. I believe this transformation drive can be fast tracked.
Princess Ndlhovu, head of fleet and business Haval Motor SA
When we started Transformd, we believed that we could bring transformation to the industry through better leadership, which meant finding the right people for the task and helping you put them in the right places in your dealership! We believe this even more passionately today and are committed to sticking to our mission. We’d love to hear from you if you have ideas on how we can expand and enhance this role.