The World Federation of Exchanges is pleased to announce that 107 exchanges and CCPs will be involved in events this week for the annual ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ initiative.

For the seventh consecutive year, exchanges and CCPs around the world are planning to ring opening or closing bells to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021 (Monday 8 March 2021).

The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is Choose to Challenge. Women leaders and women’s organizations have demonstrated their skills, knowledge, and networks to effectively lead in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Today there is more recognition than ever before that women bring different experiences, perspectives, and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all.

Globally, the percentage of women in leadership is still low. Stock exchanges ring #GenderBell for women in leadership this #IWD2021 #GenderEqualityhttps://t.co/NZ08RFWMWb pic.twitter.com/eAGgDOWqAk

— SSE Initiative (@SSEinitiative) March 8, 2021

Nandini Sukumar, CEO of the WFE said: “We are pleased with the tremendous response from market infrastructures across the world supporting International Women’s Day. As public markets we believe in equality of access and the power of market infrastructure to play a role in bringing about sustainable growth and development.’’

As part of the industry’s efforts to empower women in the workplace and celebrate the benefits of a diverse workforce, the World Federation of Exchanges 2021 Women Leaders initiative shines the spotlight on the exceptional leaders in the industry who excel and inspire. Selected from every corner of the world and across every size of market by nine women leaders in the industry, all of the 2021 WFE Women Leaders cohort are united in making regulated public markets a force for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The Ring the Bell events, both in-person and virtual, started on Monday 1 March and will last for two weeks. The WFE has worked in partnership with the IFC, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, UN Women, and Women in ETFs to raise awareness about the business case for women’s economic empowerment, and the opportunities for the private sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development.

Source: WFE

DTCC Senior Executives on International Women’s Day

Keisha Bell, Managing Director and Head of Diverse Talent Management and Advancement, DTCC

The best piece of advice I have for women is to focus not on being perfect, but instead, giving your best performance every day. It can often be easy to get caught up in trying to be the perfect friend, boss, colleague, partner and parent, but these are unrealistic goals that can take a significant amount of time and energy. Over the course of my career, I’ve learned to focus on the bigger picture, to be kinder to myself and to strive to make a positive impact in everything I do. This mindset has enabled me to prioritize better, build greater confidence and grow in my career and achieve success.

The shift to remote working and home schooling has exacerbated the challenge of juggling jobs and parenting and, in many cases, women continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic’s impact. However, the pandemic has also prompted businesses to take a more flexible approach to work– a positive result during such a challenging time. This has also created opportunities for businesses to take a creative approach to fostering collaboration and inclusivity through virtual training, webinars and other activities that foster engagement, build relationships and create a more supportive environment – all of which will pay dividends now and in the future.

Lynn Bishop, Managing Director and Chief Information Officer, DTCC

There is a significant gender gap within the technology field, and while change doesn’t happen overnight, there are actions that we can and should be taking now. First, it is critical that we continue to encourage young women and girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects to ensure a diverse pipeline of tomorrow’s talent. Second, these efforts should be supplemented by programs and initiatives within firms that help women to reach their full potential. These efforts can include delivering career development opportunities and cultivating an environment where women have broad support across an organization, enabling them to build a network of sounding boards and sponsors. 

Source: DTCC