EcoWorld aware of women's influence in the workplace

KUALA LUMPUR (March 8): Property developer Eco World Development Group Bhd (EcoWorld) held its third instalment of the EcoWorld Women's Summit today.

Themed "Removing Barriers, Reshaping Conversations", this year's summit focused on two panel discussions featuring seven panellists from diverse backgrounds sharing their experiences and perspectives, as well as their personal journey on how they overcame challenges to get to the top.

Eco World International Bhd director Tan Sri Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, who is the organising chairman of the summit, said the International Women's Day is gaining momentum in Malaysia.

"The summit this year is even more engaging as the format has been improved from our past years' experience. Today, we are able to address more concerns from the audience," she said in her keynote address today.

"We can also learn how they overcame barriers and address issues from different perspectives," she added.

Sta Maria, who is former International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general, highlighted four key points in relation to the summit.

The points include voice, support, awareness — bringing to consciousness, and macroeconomic measures.

"Those of us in positions of influence must be the voice of those who struggle to be heard or whose stories may seem just too ordinary.

"In the multidimensional roles that women play, we often struggle to separate our role of caregiver from that of formal work, separate work and home. Our male counterparts rarely talk of work-family balance," she explained.

She added that the public rarely discussed the struggles and hardship that women had to go through to be successful.

"Women do more part-time work, more unpaid work than men. When we remove the outer layer we see that there are a whole host of barriers for women in the workplace.

"History shows us that the debate, the arguments, and fight for recognition of women rights have taken various forms," Sta Maria said adding that women need organisational support and policy changes that would enable women to function more effectively.

Elaborating on macroeconomic measures, Sta Maria said unpaid care contributes to economic growth through a labour force that is fit, productive and capable of learning and creativity.

However, it also drains the market of its female workforce.

"It is necessary that we focus on sound public policies, smart economics

"It is yet another opportunity for us to remind ourselves and the world that our job is not done. We need to bring to the surface what some of us know in our hearts and minds but maybe don't see the need to articulate or just take for granted," she said.

Among the speakers at the forum were IBM Malaysia Sdn Bhd managing director Chong Chye Neo, AmInvestment Bank Bhd chief executive officer and AmBank Group managing director of wholesale banking Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz and Yayasan Soroptimist Malaysia chairman Datuk Anusha Santhirasthipam.

EcoWorld chairman Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said the group is honoured by the presence of the women from corporations and civil society groups.

"Such opportunities do not arise often and we are pleased to be able to share this experience not only with our staff but with our partner and business associates as well," he said.

The summit welcomed about 300 guests, as well as staff of EcoWorld.

Since its inception in 2016, the EcoWorld Women's Summit is a continuation of a series of engagement workshops by the property outfit for its professional women's network (PWN). Apart from PWN, EcoWorld has a host of initiatives and policies to ensure that the workplace is conducive and enjoyable for all employees. — theedgemarkets.com

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