International Women’s Day is an annual landmark for women’s collective resilience and successes spanning the globe. Celebrated on March 8th of every year since 1977, International Women’s Day carries profound significance in addressing inequities in and outside the workplace while celebrating the massive strides toward gender equity.
Equity in action
With approximately 40 members, our National Grid Renewables’ Minnesota Chapter of Women in Network (WiN) focuses on intersectionality and fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. At the heart of WiN is a lot of tenacity and courage. Over the years, our particular employee resource group has created various ways to get involved and create progress toward gender equity. We host a book club focusing on women-identifying authors and characters, coffee meetups, attend conferences centered around women, hold our own events each year, and get together quarterly to brainstorm new ways to create equity and inclusion and share progress.
The stories shared in our meetings, in passing, and at our events create a platform for intentional listening and collaboration. It’s been a game-changer to have a safe space where people can share the shortcomings and successes of gender equity. One notable example from one of our events was one of our women in construction’s experience with site clothing and gear. She expressed how the clothing and gear were only made for men. Not only was it a massive inequitable oversight, but it was also a hazard to women’s safety. The same person who shared this story now leads our gear core that sells construction clothing and gear. It was a massive win for everyone involved!
I also enjoy seeing and staying connected with other WiN chapters, including the National Grid corporate WiN group. This past fall, I had the chance to represent our Minnesota WiN chapter at a National Grid Women’s Conference. It was a great opportunity to connect, contribute new ideas, and be inspired.
Inspire inclusion
In the spirit of this year’s International Women’s Day, our Women in Network event centered on “Inspire Inclusion.” With in-person and virtual options, we invited all event attendees to reflect on the meaning of inclusion and how it inspires us. We explored ways to encourage inclusion in both our professional and personal lives. This year’s event also emphasized connection and storytelling. We created a space where both could thrive and continue beyond the event. Activities included a fun, easygoing game of bingo and pledge cards for attendees to reflect on ways they will commit to creating gender equity.
Looking ahead
Our WiN group continues to find new ways to engage with and support National Grid Renewables employees. This summer, we plan to host an event focused on parents with kids at home during the summer season. We aim to provide fun, engaging activities to infuse into those sometimes-long summer days. In hosting this event, we hope to deepen our connections with each other and, in turn, create a support system for navigating the challenges that come with changing seasons.
As our group presses forward to create impact and progress and celebrate our successes, we continue to align ourselves with our National Grid Renewables’ values. From finding new and better ways to approach equity in our place of work and daily lives to leading with strategic tenacity to solve problems, Women in Network recognizes that we are better together and that making meaningful change requires the voices of many.
