On Friday, Womenetics will host its second annual Global Women’s Initiative in Atlanta with more than 20 world leaders who will focus on the business, social and economic challenges that affect women and children around the world.
You might ask three questions:
● Why should I care?
We believe we are all connected to one another. The issues of human trafficking, economic empowerment, health and education face us as much in Atlanta as they do around the world. The social and economic challenges we confront here are akin to those in Cambodia, Kenya, China, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany or Mexico. Shared solutions are critical if all we all to move forward. The goal of the conference is to foster ideas and conversations to help develop those solutions.
● Why frame these discussions in the context of women?
Womenetics believes in women. We believe in their innovation, their creativity and their collaboration. We believe they hold the key to the future. Women’s leadership positively alters conditions, and their abilities to reach and inspire significantly effect change.
● Why in Atlanta?
People around the world recognize Atlanta as the home of the civil rights movement. Given that legacy, Womenetics suggests that Atlanta also should be the headquarters of the human rights movement and the women’s empowerment movement. We agree with Hillary Rodham Clinton when, as first lady, she said, “No country can get ahead with half its citizens left behind.”
This is not about a big group hug for women. Having women in the top business leadership ranks is an economic imperative. McKinsey, in its latest quarterly “Changing Companies’ Minds About Women,” said: “A bevy of research highlights strong statistical correlations among a large number of senior women, financial performance, and organizational health. The bottom line: companies gain hard business benefits from a more diverse senior team.”
I couldn’t have said it better. Women make good business sense.
We intend for our efforts — and the dialogue and relationships we engender at the Global Women’s Initiative — to contribute solutions that will make a difference in Atlanta and around the world.
Elisabeth L. Marchant is founder and CEO of Atlanta-based Womenetics, which aims to advance women in leadership roles.
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