On 6 and 7 March, we hosted events in both Guernsey and Jersey to highlight the benefits of having a diverse leadership team in business and how this links directly to higher economic performance.
During a week which celebrated International Women's Day (8 March), the packed events, entitled ‘Women in Work: The Key to Economic Success in the Channel Islands’, delved deeper into how more women participating in work, more women leading local businesses, more women creating new businesses and closing the gender pay gap would give a massive lift to our local economy.
We firmly believes that the untapped source of talent and key to our Islands' future success are women. Together with a diverse panel of both local and international speakers in both Guernsey and Jersey, we explored how policymakers, educators and businesses can realise this untapped potential and, in doing so, bridge the skills gap and boost diversity, prosperity and growth in the Channel Islands.
The events, which had waiting list on both Islands, were held in Guernsey on 6 March at St James and in Jersey on 7 March at the Radisson Blu. Keynote speakers across both events included PwC UK's Diversity and Inclusion Consulting Leader, Jon Terry, Global CEO at Equiom Group, Sheila Dean, and PwC Northern Ireland 'TechSheCan' expert, Narelle Allen.
In Guernsey, they shared the stage alongside PwC's leadership team and Deputy Gavin St Pier (President of the Policy and Resources Committee, States of Guernsey), Lucy Ann Kirby (Head of Digital, Economic Development, States of Guernsey) and Andreas Tautscher (CEO, Altair Partners).
In Jersey, Jon, Sheila and Narelle were joined by Jess Dunsdon (ITV News Presenter, Channel TV), Rory Steel (Director of Beaulieu Institute of Technology), Becky Houze (4th Generation Dairy Farmer, Lodge Farm) and Nicolle Maltwood (Chairwoman, Women in Tech, Jersey).
The highly experienced panellists discussed real examples of how the most successful organisations have managed to achieve and benefit from greater gender diversity in senior roles. As the use of automation and artificial intelligence gather pace, they elaborated on how it’s often the skills that can’t be replicated by machines such as creativity, empathy and adaptability that are the most prized.
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Progress towards gender equality in the Channel Islands will take decades to achieve if the current pace of change continues. Despite some progress on the gender pay gap in Jersey and low female unemployment in both islands, we are falling behind other major economies like Luxembourg, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK...
Women are a critical but still under-utilised source of talent and economic dynamism. How can policymakers, educators and businesses realise this untapped potential? How can women who want to work, earn more and advance their careers, seize the opportunity?
Marketing and Communications Director, PwC Channel Islands
Tel: +44 7700 838353
