“Women. Fast Forward” kicks off new season’s WDF meeting

Friday 02 October 2015

The hotly contested topic of gender parity will be the focus of the new season’s first Women Development Forum (WDF) meeting.

The event, supported by WDF’s founding sponsor EY, will take place at lunch time on Monday 19 October at the Royal Yacht Hotel and is open to members and non-members of this not for profit organisation.

According to the World Economic Forum it will take 80 years to reach gender parity.

The question for debate at this event is whether or not Jersey is going to wait that long or will it push the fast forward button?

“With the introduction of the long awaited sex discrimination law, the Jersey led Board Apprentice scheme is already making waves around the world and with a report on gender equality being considered by Senator Ian Gorst, it looks as if the island is really taking steps to speed up the rate of change,” said Michelle Johanssen, WDF founder.

Wendy Martin, EY Channel Islands tax partner and a speaker at the event, will discuss how the firm is spearheading a global campaign entitled “Women. Fast Forward”.  The campaign aims to draw attention to the global gender gap issue and galvanize support from other organisations to accelerate change.  Mrs Martin will also share some of her personal experiences from her recent promotion to Partner.

Also speaking at the event is Charlotte Valeur, founder of Board Apprentice who will highlight the organisation’s scheme to enable women, in particular, to gain much needed board exposure.  Launched in the UK at the House of Lords in July 2015, the scheme is spreading around the world from its Channel Islands base to Cayman, Japan and beyond.

The third speaker at the event is Toni Roberts, executive director at the Jersey Community Relations Trust who is publishing a report on Jersey Women in Business based on questionnaires completed by women in the world of business.  The report is thought provoking and makes a number of recommendations on how the States of Jersey and businesses can change the business dynamic.

The meeting will take place on Monday 19 October from 12pm to 2pm in the Celestial Hall at the Royal Yacht Hotel.  Tickets cost £25 for non-members or are free for members of WDF.  Contact admin@wdforum.org or visit www.wdforum.org for more information.