Responsibility and accountability are values I take very seriously. Whether it's my role as the Corporate Citizenship Lead in Canada for Accenture or my role as a wife, mother, friend, sister or daughter. I do my best to make sure I am behaving in an ethical manner. I feel very lucky for the life and opportunities I have.
I also realize that far too many women and girls are denied their rights around the world, including in my home country of Canada. This is why I am honored to share some of the details about the role I have and how meaningful it is to me. The idea of corporate citizenship is not viewed as a "nice to have" but rather an "absolutely must have" for Accenture, a global professional services company, and many other companies around the world. My program includes women as a key demographic in our investment strategy because of the strong need to focus on women's issues.
There has been enormous progress made towards equality over the years; however, there still is a lot of hard work to do. Far too many women and girls continue to face injustices and discrimination. It is unacceptable that in 2016, women are still denied an education, forced into an early marriage, or made victims of gender-based violence. As leaders, as parents, and as community members, upholding women's rights should be-and must be-a priority for us all.
As a female leader at my company, my role allows me to live the values of inclusion and diversity every day. Including women's agencies in our portfolio of supported charities is another way I support gender equality. Providing women at qualifying charities with the skills they require to help them secure meaningful employment is just the beginning.
Being featured in this video was flattering. However, my sincere goal is that it inspires others to know you can have a leadership role and do what you love at the same time!