International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8th to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. This year’s theme, #EmbraceEquity, highlights the need to address the gender inequalities that persist in every corner of the globe.
Despite the progress that’s been made in the last century alone, women continue to face significant barriers that limit their opportunities and hinder their ability to fully participate in society. This is particularly true for women from marginalised communities, including women of colour, women with disabilities and LGBTQ+ women.
At Elevate we’re working to break down those barriers, supporting the incredible females within our community. From business leaders to HQ team members, we’ve been speaking to our team to discover their experience as a female within the industry, and what #EmbraceEquity means to them.
Meet Julie Reed, Managing Director at Elevate France and Elevate DACH
What is your experience within the events industry?
I started my career in the industry 15 years ago, I originally trained to be a lawyer but found this to be far too flat for me and uneventful so in 2012 I packed all my things and moved to London from Paris. This was the very beginning of an incredible journey as the very first event I got to manage was the Club France for the London Olympics in 2012. I also found myself working on events for brands such as Nike, H&M and Desperados as Event Manager and Brand Ambassador. I love the adrenaline that comes with our sector and have been a part of it ever since!
What does equity mean to you?
Equity is making a conscious effort to put everyone on the same level, so this goes far beyond equality.
What’s the best example of female equity in the workplace that you’ve experienced?
My first project in the industry, the London Olympics in 2012. The company I worked for at the time gave me the entire project to manage from start to finish, I was completely new to the industry and very young, but they did everything they could to give me the tools I needed to succeed. They were here to support, trusted me and pushed me. I was definitely starting from a very different place than my other colleagues who had their own projects to manage but we all ended up at the same level.
What change do you think the industry needs to make to support females?
I have worked across several European markets, and I would say that each market is very different in terms of how women are supported and represented. If we look at France alone there is still a lot to do especially when it comes to working mothers and Senior Management / C-suite representation, both combined is even more true. There needs to be a bigger drive to support those women and allow them to have a better work-life balance. The event industry is very demanding and stressful, combined with a family, women often have to make a choice.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
Never take no for an answer and ultimately lead the way for other women, we are here to support each other.
On this International Women’s Day, let us all commit to #EmbracingEquity and work towards a world where every woman has the opportunity to thrive.
