share on
19 leaders, 19 fantastic ideas on how to create workspaces where everyone feels valued and supported. Read on for inputs from leaders representing Lidl & Kaufland Asia, PropertyGuru Group, StarHub, and more.
– Story by Tracy Chan, with inputs from Colette Wong, Priya Sunil, Sarah Gideon, and Umairah Nasir.
Actions speak louder than words, and this is equally true when it comes to gender equity.
While we still have a very long way to go to achieve full gender parity – estimated by the World Economic Forum to take 134 years until 2158 – every small step we take now counts.
Building on the personal reflections and insights shared by various leaders in our previous editions of this year’s IWD special feature, on the eve of International Women's Day, let’s turn our focus to somewhere we go almost every day – workplace!
HRO is privileged to speak with a diverse group of leaders across Asia to learn about the measures their organisations are taking to #AccelerateAction on gender equity.
This is the first part in a series on this topic, so stay tuned for inspiring strategies in the upcoming second part too.
Wendy Wong, Partner and Head of Asia Employment, Simmons & Simmons
As Simmons & Simmons’ Hong Kong diversity and inclusion partner and co-chair of the Hong Kong chapter of the firm’s gender balance network, I am proud to say that promoting gender balance is a key priority of our firm.
Firm initiatives like mentorship programmes and sharing sessions by female leaders help promote gender equality and have led to women comprising 50% of our Hong Kong partnership, more than half of the associates, and the office.
Meike MacFarlane, Head of Human Resources, Lidl & Kaufland Asia
Belonging and respect drive our gender equity approach. With no gender pay gap and strong gender balance throughout the organisation, including our management team, we actively promote inclusivity.
As a performance-driven company, we believe that supporting employees through life’s key stages helps them excel. We offer adoption assistance, parental leave for all parents, sabbaticals, and flexible working options, including remote work where feasible. By fostering an inclusive workplace, we empower our people to thrive both personally and professionally.
Helen Snowball, Chief People Officer, PropertyGuru Group
At PropertyGuru Group, we “Power Communities to Live, Work and Thrive in Tomorrow’s Cities”. This starts with building an equitable workplace environment where every 'Guru' has the resources and flexibility so that they can bring their best self to work.
We have taken several actions to address this, such as equitable parental leave, flexible arrangements for working parents, and inclusive career development opportunities. A testament to our commitment, we have healthy gender parity in our organisation.
Audra Balasingam, General Counsel, StarHub
At StarHub, we accelerate gender equity by fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our leadership actively champions equal opportunities, ensuring employees feel valued and heard, driving collaboration and innovation.
To support better work-life integration, we also offer flexible work arrangements and wellness programmes. We remain committed to continuous improvement, listening to our employees, and building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Bajirao Nawale, HR Director for Malaysia & Singapore, Sodexo
At Sodexo, we accelerate gender equity through policies, benefits, and culture.
We extend care leave of six days in addition to flexible working arrangements, strengthening shared parenting policies beyond maternity leave. Our diversity KPIs track gender balance in hiring, promotion, and leadership. Pay equity is upheld through regular audits and we ensure inclusive job descriptions. Through the app 'Intellect', employees access wellbeing resources, legal and financial advice. Career coaching, from leadership coffee chats to mentorship programmes, empowers women at every stage.
Michelle Teo, Vice President, Global Own Brands, Healthcare, DKSH
Right from the point of hiring, it has been highlighted to me that DKSH was looking specifically for women leaders, further diversifying representation in the senior leadership space. This has been adhered to robustly in the hiring process, focusing on one’s capabilities above societal norms.
Upon joining, I continue to see DKSH’s commitment in creating more awareness with relation to women’s engagement and inclusion in the marketplace.
Alice Tan, Head of Group Wealth Management and chairperson, Maybank Singapore's Women's Council
At Maybank Singapore, we recognise the richness of perspectives which come from diversity and an inclusive workplace. Regardless of gender, age, or socioeconomic backgrounds, all staff are given the opportunity to contribute, grow and succeed.
While the overall gender ratio is balanced, we are doing more to increase representation of women in senior leadership. One mode through which we advocate for women is the Women’s Council, which seeks to empower women in our workforce with mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development and holistic wellness. We are focused on creating equitable opportunities for women to thrive and contribute to our organisation's success.
Externally, we just launched 'HERpower', a programme to support women entrepreneurs in SMEs. Through these, we are fostering an inclusive environment that empowers women to excel and lead.
Doris Ong, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, ERA Singapore
At ERA, we are committed to empowering women through leadership and mentorship programmes.
As ERA’s Deputy CEO and Head of Project Marketing, I am glad to have the opportunity to nurture many female leaders, helping them thrive in this dynamic and challenging industry.
Beyond real estate, I also spearhead ERA’s Environment and Sustainability Governance initiatives, and we are dedicated to celebrating diversity and equality. Our partners include North West CDC, The Singapore Association for the Deaf, Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations and the Gift-A-Family Programme under ComLink+ @ Jurong West.
I strongly believe that gender equity is about creating real opportunities both within and outside the organisation.
Melissa Kee, Chief People Officer, Temus
We advance beyond gender equity through skills-based hiring, ensuring collective opportunities for talent from all backgrounds. More than just technical expertise or qualifications, we value transferable skills and a growth mindset – passion and resilience are key to success.
Through 'Step IT Up', we’ve successfully enabled career transitions into tech, breaking barriers for those without prior tech education or experience. We champion continuous learning and want to foster an inclusive environment where different talents can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the business communities we serve.
Graeme Greenaway, Chief Operating Officer, CIB and Europe & Americas, Standard Chartered
Building teams where everyone is included and respected for being their authentic self is my leadership priority. One way we maintain inclusive, high-performing teams in Standard Chartered is by building requirements to ensure objective and fair decisions are made for merit-based hiring.
I strive to ensure diversity of talent in candidate pools for hiring, development, promotion and succession plans across my teams. We are committed to driving inclusive practices for all colleagues, such as our approach to flexible working and equalised parental leave benefits of 20 weeks.
Sheena Chin, Regional Director, ASEAN, Rubrik
At the current pace, full gender parity won’t be reached until 2158 – five generations from now, according to the World Economic Forum.
At Rubrik, we’re taking ambitious strides to accelerate gender equity through fair hiring practices and a culture that fosters female leadership. I’m proud to work alongside exceptional women leaders like Wini Anggreni, our Indonesia Country Manager, and C-suite executives Anneka Gupta and Julia Lee.
Through our Employee Resource Group (ERG), Women at Rubrik (W@R), we champion mentorship, open dialogues, and drive global initiatives focused on embedding inclusivity across the company. Through this, we have created a more equitable workplace where everyone feels empowered to thrive, speak and contribute, while also helping address the cybersecurity industry’s talent shortage.
Rohini Sachitanand, Vice President Human Resources, APAC, Japan and China, HPE
At HPE, fostering an unconditionally inclusive culture isn’t just a commitment – it’s part of who we are. Our Women’s Networks serve as dynamic platforms for connections, coaching, career acceleration, and leadership development, equipping women with the tools, and confidence to thrive. Through such targeted programmes, we cultivate future leaders while ensuring equal opportunities for all.
We also champion work-life balance with six months of paid parental leave for both new mothers and fathers, supporting shared caregiving and professional equity. By embracing diverse perspectives and empowering individuals, we drive innovation that delivers greater impact for our team members, customers, partners, and business.
Clare Lin, Senior Director at HRBP & TA APAC, Yahoo
At Yahoo, our culture of inclusivity shapes how we collaborate with our people, conduct business, and engage with our audiences, clients, and partners.
Our Culture Force and employee resource groups (ERGs) help create spaces where everyone feels valued and supported by fostering connections, celebrating diversity, and driving positive change.
The Women Inclusion Network ERG provides mentorship, networking, and career development opportunities, helping women at Yahoo thrive both professionally and personally.
We also offer a comprehensive benefits package to support every stage of life – covering mental health, fitness, and family planning. Our inclusive family leave programmes provide essential support, including caregiver leave, reproductive wellness time off, amongst others. It’s a strong support system that empowers our people to thrive.
Jess Lim, Executive Director & Group Deputy Managing Director, LHN Group
We advocate fair employment practices, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender. With that, we’re proud of our progress in gender diversity, with women holding over half of our senior management positions at LHN Group.
To accelerate progress toward gender equity, we address all workplace challenges faced by our employees and provide the appropriate support to help individuals achieve their best performance, including our female colleagues. We offer targeted development programmes, mentorship, and coaching for those with leadership potential, to equip them with the necessary skills for senior roles. LHN Group also provides flexible work arrangements to enable working parents to fulfill their family responsibilities while advancing in their careers.
Brenda Lee, Executive Director, Global TechSolutions
At Global TechSolutions (GTS), we accelerate gender equity by championing an inclusive workplace where talent, not gender, drives success. We implement structured career progression, fair employment practices, and leadership development to ensure women have equal opportunities to grow.
By identifying and mentoring women with strong analytical skills, we help them transition into technical and leadership roles. Breaking industry stereotypes starts within our company, and we are committed to ensuring women can thrive in the semiconductor sector, as with how they are able to do so in the various other sectors.
Sukhdeep Singh, Director of People, foodpanda Singapore
At foodpanda, we believe gender equity starts with recognising the diversity of our workforce. This means continually transforming workplace policies to address evolving needs, from comprehensive benefits like paid maternity and paternity leave, removing bias in hiring, to equal access to career development opportunities.
We also drive initiatives to nurture an environment where all employees thrive. I am especially proud of our 'women@foodpanda' employee resource group, which supports and empowers women pandas to step into leadership roles through mentorship.
Pearlyn Loke, HRBP, Tiger Brokers Singapore
At Tiger Brokers Singapore (TBSG), we are committed to gender equity by supporting working moms and moms-to-be. Our office features a dedicated nursing pod for breastfeeding moms, ensuring comfort and privacy.
We also offer flexible work arrangements to help parents balance their careers and family responsibilities. By fostering an inclusive workplace with practical support, TBSG empowers women to thrive professionally while managing their personal commitments.
Wei Lin Chin, Group Head of People, Singlife
At Singlife, we are committed to advancing gender equity and inclusivity. We were among the first in the industry to introduce 16-week paternity leave, equal to maternity leave, normalising caregiving responsibilities across genders. We also conduct regular pay audits to address gender pay disparities.
To further promote gender inclusivity, we provide medical insurance coverage for same-sex spouses, ensuring equal benefits and treatment for all employees, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Dr. Sowon Kim, Professor, EHL Hospitality Business School
Founded in 2018, EHL Hospitality Business School’s Women in Leadership (WIL) is an institution-wide, community-driven initiative accelerating gender equity across the EHL ecosystem – engaging students, staff, alumnae, and the industry.
We drive meaningful change through six targeted projects: WIL Day (flagship event), WIL SHP (sexual harassment prevention training), WIL Horizon (rotational mentoring), WIL Buddies (safe space for staff), WIL AEHL Circle (alumnae exchange), and WIL Ad Hoc Projects (research-driven workplace studies). Together, we foster connection, empowerment, and long-term impact.
READ MORE:
- Let’s #AccelerateAction this International Women’s Day 2025
- Watch: Heartwarming stories from leaders on the 'superwomen' in their lives this IWD 2025
- Facing the mirror: How leaders are confronting their own unconscious biases [IWD 2025 special]
All photos / Provided
share on
