Axel Springer’s Post

Excitement is brewing in my heart as I pen this post, ignited by this year's International Women's Day theme that resonates deeply within me: 'Investing in Women: Accelerate Progress'. 💡 It's a call to action that mirrors my professional journey and beliefs. From pioneering gender-lens investing, to championing legal reforms alongside remarkable development partners, my journey has been fueled by the vision of an equitable world where women don't just progress, but flourish. On this day, my thoughts fondly turn to Suzanne Biegel, a mentor whose wisdom and guidance have been invaluable to me. Her lessons continue to inspire and propel me forward. At Cisco & the Cisco Foundation, our commitment to advancing women's leadership and representation is vividly lived. I'm privileged to collaborate with three powerhouse women executives, Francine Katsoudas, Mary de Wysocki & Charu Adesnik. Together, with the brilliant minds of Jocelyn Matyas, Alex Wilkins, and Shai Basys on the Climate Investments & Grants team, we're driving change and setting benchmarks. 🚀 Since embarking on my Cisco journey, I've had the honor of leading investments into two trailblazing women-founded startups. This not only elevates our direct portfolio's women founders representation to an impressive 57% but also amplifies our commitment to fostering more gender balance in venture and highlighting the role of women in driving climate innovation. Nancy Schellhorn, PhD from RapidAIM Pty Ltd, Ugwem I. Eneyo from SHYFT Power Solutions Allison Wolff from Vibrant Planet, and Kelly Erhart from Vesta, PBC - your exceptional talent, creativity, and leadership not only inspire but are pivotal in our collective pursuit of climate change mitigation and adaptation. 🌱 Read more about our inspiring portfolio of women founders below and join us in celebrating their monumental contributions to climate innovation 👇 #IWD #genderlensinvesting #genderequality #womensday2024 #iwd2024 #Cisco #ClimateEquity #GenderClimate

#Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Sustainability #Leadership #FutureOfWork #ImpactfulChange #BetterTogether 🌍 How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fuel Sustainability 🌍 In today’s interconnected world, embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a strategic pillar for creating sustainable, resilient organizations. 🔹 Diverse Perspectives bring unique insights, challenging conventional thinking. This diversity in thought is vital in innovating sustainable solutions that reflect real-world complexities and create meaningful impact. 🔹 Equitable Practices ensure resources and opportunities are accessible to all, fostering a fair environment where everyone can contribute to sustainable growth. Equity isn’t just about fairness; it’s about maximizing the potential of every team member to drive forward-thinking solutions. 🔹 Inclusive Cultures empower voices that might otherwise go unheard. When we build inclusive workplaces, we leverage the power of collective wisdom to craft policies, products, and processes that not only drive profitability but also leave a positive footprint on society and the environment. By intertwining DE&I with our sustainability goals, we’re building not only a better business but also a better world. Let’s commit to embedding DE&I as a core component of our sustainability strategy. After all, our world is diverse – our approaches to sustainability should be, too.

🌟 German Convention Bureau: “right and fair” Code 🚀 “right and fair” (German: “fairpflichtet”) is the sustainability code of the German-speaking events industry. Initiated in 2012 by the German Convention Bureau and the EVVC e.V. European Association of Event Centers, “right and fair” empowers event organizers to showcase their commitment to sustainable practices and set new standards for responsible event management. 💚 Voluntary commitment to sustainability The initiative is a voluntary commitment to corporate responsibility for sustainability in internal company organization as well as event management. It provides practical guidelines and inspiration for event organizers, enabling them to transparently document their sustainable activities in their “right and fair” sustainability profile. 📊 Transparent documentation of sustainable activities The sustainability profiles are the core element of the “right and fair” code: Members document their sustainable measures and goals and regularly update progress. To facilitate comparison for stakeholders, the code specifies how information should be provided, and member companies must publish their profiles on their websites for transparent sustainability communication. 🌍 Aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals The right and fair initiative selected three relevant SDGs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, aiming to track SDG implementation at the municipal level in Germany. Gender Equality, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Climate Action for the event industry are integrated into the code’s sustainability guidelines to promote global sustainable structures and contribute to economic, social, and environmental development. Thank you to all the right & fair members for creating a positive impact and leading the way towards a more sustainable future. 🌍 👉 Discover more about “right & fair” here: https://lnkd.in/eBr3Dwwp #fairpflichtet #sustainability #events #mice #meetings #sustainabledevelopment

New blog update: 🌍✨ Embracing Diversity for Sustainable Growth 🌱 Discover how inclusivity fuels innovation and long-term success! Let's build a future where differences drive progress. Link: https://lnkd.in/gDVf3ipd #DiversityMatters #SustainableGrowth #InnovationThroughInclusion #NewBlogPost

Last Wednesday, we hosted our second #SustainableWomen networking event at the Drapers Arms. It was delightful to reconnect with returnees from our inaugural event, alongside all the new extraordinary female leaders who joined us to make connections, discuss key trends in the industry, and share ideas to drive social and environmental change. Thank you to all who attended! The atmosphere in the room was one of gratitude - for the colleagues, peers, and mentors with whom we so often share frustrations, inspiration, and perspectives. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲: 🟢Regulations are forcing businesses to move on disclosure. However, there was a sense of concern that the increasing compliance burden and lack of regulatory convergence would require businesses to spend more time and resources on reporting, leaving little time for the transformation, initiatives, and partnerships that drive impact. 🟢This regulatory burden is also contributing to burnout amongst sustainability professionals. As reporting expectations increase, these issues are increasingly landing on the desks of ESG experts who are already busy with targets, goals, and strategies. 🟢Collaboration will be vital for information sharing. It’s always been strategically important to work across value chains, but the increased regulatory demand now means access to data is vital. Attendees shared tips for how to start these partnerships and hope that improved transparency will lead to more trusting and collaborative supplier relationships. 🟢Sustainability professionals at all levels are seeing new skills and elements in their roles. It’s clear that sustainability is increasingly a change management and business transformation role – with people skills and stakeholder management becoming a key requirement alongside the necessary technical expertise. We are once again thrilled with the response to the event, confirming our suspicion that this is a sorely needed opportunity to build community with other women leaders in sustainability. If you’re working in a sustainability role and would like to join the next event in the new year, please get in touch with Sarah Mae Smit or Ali Hunter . We gained lots of great ideas from attendees on how to continue building community and sharing knowledge – watch this space!

In today's interconnected world, businesses have a pivotal role in addressing global challenges. NTT exemplifies this by integrating technology with sustainable practices, fostering inclusive workplaces, and promoting eco-friendly innovations. Read more on the The Wall Street Journal article about how NTT is driving positive change through its commitment to people, technology, and the planet. https://bit.ly/4ff0xbG

"As women, our ability to create community is real." - Anna Blue Here are some of the women who've appeared on the Sustainable Hospitality podcast that serve as hoteliers, concierges, and/or in the hospitality industry. Each of these women have had so much to say, and so many bright ideas. We're proud to have gotten a chance to talk to them about various subjects. Some of the subjects include (but are not limited to): providing comfortable environments for women in the workplace, going above and beyond for hotel guests to make them feel welcomed, providing healthier plant-based foods to people, and (of course) creating a sustainable travel environment and ecosystem that helps our earth, not hinders it.

👋 Calling only dudes, guys and other manly menfolk. Come to this festival and MEET THE DECISION MAKERS – rest assured, they’re all also men like you! Phew… Everyone stand back and listen to the authoritative white gent making firm business decisions with his firm business gestures. 😎Try not to be distracted by his nice watch. He’s an edge-cutting, forward-thinking pioneer leading a sustainabilty-driven revolution – and YOU can be one too (If you‘re a man and you can afford to pay obviously). Look at the diversity on display. There‘s two different kinds of hair colour and one beard. Everyone wears suits because they‘re serious decision makers. If they didnt wear suits nobody would know how serious they are! Duh! 🤷🏻♀️Anyway, that‘s it. That‘s the post. I guess even though half the world is female (and many of the employees arranging and visiting these conferences are women) we need to remember the DECISION MAKERS look like this. Don‘t get any silly ideas ladies! 🙏🏻 My ask: for the love of whatever higher power you prefer, can we try to move away from these sorts of images, stories and language – and move towards more inclusive, accessible ones? Climate change is a problem that disproportionately affects women around the world and we need everyone to be part of the solution(s). That includes tech! ➡️ TLDR: I won‘t be attending GREENTECH FESTIVAL this year 😆 Now, I‘m off to catch up on Women+ in Climate Tech Global Network, Women in Climate Tech EU and Women and Climate. 👍🏻 #climatetech #genderequality #betterstories #accessibility #inclusivity #diversity

Attending the Grace Hopper Celebration: A Virtual Journey of Empowerment and Innovation - Me & We This year, I had the privilege of attending the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) virtually, an event renowned for its commitment to empowering women in technology. The celebration was vibrant and engaging, filled with insightful discussions and innovative ideas that left a lasting impression on me. We are the dream! One of the highlights of my experience was the focus on Empowering Sustainability. I learned how technology and machine learning can be harnessed to promote human-centric energy efficiency. The sessions provided a wealth of information about sustainable practices and the role that innovation can play in creating a more eco-friendly future. This emphasis on sustainability resonated deeply with me, reinforcing the idea that technology can drive positive change in our world. Among the many workshops offered, one that stood out was the presentation by Katrin Schulz and Mary Thorn from S&P Global. Their session, titled "The 5 Ways to Operationalize Al at Scale," provided practical insights into how organizations can effectively implement Al solutions. Their expertise illuminated the challenges and opportunities that come with scaling Al initiatives, and I found their approach both inspiring and applicable to my own work. It was a perfect blend of technical knowledge and real-world applicability, making it one of the most memorable sessions of the event. The celebration was not just about technical knowledge; it was also a powerful platform for networking and community building. I had the opportunity to connect with other individuals online within S&P, sharing ideas and experiences while exploring what my peers are doing in the tech industry. This sense of community was particularly uplifting, as it reinforced the importance of collaboration and support among women in tech. The event showcased countless initiatives aimed at empowering women, reminding us that we are not alone in our journeys. Overall, attending the Grace Hopper Celebration virtually was an enriching experience. The insights i gained about sustainability and Al, combined with the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, left me feeling inspired and motivated. The celebration not only highlighted the incredible work being done by women in technology but also ignited my passion for contributing to a sustainable and innovative future. I look forward to applying what I learned and continuing to engage with the vibrant community.