Rayner Essex celebrates International Women’s Day by empowering women across the board

This International Women’s Day (IWD), we are taking the time to celebrate the incredible contributions of women at Rayner Essex and beyond. We are proud to be part of a global community celebrating female achievement and striving to create a more gender-inclusive future. We are also reflecting on the ways we can continue to promote gender equality and create a more inclusive workplace.

What does International Women’s Day mean to Rayner Essex?

At Rayner Essex, we recognise the importance of gender equality and are committed to honouring the achievements of women. We believe that everyone, regardless of gender, should have the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.

In what was once a traditionally male-dominated industry, we are proud to have a diverse workforce comprising over 59% of women, with 62.5% of our management team at Assistant Manager, Manager and Executive Manager levels being female.

At our Director and Partner level, 1 out of 3 are females, this is compared to 1 out of 8, only four years ago. This shows our continuing drive and commitment to equality and equal opportunities in the workplace.

We are passionate about empowering women to be their best selves in all areas of their lives. We promote a culture of work-life balance that enables employees to balance their home and work life through all stages of life, including raising a family, the menopause, and caring for elderly relatives.  Through the implementation of flexible and agile working policies, home and office working, we have created an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, both at work and personally.

We asked some of our colleagues what IWD means to them:

“IWD is a celebration of who we are! As a mother, I always strive to balance life as a mum, my career and my work life! Rayner Essex supports women like myself returning from maternity leave,  and whilst daunting, making me feel welcome. Rayner Essex recognizes the importance of putting my children first when they are sick and the agile working policy gives me the flexibility to find the perfect balance.” Roma Barreto, Accounting Solutions

“Having recently become a father, the understanding and adaptability that Rayner Essex has shown me has enabled me to help support my wife in balancing her life as a mother alongside her work life” Daren Maloy, Assistant Manager

“For me, a big part of encouraging women to strive for more in the workplace is removing barriers that may be stopping them. Unfortunately, for many women, one of these barriers is juggling a career and children. When I had my son nearly 18 years ago I think I was one of the first women in the firm to come back to work full time. This was only achieved due to a little tweaking of working hours and the ability to work from home, even before that was a thing! It’s now great to see that there are a lot more mums working full time due to our agile and hybrid working policies” Claire Barringer, Director, Accounting Solutions

“The flexibility offered by Rayner Essex is outstanding.  The supportive and friendly working environment has given me the work life balance to continue to have a rewarding professional career as a working mum.”  Nicola Thurston, HR Manager

“At Rayner Essex, we do everything we can to empower and support women in their careers, and have agile and hybrid working policies which provides the flexibility required for them to confidently pursue successful careers. This also improves employee retention and satisfaction, with many of our female staff being with us for over 10 years. We are delighted to support women and their achievements! ” Antony Federer, Partner

What does International Women’s Day mean (IWD)

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on the 8th of March and recognises and celebrates women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements throughout the world. It is also a call to action to strive for gender equality in all areas of life and is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the strength and resilience of women, their unique capabilities, and their contributions to society. It also acknowledges the challenges and barriers women still face today and how we must continue to work towards equality and equity.

Gender inequality is still a significant issue in many parts of the world. Women continue to face discrimination and gender bias in the workplace. IWD reminds us of the progress made towards gender equality and also highlights the work that still needs to be done. IWD is important for both men and women as it recognises the importance of working towards a more gender-equal society. It’s a chance to learn about women’s experiences and perspectives and think about how they can create a more equitable and just world.

International Women’s Day is a reminder that achieving gender equality is a shared responsibility. By working together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can live and thrive with dignity, respect, and equality. So this year, please join us in celebrating the amazing women in our lives and continue to advocate for gender equality.

Why is International Women’s Day celebrated?

Gender inequality is still a significant issue in many parts of the world. Women continue to face discrimination and gender bias in the workplace. IWD reminds us of the progress made towards gender equality and also highlights the work that still needs to be done. IWD is important for both men and women as it recognises the importance of working towards a more gender-equal society. It’s a chance to learn about women’s experiences and perspectives and think about how they can create a more equitable and just world.

International Women’s Day is a reminder that achieving gender equality is a shared responsibility. By working together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can live and thrive with dignity, respect, and equality. So this year, please join us in celebrating the amazing women in our lives and continue to advocate for gender equality.