Workplaces enjoy better productivity and more innovation when gender diversity is balanced, according to Orlaith Lawler, Site Director of Mid-West biomedical device maker Beckman Coulter which employs 420 people in Co Clare.
As the Tulla-based company prepares to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020, it is continuing to develop its links with local schools to inspire more female scientists as well as recruiting more women scientists, technicians and engineers than ever before.
The theme of International Women’s Day (IWD) this year is #EachForEqual, a global campaign to empower women and girls, promote gender-balanced workplaces, boardrooms, governments, sports and media coverage and female/male equality in daily life.
IWD is a global initiative that takes place on Sunday March 8 but millions of workplaces will mark the day this Friday. Beckman Coulter will mark the day with a special ‘pop up’ photo-exhibition featuring some of the stories of its Co Clare-based female employees.
Beckman Coulter Site Director Orlaith Lawler says equality is not a women’s issue, it’s a business issue.
“We are proud to be involved in work that impacts very positively on women’s health – and which empowers women. As a site, we are also very proud of our current gender diversity.
“We currently have a 48% female and 52% male split which carries through to middle level management. One of the Core Values within Beckman Coulter is that the best team wins – and we really believe that gender balance support this. Ensuring we have strong female representation means that as part of our overall Diversity and Inclusion program, we are more productive, more innovative, a better team and also more engaged.
“I think it is very important that we highlight and support International Women’s Day. We need to show the generation following us, both male and female, that the current situation is just not good enough even though we have come so far. There is still so much that needs to be done. Women still receive on average 30-40% less pay for the same work across the globe, are more likely to be victims of violence and are the majority of the world’s absolute poor. We have to ask ourselves why is this and acknowledge that it is not right.”