For the first time ever, members of EPWN had the opportunity to meet across borders in February 2011. More than 200 people had found their way to Madrid to meet other EPWN members in Europe, to learn and listen and share.
For those who are not familiar with EPWN, this is a professional network where women (men also invited) meet to discuss and learn. One of the missions of the network is to “promote the professional progress of women through all their career phases, from potential through the pipeline to power by mentoring, training and networking”. You can find more information here: http://www.europeanpwn.net/
Back to the European meeting; the organizers had done an impressive job in finding a beautiful hotel venue, getting inspiring speakers and putting together a rich agenda. And all of this was done voluntary.. for free.. in their spare time.. I think that is what impressed me the most, and not only the work that was done for this particular meeting, but all the women across Europe who help other women through their activities (e.g free mentoring) in the network. It made a strong impact on me.
EPWN has several large sponsors and had attracted some high level business people to the event, e.g the panel speakers were Michel Landel (CEO Sodexo), Teresa Martin Retortillo (Partner Bain & Co), Anne Bouverot (EVP Orange Mobile), Belén Board (President Europe, Sanofi-Aventis) and Eva Castillo (Board Member, Telefonica). What I took away as a common message from the women is that to succeed both professionally and personally, one needs to have clear priorities. Easy to say, quite hard to practice – but it is doable. The Sodexo CEO got a mission from the women present; to network with his fellow male CEO’s and influence them to foster a good gender mix, as he appears to have understood the advantages himself! In the US, this is called male championing. We need it in Europe too..
Having worked in the Diversity & Inclusion field for some years now, I wasn’t sure what I would learn going to a conference like this. But I came back feeling inspired and motivated, so I know I will be going again!
