DemandBlue continues its mission to embrace equity in the workplace and celebrate Women in Technology. International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to join the discussion of equity. DemandBlue believes in creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture that empowers all employees to grow and succeed.
Going a step beyond equality to embrace equity
Creating a culture of equity requires recognizing and addressing the barriers that have prevented women from achieving success. Additionally, it involves moving beyond equality to understand how equity is a critical factor in the equality conversation. Organizations can begin to understand and eliminate the barriers meaningfully and work towards a more equitable future by adopting fair practices in the workplace.
Building a culture of equity requires a holistic approach beyond surface-level diversity and inclusion initiatives. Organizations should begin and stay committed to promoting gender diversity, address unconscious bias, provide access to mentorship and development, and, most importantly, eliminate discrimination in any form to eliminate historical barriers. We encourage all organizations to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances.
#EmbraceEquity
DemandBlue pledges to embrace equity this International Women’s Day 2023 and beyond!
Embracing equity is a crucial step towards creating a more just and inclusive work environment where women have an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their background. By pledging to embrace equity this International Women’s Day 2023 and beyond, DemandBlue is committing to promoting and supporting equality and equity in its workplace, and all that emanates from the sustained effort.
What do Women in Tech think about embracing equity?
Team DemandBlue is honored to showcase notable Women in Tech from our client ecosystem. All nominated for their exceptional commitments and leadership in this space as women, we share their thoughts this International Women’s Day.
Swarna Mungara – Senior Manager – HR, DemandBlue
Swarna Mungara is a human resource leader specializing in creating an engaged and diverse workforce culture. She has a deep understanding of attracting, developing, and retaining employees. She firmly believes in promoting inclusivity and equity in the workplace that supports and empowers all employees in DemandBlue.
Her thoughts about equity
“Equity can be sustainably instilled as a culture by identifying the root cause for all the historical and systematic inequalities in operating processes and frameworks.
At DemandBlue, we embrace and respect the range of experiences, preferences, choices, and viewpoints our people bring to work daily. This helps us keep our processes and systems open, serving individual needs yet keeping the larger organizational framework in its context.”
Elizabeth Cunneen – CFO – Women Employed
Elizabeth Cunneen is the CFO of Women Employed, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving women’s economic status and eliminating barriers to employment. Elizabeth is passionate about Women Employed’s mission and believes financial stability is a key driver of gender equity. Her commitment to creating a financially sound organization has helped Women Employed remain a leading advocate for women’s economic advancement.
Her thoughts on embracing equity
“As someone who loves all things data, I am proud to be part of an organization that leans into data systems to fully capture the diversity of Women Employed’s (WE’s) staff, supporters, and other constituents. Through data, WE is able to better understand those whose lives we seek to improve, and WE uses that knowledge to ensure that equity is weighed in every policy and program decision.”
Akanksha Patel – Director of Information and Technology – Plan USA
Akansha Patel is a highly accomplished professional who serves as the Director of Information and Technology at Plan International USA, a leading humanitarian organization working to advance children’s rights and equality for girls in developing countries. She is responsible for developing and executing the organization’s IT strategy, which involves overseeing critical technology systems and infrastructure implementation and management.
Her thoughts on embracing equity
“Diversity is what exists and Inclusion is what must be done to embrace the existence of diversity”
Barbara B. Hines – President and CEO – QueensCare
Barbara Hines is a highly respected leader who serves as the President and CEO of QueensCare, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of underserved communities in Los Angeles County. Barbara is a passionate advocate for healthcare access and equity, and she has been recognized for her contributions to the sector with numerous awards and honors.
Her thoughts on embracing equity in an organization
“Throughout QueensCare’s 125-year history, its mission has been one of compassion and equitable healthcare access for all. We #EmbraceEquity in our policies, systems, programs, and services, and see diversity, inclusion, and equity as critical to our communities’ and staff’s wellbeing.”
Urmila Menon – Chief Technology Officer – ATI Restoration, LLC
Urmila Menon is an accomplished technology leader and the Chief Technology Officer at ATI Restoration, LLC. With over two decades of experience in technology, she has been instrumental in driving digital transformation and innovation across multiple industries, including healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. The Tech Inclusion Council has recognized Urmila as one of the Top 100 Digital Leaders for her contributions to the technology industry.
Her belief in embracing equity at workplace
“As a Technology Leader, I believe strongly in embracing equity and the benefits derived from working and building diverse and inclusive environments. I have demonstrated a strong commitment to embracing equity by building a culturally diverse team of Technology & Product professionals at each and every step of my professional career. As Technology leaders, we play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of technology professionals and leaders. I believe that embracing equity in the workplace environment will foster more effective and creative teams of IT professionals.”
Sumathy Dakshinamoorthy – Director of Population Health and Informatics – Homebase Medical
Sumathy Dakshinamoorthy is a healthcare technology professional with extensive experience in population health and informatics. As the Director of Population Health and Informatics at Homebase Medical, she is responsible for developing and implementing data-driven solutions that improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
How does Sumathy embrace equity at workplace?
“We #EmbraceEquity through a broad and fair work environment in which all employees feel respected, valued and given equal opportunities for growth and success. We create a culture that is inclusive and respectful of diversity. We encourage open communication, effectively listen to diverse perspectives and make sure everyone feels valued and included. Together we are committed to bringing about positive change”
Dorian Deschesne-Walsh – Manager, CRM Administration and Operations – New York Blood Center
Dorian Deschesne-Walsh is a seasoned professional in customer relationship management (CRM) with expertise in administration and operations. As the Manager of CRM Administration and Operations at the New York Blood Center, she is responsible for overseeing the organization’s CRM system. She has extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations and is skilled at Customer Service, Strategic Planning, Business Process Improvement and Team Management.
How does Dorian embrace equity at NYBC?
“I #EmbraceEquity at work by welcoming team members with diverse experiences and ensuring they feel valued and supported with the technology and training they need to be successful.”
Equity vs. Equality
Equality and equity are often perceived as one and are used in the same context. However, there is a marked difference between the two words and what they mean.
Equality means treating everyone equally, regardless of differences in circumstances or needs. In other words, it assumes that everyone starts from the same place and should be given the same opportunities and resources to succeed.
Equity, however, recognizes that not everyone starts from the same place. To achieve true equality, we must consider these differences and provide support and resources accordingly. Equity means ensuring everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources to succeed, regardless of their starting point.
It is about creating a fair system that recognizes and addresses the different needs and experiences of individuals, particularly those who have faced barriers or discrimination.
As we #EmbraceEquity for IWD 2023 and beyond, we must focus on equity, not just equality. This means recognizing that women face unique barriers to success and that we must provide targeted support and resources to address these barriers. It also means listening to women’s voices to ensure they have a seat at the table when decisions that affect their lives are made. By embracing equity, we can create a truly inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
DemandBlue thanks the women who have contributed their thoughts to this initiative. We believe this initiative will inspire more women to pursue careers in technology and promote greater gender diversity in the industry.
To learn more about embracing equity and empowering women, visit the International Women’s Day website that celebrates women’s achievement and raise awareness about discrimination.
