Celebrating International Women’s Day at the RSA
Lisa Cowan, European Ethical Markets Correspondent Celebrates International Women’s day – in very good company! March 8th, 2012 at the RSA in London
WINDOW2050™ is the Women’s Intergenerational Network for Development Opportunities & Wealth. Initiated by Sustainability expert Rosemary De Vos, this network harnesses the combined power of women from across generations to create a powerful force for lasting change. Its agenda is rooted around the combination of Environment, Economics and Society and uses six themes to focus its activities:
1. Image, Consumption & Responsible Lifestyles
2. Education, Psychology & Coaching for Change
3. Gender Equality, Employment & Entrepreneurship
4. Household, Family & Healthcare
5. Pensions & Investing Responsibly
6. Leisure, Volunteering & Giving
The initial meeting of this network took place on the evening of International Women’s Day and was attended by women across a wide range of backgrounds (and ages!). Speakers contributed to five of the six themes
· Hazel Henderson – Ethical Markets Media, on Image, Consumption & Responsible Lifestyles
· Dr Dina Glouberman – co-founder of Skyros Holistic Holidays, on Education, Psychology & Coaching for Change
· Kirsty Schneeberger MBE – Stakeholder Forum, on Gender Equality, Employment & Entrepreneurship
· Elizabeth Boultbee FIPA MIEx MIHM – Boultbee & Co, on Household, Family & Healthcare:
· Samantha Mauger – Chief Executive, Age UK (London), on Leisure, Volunteering & Giving:
For me, the area I’m most interested in professionally is Pensions and Investing responsibly. I am hugely inspired by the work of the UN PRI who are working to persuade investors and asset managers to sign up to a framework which incorporates ESG issues into their decision-making and ownership practices. A broad reaching network like WINDOW2050 could create an additional route to raising the awareness of this and a great many other initiatives like beyond GDP, The GRI reporting initiative, The Green Transition Scoreboard® to mention but a few.
It’s impossible to summarise the words of speakers from such a wide range of subjects except to say that I left the evening uplifted and inspired by the potential of being connected to such a phenomenal gathering of women.
If you would like to know more about WINDOW2050, please visit their website http://www.window2050.com/ and ask to be added to their network. Another event will be organised later in the year, and I encourage women of all ages with a passion for matters relating to sustainability to get involved. Who knows what you could contribute or take away from the experience?
Lisa Cowan
Ethical Markets Media European Correspondent