The Women’s Domain: Bringing men into the conversation

Over the past few months, we’ve heard from some inspiring women in the eCommerce industry and have spoken about the many challenges we face.  Challenges such as women’s health, motherhood, imposter syndrome and of course, overt or even covert misogyny and sexism.  As women, we’ve been fighting against these challenges for years which is why we want to amplify those voices with this campaign.   It was important to us however, to include men in the conversation and ensure our campaign was inclusive – and ensure men understood that they have a role to play here too.

Here you’ll find contributions from the leading male figures in our industry who’s support and allyship is always appreciated.

Jim Herbert, Senior Vice President & General Manager EMEA at BigCommerce

“I am well aware that I have no life experience of the challenges faced by women both day to day or in the digital / eCommerce industry.  It’s therefore very important that projects like The Women’s Domain exist to promote women in the industry; encouraging diversity of experience to better match the demographics is absolutely key for business and the right thing to do. The podcasts are brilliant, and the in-person event held in July was a brilliant celebration of women in retail. Here’s too many more!” 

Dan Fertig, Vice President, Agency Partnerships at BigCommerce

“The technology industry, and eCommerce in particular, has made great strides in fostering gender equality over the last several years, but there is much work still to be done. Women still represent just a third of the overall technology workforce, and are 45% more likely than men to leave the workforce should needs of the home require it. Any organisation working towards equality for women, non binary genders and other under-represented groups should have the full backing of our industry. That’s why it’s the honour of BigCommerce to participate in initiatives such as The Women’s Domain” 

Phil Boyle, Director of Agency Partnerships at BigCommerce

“I’d love to see a truly positive outcome from The Women’s Domain campaign, where an appreciation for women in business, equal opportunities and the same pay for everyone, no matter gender, sexual orientation or binary identification. Nothing should be a barrier to anyone’s career aspirations or goals – we need to support our co-workers and colleagues in achieving their dreams.

It was great reading about The Women’s Domain event held at the beautiful Brasserie of Light in Selfridges, an evening of inspirational speakers and like-minded individuals who are prepared to voice their opinions and strive for a more inclusive industry. “Lifting others whilst you climb” is such a poignant perspective it makes me think that too many people lead a path to success, leaving others behind as they focus on personal goals and ambitions. Whether on purpose or not, appreciating others around us is something we could all aspire to do more often.

Recognising the value provided through diversity, that we are not created the same but are all equal, is how the industry should be evolving. Diversity builds a culture for innovation and creative thinking, a melting pot of inclusivity and inspiration – isn’t this how we all grow together?

For years I’ve felt many women have been overlooked for roles and senior positions, not because of their ability to do the job but because of gender or work-life balance as they may also strive to raise a family whilst working. Thankfully, the pay gap has been publicly addressed, paving the way for many to have salaries in line with their counterparts, we’re not there yet, but it’s certainly better than before.

It’s inspiring to see women unite and support each other with The Women’s Domain campaign, hopefully the barriers to this old way of thinking will eventually crumble to provide a more inclusive and balanced future.”

Colin Neil, Managing Director UK at Adyen

“As a tech business we have a responsibility to ensure we remain inclusive and diverse every day our doors are open. Including different people only helps us to sharpen our ideas and deliver an engaging environment in which everyone grows as we grow. At Adyen, we have a responsibility to set an example and lead from the front. With the help of the team at 5847 Commerce and The Women’s Domain Campaign, a light is being shone on a subject close to our hearts.”

Chris Baker, Creative Director at 5874 Commerce

“Design work can only reach its fullest potential when a range of views, backgrounds and experiences feed into it. A considerable part of this is ensuring the teams involved in producing the work are representative of the community we live in. I’m proud that the team at 58 are looking both internally and externally at how the gender balance is addressed to highlight the importance of a fairer and more varied industry.”