Vietnamese and Canadian female leaders discuss promoting gender equality.

The seminar focused on discussions between Vietnamese and Canadian female leaders, highlighting key issues such as the role of women in leadership, gender equality, and the challenges they face.

Vietnamese and Canadian female leaders participate in a workshop on promoting gender equality.

A roundtable discussion on "Strategic Cooperation to Promote Gender Equality," organized by the Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, featured Ms. Sara Wilshaw, Senior Assistant to the Deputy Minister of International Trade of Canada, and Ms. Christine Nakamura, Vice President, Central Office in Canada.

On the afternoon of November 22nd, an event attracting the participation of over 20 female business leaders from Vietnam and Canada took place in Ho Chi Minh City. Among them were Ms. Dang Minh Phuong - CEO of Forbes Vietnam and Ms. Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong - Deputy General Director of Finance of Vietjet , along with representatives from 20 businesses run by female leaders.

At the event, female leaders from various fields offered diverse perspectives on the role of women in technology, aviation, healthcare, education , and the public sector.

As the invited speaker to open the panel discussion, Forbes Vietnam CEO Dang Minh Phuong emphasized that she has always supported women leaders and feels confident entrusting tasks to them. According to her, during the recruitment interview process, she often prioritizes female candidates because she understands the challenges they face in their careers. She also shared that when she was younger, she always closely followed her CEO and understood, over the past 20 years, the immense effort women have to put in to reach leadership positions currently held by men.

Ms. Dang Minh Phuong - CEO of Forbes Vietnam (left) and Ms. Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong - Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy General Director of Finance of Vietjet (right) participate in the discussion.

Immediately afterwards, Ms. Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong, a member of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director of Finance at Vietjet, shared her perspective on the role of women leaders in the current context. With the world experiencing significant geopolitical changes, entering the digital age, and developing information technology, Ms. Yen Phuong expressed the necessity of promoting training programs to raise women's awareness of technology. She also called for the formation of international partnerships and the building of connections between women leaders and international organizations to spread and positively influence the community.

Ms. Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong shared that Vietjet is one of the few airlines in the world with a high number of female leaders. 36% of Vietjet's workforce is female (2,246 out of a total of 6,500 employees), and nearly 30% of them hold management or leadership positions. This data sends a strong message that women can excel in any field. According to her, women, with their adaptability and perseverance, will help the company overcome crises. Vietjet has many good policies for female employees, such as investing in a yoga studio, providing makeup allowances for flight attendants, and training programs on service aimed at fostering a positive and friendly culture. Furthermore, flexible working policies through online meetings and flexible working hours help female employees balance family and life. The policy encourages female employees to retain their positions after maternity leave and recognizes their previous achievements for continued career advancement.

Furthermore, the role of female leaders such as Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao - Chairwoman of Vietjet, has demonstrated outstanding leadership capabilities, contributing to Vietjet's ability to maintain operations and quickly recover from disruptions. Ms. Thao consistently puts her compassion into charitable work and supporting women. Vietjet maintained a minimum wage for its employees during the pandemic and developed numerous technology projects, promoting the introduction of technology applications in sales and passenger service. When the pandemic subsided, the aviation industry faced a labor shortage, with airlines lacking pilots, but Vietjet still ensured sufficient and growing pilot positions, becoming one of the two leading airlines in terms of market share in Vietnam.

Dr. Thao's journey has become an inspiration to many young women in Vietnam.

Ms. Ho Ngoc Yen Phuong shared that women, with their ability to adapt flexibly and persevere, can lead the company through crises.

According to Ms. Yen Phuong, organizations led by female leaders are ideal environments for developing talent and empowering young female workers, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of businesses. Today's female leaders not only face work pressure but also shoulder responsibilities within their families. Their success is impossible without the support of family and loved ones, crucial sources of emotional strength that help them feel confident in their leadership roles.

The insights shared by Vietjet's leaders resonated with the attending delegates, instilling confidence in Vietjet's success under its female leaders. The world has entered an era of ESG (Employment-Based Gender Equality) and technological development. It is now time for Vietnam to promote gender equality by expanding relationships with organizations for the advancement of women, raising awareness among young women about pursuing technology to master future technologies, mastering AI for practical applications, contributing to gender equality programs, and supporting women leaders to enhance the quality of life.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/cac-nu-lanh-dao-viet-nam-canada-thao-luan-ve-thuc-day-binh-dang-gioi-20241124174206338.htm