Celebrating women in leadership as a recipient of this year’s 2022 Globe and Mail Report on Business Magazine's Women Lead Here list!
The road to building a truly inclusive culture begins with our people and today, we’re celebrating the strides we’ve made for women in leadership at Rogers through our recognition on the 2022 Report on Business Magazine’s Women Lead Here list.
This recognition demonstrates the actions we continue to take everyday to uplift and provide leadership opportunities to women from coast-to-coast.
Today, we’re also celebrating that Rogers has been included as one of 418 companies across 45 countries on Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for our commitment to transparency and setting a new standard in gender-related data reporting across five pillars: female leadership & talent pipeline, equal pay & gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand.
To highlight these remarkable achievements, we sat down with two of our team members, Shannon Bell, SVP IT, and Jennifer Chan, Director Digital Ad Operation, to learn about their careers as women in business and how they hope to inspire the next generation of female leaders.
Why do you believe mentorship is so valuable when it comes to uplifting women in business?
Shannon Bell, SVP IT
Shannon – “I believe mentoring is important at all stages of your career and as a woman in technology, it’s been invaluable to me personally. Throughout my career, a number of people have been gracious with their time to help coach and guide me, and I take a lot of pride in supporting women developing in their careers now. The benefit of someone else’s perspective and experience can help you overcome challenges that may seem overwhelming or unfamiliar.”
Jennifer Chan, Director Digital Ad Operation
Jennifer – “At the very least, having someone that can guide and help you avoid pitfalls through their experience is always useful. However, making the time & space to talk through the twin anchors of self-doubt and second-guessing is invaluable. A mentor can help in all these things and free you to move forward.”
Throughout your career, you’ve taken on various leadership roles – what is the one message you’d share with women who are looking to level up in their careers and step into leadership roles?
Shannon – “Seek out challenges that will keep you energized, motivated and excited. Be confident in yourself and your abilities. And don’t be afraid to take that next role and start your leadership journey. Throughout my career, I’ve put my hand up for some of the most difficult challenges and this has led to some of the most rewarding work experience and career growth.”
Jennifer – “Be engaged with your industry communities for opportunities to help others. This is just good and at the same time allows you to showcase your skills and knowledge. To help fast track things, reach out to people you admire with genuine intent. It’ll surprise you how often you’ll connect.”
Why is recognition like this one meaningful to you and the work you do?
Shannon – “It is incredibly important to me personally, that I work for an organization that supports inclusion and diversity, including gender diversity. Rogers being part of The Globe and Mail’s 2022 Report on Business Women Lead Here list, and being recognized for gender-diversity keeps the dialog going on the importance of diversity as a core value within the organization.”
Jennifer – “Representation. I was recognized recently as one of Women in Communications & Technology’s Mentors of the Year. It was both fulfilling to acknowledge yet daunting in the attention it generated. But to see success and identify with someone who has shared a fair slice of your life experience can be surprisingly significant. When we are used to seeing so little, every bit counts. So, even if I will never know who they are, if my being visible prompts someone to explore new paths of opportunity – even in the slightest – this pushes me forward to keep sharing my voice and making space for others.”
The work on inclusion and diversity is never done – as individuals, at our workplace, and throughout society. The road to building an inclusive culture is one that is continuously evolving, and it’s important to celebrate the diverse people and important milestones that continue to propel us forward along the way. We’re honoured to be recognized for our continued efforts!