Women Ahead

Audi supports Women Ahead mentoring initiative in Australia.

As part of its #DriveProgress initiative, Audi Australia is supporting the Women Ahead mentoring program in Australia to help create a more level playing field in the business world.

Story by Alison Stephenson

31 July, 2018

When British coaching and mentoring expert Liz Dimmock cycled the entire route of the Tour de France, one week ahead of the men's race in 2012, her journey not only highlighted female achievement, but also long-standing inequality.

Matching the male riders stage-for-stage across 3,479kms in 21 days, Dimmock became the first woman to ever do so, a feat that would not only change her life, but set the wheels in motion for the creation of her award-winning social enterprise Women Ahead.

"This journey highlighted the inequalities in the sport I love," Dimmock, the CEO and founder of Women Ahead said. "The fact that there is no women's Tour de France (despite the clear physiological ability of women to complete it) was a driving factor in the creation of Women Ahead."

Dimmock's cycling achievement ignited her desire to use her corporate experience to bring about a level playing field for women in sport and business. And so in May 2014 the social enterprise was born.

Supported by Audi Australia, Women Ahead will launch in Australia for the first time in November, in an effort to #DriveProgress for female leaders and create a step-change in the number of women attaining senior leadership and board roles in their respective organisations.

Dimmock's cycling achievement ignited her desire to use her corporate experience to bring about a level playing field for women in sport and business

With global discussion about gender equality never more prominent or important, Women Ahead aims to move organisations beyond the debate

"Women Ahead represents the opportunity to make a difference in a space that needs change," Dimmock says, "and an opportunity to draw on my passions, subject-matter expertise and experience. It also represents a fantastic opportunity to bring together this exciting team who are global experts in their respective fields.

With global discussion about gender equality never more prominent or important, Women Ahead aims to move organisations beyond the debate and instead focus on practical action to improve the parity of women in sport and business.

While progress has been made in Australia on gender parity in the top tiers of business in recent years, there is still a long way to go.

Locally, the number of women CEOs hit an all-time high this year. The top 200 listed companies now have 12 women in the top job, up from 11 this time last year.

There has also been a significant rise in female CFOs (often considered a stepping stone to the CEO position), with the number of companies with female CFOs now standing at 20, up from eight two years ago.

But while this is a sign of progress with the numbers increasing, there is still work to be done. The 2018 Gender Equality at Work report revealed the national gender pay gap still sits at 15.3 per cent.

Women Ahead is hoping to bridge this divide, one mentee at a time, giving women the confidence and skills to allow them to progress into the top job.

The initiative has already worked with nearly 10,000 mentors and mentees across more than 160 organisations.

Launching in Sydney in November, the enterprise believes mentoring is the most effective means of breaking down gender barriers and that equality is not a women’s issue, it’s a business issues.

"I love the simplicity of mentoring,” says Dimmock. “At its core are two people learning from each other, sharing stories and offering a space to explore ideas and opportunities.

"It’s clear that when mentoring is done well, it creates a ripple effect that enhances broader development programmes, broader diversity and also, crucially, inclusion."

Women Ahead partners male and female senior leaders with a minimum of 10 years professional experience with high potential female mentees from a completely different industry over a nine month period.

Mentors and mentees are paired according to key criteria (including professional experience, managerial experience, geographic location, gender and interests) and both parties are invited to meet up one-on-one on a monthly basis.

The initiative has already worked with nearly 10,000 mentors and mentees across more than 160 organisations

Cross-company mentoring ensures there are no concerns about confidentiality or competitiveness

Cross-company mentoring ensures there are no concerns about confidentiality or competitiveness and gives mentees a clean slate to discuss their career without concern for office politics, history or how they are currently perceived internally.

And research from the enterprise shows it's not just mentees who have benefited. The program has proved as valuable for mentors as it has those receiving their invaluable expertise.

"Experience and research shows us that whilst you’d think in a mentoring relationship the mentee would exclusively gain – because of all the advice and wisdom they are getting – it turns out the gain isn’t mutually exclusive," a spokesperson for Women Ahead said. "The mentor also benefits. Whilst they are giving, they also get to hear a completely different perspective from their mentee."

Research has also shown mentoring increases retention, accelerates culture change, empowers and develops confidence, creates empathetic leadership and makes people feel valued.

The program also includes three central events held in Sydney during the year to bring together all participants.

Teaming up with Women Ahead is one of Audi Australia's #DriveProgress initiatives to support their internal structures to increase women in senior roles.

Audi Australia wants to create a pipeline of female talent by offering guidance, tools and reflection through a mentoring program which will enable individuals to explore expertise outside of the automotive industry.

Interested in joining the program as a mentor or mentee, contact monica@women-ahead.org.

Women Ahead

Audi supports Women Ahead mentoring initiative in Australia.

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