Come on, we can do better if we stand together.

Last week I had the privilege of being awarded the Inspiring Female Business Leader of the Year 2024 by the North East Chamber of Commerce. A huge honour, in a field of exceptional women, awarded for creating an inclusive workplace culture where everyone is free to be themselves, culminating in Great Place to Work accreditation for three consecutive years, and for two of those also accredited as a Great Place for Women to work.

I’m really proud of creating a positive culture, but I’m particularly proud of creating an environment that is good for women. Why does this matter and what does it have to do with Greg Wallace and others like him? Let me tell you.

Extremes aside, generally speaking - and I know there are exceptions before anyone starts to shout - women take the bulk of childcare responsibilities across the globe, their careers and jobs are often the one’s that come to a grinding halt after children.  If they do return to the workforce at all it’s often to part-time work with little space for promotion, personal development, wealth creation or retirement planning. Women are still frequently paid less than their male counterparts for the same or similar work (yes, even in the UK) and the tax systems across the globe often still favour men. Investment in female led entrepreneurship and businesses is still hard to come by – even worse if you are a female entrepreneur living in the North of England. Women are more likely to be lone parents, living in poverty, and more likely to take the lion share of caring responsibilities for elderly and/or sick relatives. So, yes, we do still need to press for equality, and to recognise the efforts of women at every turn. It’s my role as a female leader to play a part in this. It’s not enough to be passive, we must be publicly supportive of one another, and if that’s considered too “woke”, let me tell you I’m all in.

In the course of the Inspiring Female Awards – the most sparkly room I’ve ever encountered by the way! - the question was asked “Do we really still need awards that recognise women?”. The implication of this question is that the job is done, and women now enjoy the same quality of life, freedoms, financial stability and opportunity as our male counterparts. A fair question for sure, especially in a room of remarkable women who are all achieving great things but the truth is the job is not done, and because of that, these awards are very much still needed. Greg Wallace and the many like him who have gone before, demonstrate this very clearly.  And don’t get me started on the horrors of the sexual crimes committed against Gisèle Pelicot over many years by more than 50 different men. Her treatment in an unyielding and cold legal system designed by men for men, offers further evidence should we need it. Different extremes for sure, but a common theme of systemic indifference to the reality of women experiencing hardship, neglect, hate, sexual exploitation, harassment and discrimination.  Do you know that only 2% of reported rapes in England and Wales result in conviction with cases taking on average 817 days to reach court?  2% - why aren’t we talking about that?

So what does an Inspiring Female Leadership Award have to do with Gregg Wallace?  Well, the award itself has little to do with it beyond emboldening me to use my platform to support the women who have spoken out, and to remind us the work is not done. We do not have gender equality in the UK, and some women are perpetuating an already dire situation by defending the indefensible conduct of this man, and the many others who behave similarly.

I am so disappointed to see so many women (and men) coming out in defence of Greg Wallace. Suggestions that the world has become too woke, that this is just banter, that there should be some ludicrous time bar on raising complaints, and if you’re famous you should somehow have a suit of armour that makes you immune to the hurt of public humiliation, unwanted sexual innuendo and offensive banter. Women – “we rise by lifting others” – what are you doing?

I wrote an article not that long ago about my own experience of sexual harassment and misogyny whilst working in legal practice in the 1990s.  If you’re interested in it you can read it here. When I tell this tale to the men I know who are seeking to support Gregg Wallace, they’ll say “oh well that’s different, that’s sexual harassment”. Let’s be clear telling a rude joke, making comments fueled with innuendo to someone who does not appreciate the banter, or commenting in a sexual way on someone’s physical appearance can also be sexual harassment.  When you combine that with an imbalance of power the stakes go up a notch. Context is everything for sure, but power, privilege and wealth – they all change the game in favour of the perpetrator. Let’s not forget Mohamed Al Fayed, who used his power, privilege and wealth over four decades to abuse more than 100 women and girls.

If you believe we live in a world where there is genuine gender equality, if you believe that male privilege is not a real thing, then please take the time to read a book written by Caroline Criado Perez called Invisible Women which I’ve also written about previously.  To borrow a quote from the sleeve of Caroline’s book: “Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” – Simone de Beauvoir.

To all the men out there I say, step forward and be an ally. Stop hiding behind the banter, and the cries of wokeism, and just do the right thing. To the women out there, in a world largely built by men for men, open your eyes to the perpetual discrimination against women, it creates a “pervasive but invisible bias with a profound effect on women’s lives”. Use whatever power and influence you have not to defend the indefensible, but to lift up other women. Don’t waste your words, power and influence by turning in on your sisters, supporting a patriarchal system that does not have your interests at its heart.

When we tread roughshod over the experiences of these women, all women lose and we take a step back, when we could be moving forward.  If instead, you use your power to bring us closer to equality then maybe one day we can forego female only awards highlighting our achievements, female only shortlists, boardroom quotas and targets, female only mentoring  and education programmes, and legislation to protect us from the worst of it, all designed to rebalance the inequity and harm we continue to suffer. Instead we can just “be”. Imagine.  I like the sound of that.