Article
Invest in her: Celebrating Women’s History Month at Smartsheet
April 17, 2024
Throughout March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to commemorate the invaluable contributions that women have made to our global society. Together with the Women and Gender Minorities employee resource group (ERG) at Smartsheet, we show our appreciation and recognition by highlighting women’s achievements and boosting their voices, while focusing on themes like gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Women and Gender Minorities (WGM) is an ERG committed to fostering a workplace where women and gender minority employees can do their best work, develop as leaders within Smartsheet, shape company culture, and positively impact the global community. WGM often works closely with our other ERGs to collaborate and cross-promote events and initiatives that represent and uplift women and gender minorities, as well as hosting and scheduling programming of their own.
How we celebrate Women’s History Month
This year, WGM chose “Invest in Her” as their Women’s History Month theme, and organized a month of specialized programming that centered around investing not just money, but time, energy, resources, power, and education into women and gender minorities. This included a book club discussion, volunteer and fundraising events, educational webinars, in-person networking opportunities, and panel discussions. This programming is in addition to ongoing initiatives, like discussion series’ aimed at providing insight into career growth and shedding light on positions and parts of the business employees may not be familiar with, as well as participation and sponsorship of the Women in Tech Regatta in April.
BookSmart discussion
Our DEI book club series read and discussed The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates. Led by Amelia R., our VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the discussion focused on prioritizing one's own needs and balancing societal expectations with personal goals. The conversation also touched on issues of poverty, gender norms, the challenges of allyship initiatives, and the importance of unity between women in the community.
Fundraising for Dress for Success
WGM participated in fundraising for Dress for Success, a global not-for-profit organization that helps women achieve economic independence by creating a support network, providing professional attire, and giving them the tools to thrive in work and in life. These donations contribute directly to their mission to advance women’s equity and help unemployed and underemployed women in their pursuit of economic independence.
Educational financial webinars
WGM organized two educational webinars focused on financial planning for women hosted by Fidelity Investments. Participants learned best practices for planning, organizing, and saving for the future, as well as how to manage retirement income, and the unique financial challenges faced by women.
In-person networking opportunities
This month, WGM held in-person networking opportunities in our Boston, London, Bellevue, and Sydney offices to help participants make connections to further their ambitions by pairing employees with mentors that are more established in their careers at Smartsheet. Additionally, WGM reserved the SmartSuite at Climate Pledge Arena and raffled tickets for ERG members to gather, cheer on the Kraken, and celebrate International Women’s Day on Women in Hockey night.
Panels and discussions
March was filled with panels and discussions centered around education and inclusion. As part of an ongoing initiative to provide education and insight into parts of the business they may not be familiar with, WGM asked Emily S., our Director of Product Management, to share her story about her career journey and fostering a culture of innovation and diversity with her leadership. We also got a look into the financial planning side of Smartsheet with a discussion led by Nic L., our Senior Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis. This discussion centered around identifying key financial metrics and the importance of setting and achieving long-term financial goals.
Additionally, WGM members attended “Queer Women of Color - Paths to Power”, an event organized by The Rainbow Collab, our ERG supporting LGBTQ+ employees. During this panel discussion led by Stacy M., an Account Executive at Smartsheet, participants heard from speakers about their unique challenges and triumphs, how they navigate the complexities of existing with intersecting marginalized identities, and how to use power for good.
“Build people up. We're all in this together, so make sure credit is given where it's due and that people are given their voice and their platform." -Emily S., Director, Product Management at Smartsheet
Inspiring inclusion year round
At Smartsheet, we are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a fundamental pillar of our innovation and progress. By living these values every day, we hope to pave the way for a future where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive. Together, let's continue to inspire inclusion, standing shoulder to shoulder as we step into a more equitable world for all.