The Jojoba Company International Women's Day with Gritty Pretty
Inside Gritty Pretty’s Women With Gritt International Women's Day Lunch
Earlier this month, our wonderful co-founder Vicki attended online beauty magazine Gritty Pretty’s ‘Women with GRITT’ International Women’s Day lunch.
Led by Gritty Pretty founder and editor-in-chief Eleanor Pendleton, the lunch was a chance to celebrate Australia’s women in business and other leaders in the skincare, beauty and health wellness space.
The event was a great opportunity to reflect on the powerful and inspiring women we know and love, but also a chance to reflect - not only on how far we’ve come as women, but also how far we still have to go in terms of achieving gender equality.
Guests from all walks of life gathered at Reign in the QVB in Sydney city for a three-course meal and a chance to be apart of an intimate conversation, featuring a panel of inspiring female guest speakers, including motivational speaker Turia Pitt, Bangn Body founder Priscilla Hajiantoni, Bread Beauty Supply founder Maeva Heim, Naked Sundays founder Samantha Brett, and our very own co-founder of The Jojoba Company, Vicki Engsall.
It was an incredibly inspiring event, as each successful panel guest spoke so passionately about their businesses, detailing everything from the highlights of their careers, to moments that made them want to cry, cringe or give up entirely. That’s why these women are so inspiring - no matter what happened, they chose to never give up. Not a pin drop could be heard in the large, beautifully-decorated champagne parlour and bar. Each speaker had the opportunity to answer questions about their business, their journey and what it’s really like to be a woman in business in 2022. They talked about navigating challenges, what it’s like to be a woman of colour in business and how powerful it is to have the opportunities we have today as women.
As detailed on the Gritty Pretty website, when talking about authenticity, our co-founder Vicki had some wise words for the group:
“There is nothing more important than sticking to your mantra and your story,” she shared with the panel. “Your brand story is everything and being true to your story and who you are is vital to your success as a business.”Learn more about Co-founder Vicki
Laughs were shared and applause was enthusiastic as guests took the time to listen intently to each panel speaker and celebrate their successes.
What Is International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is an international event held every year on 8th March, to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It’s also a day to raise awareness of the ongoing issues women face today, including sexism, gender-based violence, the gender pay gap and reproductive rights.
2022 International Women’s Day Theme: #BreakTheBias
Each year, International Women’s Day has a theme, which aims to draw attention to a specific aspect of gender inequality, sparking conversation.
In 2021, the theme was #ChooseToChallenge, which encouraged women and men alike to challenge gender bias and sexism everywhere - from in the home, to school, sports and the workplace.
This year, in 2022, the theme for International Women’s Day was #BreakTheBias. This theme is all about acknowledging the stereotypes women face in every aspect of life and how it affects their access to opportunities. It urges us to examine our own biases toward women - including the beliefs and opinions that are held unconsciously.
When listening to the stories told by the panel speakers at the Women with GRITT event, it became more and more apparent how often women are underestimated and undervalued in the workplace and in business.
Despite this, it was obvious that in that room - bursting with positive energy - each panel speaker was determined to make sure they would continue to be seen, heard and respected as women in business.
How Can We Break The Bias?
Gender equality can sometimes feel unattainable, and the fight for justice and equality may feel like too large of a task. Although we may feel powerless, there’s always ways we can make a change. Here are some ways to help to fight against sexism and bias:
Learn:
Take the time to learn about sexism and bias and how they manifest in our everyday lives. Sexism can be overt, like catcalling or sexist insults, but it can also be covert, like judging women who don’t fit typical female stereotypes or talking down to someone based on assumptions about their gender.
Stand up for others:
If you see sexism, call it out! Sexism is something we all have to stand up against together. See someone being harassed on public transport? Call them out. If a woman looks uncomfortable around a man, pull her aside and ask her if she’s okay. The more we call it out, the better chance it has to become less and less tolerated.
Look within:
What are your biases? Even if you personally feel as though you don’t hold discriminatory beliefs of opinions, chances are you hold some degree of implicit bias - we all do! Implicit bias is the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. An example of this could be an employer hiring someone - or not hiring someone - based on their physical appearance.As a female-founded company, The Jojoba Company is committed to ensuring our female staff are always supported and celebrated.
The Jojoba Company - Who We Are
We are a female-founded, family-owned business who prides itself on creating smarter natural skincare. Our Australian Wadi Wadi Jojoba is our star ingredient, sitting at the heart of all of our products. From bean to bottle, we manage the entire process, ensuring our products are of the highest quality. This means ensuring the products we create are natural, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and safe on all skin types, so everyone can enjoy the wonderful benefits of our Australian Jojoba.
