Women, Science and Business: “There is no single formula for equality, but we must work through education and with the involvement of the whole of society”

The panellists – researchers and businesswomen – all agreed that, whilst there is no single formula for equality, progress must be made across various sectors, starting with education and involving the whole of society, in order to achieve gender parity. Furthermore, they agreed that without the collaboration of men, these goals will never be achieved.

This is one of the conclusions of the 7th Women, Science and Business Colloquium, organised by the Fundación Premios Rei Jaume I in collaboration with CaixaBank, which featured five notable representatives from the worlds of business and science, including two of the Rei Jaume I Prize winners: Ángela Pérez (Entrepreneur 2022) and Marta Reynal-Querol (Economics 2022). Joining them were businesswoman Mónica Duart  (DORMITIENDA), IVIE professor and researcher Alejandro Escribá, and physicist María Moreno Llácer (IFIC). The session was moderated by Arantxa Torres, TVE’s correspondent in the Comunitat Valenciana.

The aim of this event, now in its seventh year, was to explore the key factors for achieving true equality between men and women, under the symbolic title ‘The Formula for Equality’. Alejandro Escribá also contributed to the debate, bringing not only his perspective as a man but also his expertise as a researcher on the report “Diagnosis of the situation of women in corporate ownership and governance”.  

Minority of women in management positions

According to this study, only a quarter of management positions in Spanish companies are held by women. In this regard, Escribá states that “At the IVIE, we must bring this reality to the fore so that we can become aware of the situation and generate momentum for change, such as through events like this one”. In this regard, Escribá believes we must focus on three areas: “Unlearning certain behaviours that are deeply ingrained as a result of centuries of gender stereotypes; working through education; and, finally, internalising these changes.” She also emphasises that it is necessary to involve men in the goals of gender parity in order to ‘create a multiplier effect’

This is an issue on which all the participants agreed, and one that necessarily involves shared responsibility at a personal level – in child-rearing and household care – as is clearly illustrated by the anecdote shared by Rei Jaume I Prize winner and CEO of Health in Code, Ángela Pérez: “The first thing I did to get to this position was to sign an agreement at home, whereby we committed to sharing full responsibility for childcare and household duties, so that I could pursue my career. We have an important role to play in our personal lives in demanding shared responsibility, but we women must also strive to reach the top in our professional lives.”

This is certainly no easy task in the world of science and research, as pointed out by the 2022 Rei Jaume I Prize for Economics winner and researcher at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Marta Reynal-Querol: “The first problem is that there is a bias in promotions; it happens all the time. And the second issue is that we are heavily penalised; for the same mistake, women are penalised far more, and that means that, ultimately, we are promoted less often and our salaries are lower.”

In the business world, something similar to what Reynal-Querol describes can happen, because according to the experience of Mónica Duart, CEO of Dormitienda, “when we interview men and women, the men are 100 per cent confident, but we women have different ways of expressing ourselves; we feel more insecure. We have to break down those barriers. We women sometimes lack the boldness, the drive to forge ahead with confidence. It’s important to draw inspiration from the people around us and commit to social leadership, not individualistic leadership.”

Furthermore, another common element in a ‘formula for equality’ is education. In this regard, María Moreno, a physicist at IFIC (CSIC-UV), says: “The role of secondary school teachers is fundamental; they should encourage girls from a young age to choose STEM careers and tell them that they are capable.” She adds that the responsibility for equality also lies with society as a whole, and that effective policies and the media are essential. In short, and to summarise the discussions at this 7th Women, Science and Business Colloquium, as Professor Alejandro Escribá states, the evidence from numerous studies shows that “if we talk about outcomes in the broadest sense – a good working environment, personal and social wellbeing, and economic benefits – what works best in businesses is gender diversity”.