As one of the most anticipated events on South Africa’s social calendar, GLAMOUR’s Women of the Year Awards (WOTY) is a spectacular affair that honours some of the country’s most influential women.
This prestigious gathering celebrates the remarkable achievements of women powerhouses from various fields, recognising their influence, resilience, and inspiring journeys.
From entertainment and business to activism, beauty, fashion and sports, these are women who have shattered boundaries, emerged as influential figures in their respective industries, and continue to pave the way for future generations.
With women empowerment at the forefront, financial services company Absa has partnered with WOTY for 2023.
As a leading Pan-African bank, ABSA’s mission is to empower and enable - from uplifting communities to investing in individuals and enabling their client’s ambitions.
“Our heartbeat is African and we are committed to a Pan-African presence and contribution.”
Absa’s Empowered Women Series showcases the personal and professional investment they make into their female employees. From learning activities, mentoring and growth opportunities, women empowerment is woven into the fabric of their organisation.
These values align perfectly with the initiative of WOTY. At this year’s edition, Absa and WOTY unite as a powerful duo to amplify the voices and presence of remarkable women.
We chatted to the Absa team about why they chose to align with WOTY and why this platform is important.
Why did you choose to align with GLAMOUR's Women of the Year Awards 2023?
There is natural alignment and congruence with Absa’s vision and purpose (‘Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together, one story at a time’) and Glamour WOTY’s rich history of celebrating women. Breaking barriers and empowering women in society and the workplace are ingrained in the Absa DNA. The fact that women account for a significant proportion of Absa’s employee base, and are a crucial segment for our business makes this alignment a no-brainer. Moreover, an event of this type showcases the real-life stories around women that continue to break barriers and the proverbial glass ceiling, thus a collaboration with Glamour made sense for all parties.
Beyond this partnership, Absa’s women’s manifesto, its commitment to outlining women’s needs/causes, coupled with the fact that we ranked in the world’s top 40 female-friendly companies by Forbes, bears testimony to the Group’s steadfast pledge to addressing gender inequality. And it goes without saying that our support for women doesn’t end at Women’s Month.
Glamour’s WOTY is one of the platforms that we can use to highlight our dedication to driving gender equality in all spaces.
We have allocated over R6.9 billion in 2022 to support women-owned businesses and directed over 60% of our recruitment and opportunities to women.
Why are awards like WOTY important for women empowerment and supporting businesses?
As a diverse and truly representative organisation, Absa is committed to driving gender equality in society and the workplace. Given the scale and importance of women in the economy, they are an important strategic growth focus for Absa.
One of our objectives is to increase customer lifetime value, while building a relevant value proposition for the segment. Communicating with, and reaching women on ‘their own terms’ is a key.
Working with brands such as Glamour, a brand that has been an ever -present in women’s lives, made perfect sense for us to align with, as we seek to connect in a meaningful way with women. Awards like WOTY celebrate women and show that they are appreciated. And this is something that we, as Absa, believe is important – having women feel that they are relevant, heard as well as seen and then celebrated in each of their respective spaces.
We look forward to hosting our esteemed guests at the Women of the Year on 25 November 2023 in proud association with our supporting partners.
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Instagram: @Glamour_SA & @absa.
