Women’s empowerment and representation of successful women: achievements and future prospects

In recent years, more and more companies, institutions and experts have been addressing the issues of women’s empowerment and gender equality. A debate that has, however, sometimes been waged on the basis of rhetoric rather than scientific research and academic evidence. For this reason, SDA Bocconi is committed to promoting a debate based on rigorous and impartial content, identified through the work of highly experienced and authoritative professors and managers.

For these very reasons, the School enthusiastically welcomed the proposal from #EMBAWOMEN – a group of EMBA Alumnae committed to the promotion of women’s professional growth and female leadership – to host the “Towards Female Empowerment” event. This was an important initiative because, as SDA Bocconi Dean Stefano Caselli said, “it shows that delivering training also means breaking down barriers. In fact, those who have participated in the life of the School as students have the opportunity to join the Alumni and Alumnae Community, to work together with faculty today in a bottom-up approach towards building an increasingly open and collaborative community.” This is the perspective from which the event discussed women’s empowerment, which, as #EMBAWOMEN President Stefania Bistoni pointed out, “represents an essential tool for contributing to the construction of increasingly fair and equitable models for companies and organizations”.

The focus of the initiative, moderated by SDA Lecturer Laura Baruffaldi, was a reflection on the models of education and values that are conveyed to women, analyzed from a very particular perspective: that of toys. In fact, toys provide a representation of femininity that has the ability to influence young women. The goal, from this viewpoint, is to make sure that this representation evolves over time and provides effective leverage to ensure that women are able to fulfill themselves both personally and professionally.

Among many examples, Barbie’s story already points to a distinct perspective through which the concept of female leadership has changed over the past 60 years. As Andrea Ziella, CEO of Mattel Italy, recounted, “Barbie was the first woman to go into space, to become an influential politician, to inspire works of art and design: we have moved from what Barbie owns (a car, a kitchen, etc.) to what Barbie is capable of doing and how she can inspire future generations. In this sense, her task has always been to give voice to the limitless potential that is inherent in every little girl”. Here, the evolution of a toy has set the stage for a new model of female empowerment, helping us to understand how women’s imaginations have been transformed in recent decades.

Another case in point is Vanity Fair, the historic magazine that has profoundly changed its approach over the years with respect to its ways of addressing the female audience. Valeria Vantaggi, Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast, pointed out that “Samantha Cristoforetti appears on the last cover of 2022, and she features in the magazine’s issue not so much to talk about her being a woman, but rather to tell about the incredible challenges related to her work and space missions, regardless of the gender affiliation of those who want to accomplish them.”

From a more strictly organizational point of view, moreover, the “Gender Equality Certification” that came into effect in March 2022 and was published by UNI with the code UNI/PdR 125:2022 also represented a remarkable evolutionary leap to create more inclusive and equitable companies. For Silvia Mochi, Co-Founder of #InclusioneDonna, “this was an outstanding achievement because, to change the culture within civil society, we must first start with organizations and companies. This is only the first step: in the future, we will have to take many more steps to raise awareness throughout the community and sensitize all stakeholders in the field”.

In fact, even on the part of institutions and legislative bodies, it is imperative that they implement the ability to offer timely solutions in terms of regulations, redefining the incentive system that can lead a person to make specific career and professional development decisions. Because, as Roberto Degli Esposti, Executive Coach and former HR Director of Autogrill, mentioned, “even today there are many unconscious biases and prejudices that affect people’s beliefs and behaviors. Our task is precisely this: to bring to light all the forms of non-explicit discrimination as well, which are enacted without even realizing it”.

SDA Bocconi School of Management