Happy International Women’s day!
What a fantastic excuse for us to celebrate our team and our culture!
This year it’s all about Inspiring Inclusion, and it’s a theme that perfectly suits us! We’re an IT/engineering business, our expert teams provide cutting-edge security and intelligence solutions.
Our clients include Government and Law Enforcement agencies, we run highly specific training courses for our customers and those working in the security and intelligence industry, with clients and students joining us from across the globe.
Our industry is known for not having a large contingency of women however, at Komcept we’re very proud of our ratios.
It’s over to our MD, to explain more…
Karen – Managing Director
Time with the company: 21 years, 3 of which as our MD
Over twenty years ago, Komcept’s founders had no problem hiring a female Engineer for product design. In more recent years, the Board of Directors had no issue entrusting that same woman with the company’s day-to-day running.
That is the inclusive attitude to recruitment and role-shaping that we continue to foster at KSL today, in an industry where on average only 15% of a company’s Board is female (of course, ours is 50% female!).
With that said, it’s over to our team to share their insights:
Liane – Administrative Assistant
Time with the company: 3 years
I have worked at Komcept for 3 years and whilst it is traditionally a very male dominated environment due to the nature of our business, I feel very much included and accepted in the work I do and believe the women who do work here, are strong and add value to the team.
Amanda – Accounts Administrator
Time with the company: 16 Months
I have been working part-time at Komcept for the last 16 months. As a working mum to a young family, the consideration and understanding given to me by Komcept has been outstanding.
I work in a women only team in a male dominated company with a female MD. Everyone is respectful and having this team of women around me makes me feel supported and relevant. This company has shown me kindness and compassion where other companies would not.
Jodie – Finance Manager
Time with the company: 3 years
I have worked for the company for nearly 3 years during which time I have felt included and that my opinions, ideas and suggestions are valued and considered. Being led by a female MD, in a very male dominated industry, has been incredible, any women’s issues I have experienced have been taken seriously and sympathetically, which has not been the case in any of my previous employments.
I feel that staff at Komcept are respectful of each other regardless of gender, race or religion.
Bob – Hardware Design Engineer
Time with the company: 2 years
“You don’t have to look much further than our very own MD 😉”
Akin – Electronic Engineer
Time with the company: 3 years
I would say one positive aspect of the company is how open it can be to opening opportunities for temporary work. My sister worked here twice temporarily for one of our larger projects last year and she admired how open and friendly everyone in the office was.
She is still studying at university and needed some part time work over the summer break and Komcept provided a very useful opportunity at the time. Also, she didn’t have engineering experience but she was given a chance to learn on the job which I believe shows how inclusive the company is to anyone who wants to contribute.
Richard – Software Team Leader
Tenure: 1 year
I think is great that we work in a technology company where we have at least 25% of the company are women and the Managing Director is a woman. It shows that the industry is become more inclusive.
Tomasz
Tenure: 4 years
It’s noteworthy to observe that significant progress has been made since the 1960s and 1980s, particularly in some post-communist block countries and the Middle East, regarding women’s freedoms. However, it’s unfortunate that this progress isn’t uniform everywhere, and there’s still much work to be done to ensure that women have equal opportunities and rights across the globe.
I firmly believe that we need to actively support and accelerate this progress because empowered women can bring about positive change not only for themselves but for society as a whole.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the global women’s rights movement gained momentum, leading to pivotal changes in legislation and social norms. For instance, in 1963, the United States passed the Equal Pay Act, aiming to address the gender wage gap by prohibiting wage discrimination based on sex. In 1972, Title IX was enacted, prohibiting gender discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding in the U.S., thus opening doors for women in sports and education.
Moreover, the 1970s witnessed the rise of the feminist movement, with landmark events such as the Women’s Strike for Equality in 1970, where thousands of women across the U.S. protested for equal rights and opportunities. Internationally, the United Nations declared 1975 as the International Women’s Year, paving the way for discussions and initiatives to advance gender equality on a global scale.
Despite these strides, challenges persist, ranging from gender-based violence to systemic barriers in accessing education and employment. However, inspiring examples like New Zealand’s former Prime Minister and President, who are women, serve as beacons of progress. Their remarkable leadership demonstrates the transformative impact that women can have when given the opportunity to lead. By continuing to advocate for inclusivity and gender equality, we can work towards a future where every woman has the freedom to thrive and contribute positively to society
Final thoughts…..
There will always be differences in the world, both between cultures and individuals. At Komcept, we do our best to celebrate those differences.