Emma Low, Managing Director of Westpac Pacific, emphasized the importance of providing women with equal leadership and growth opportunities during her recent visit to Fiji. She addressed the Women of Westpac (WOW) Fiji, a group dedicated to helping women at Westpac reach their full potential.
Low highlighted that empowering women in the workplace is critical for fostering innovation and achieving success. She noted that when women are afforded equal opportunities, organizations benefit from a range of perspectives that enhance problem-solving and creativity.
With over 60% of Westpac’s employees being female and 40% in leadership positions, Low stressed the significance of gender equality within the company. Additionally, Westpac has become a signatory to the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (WE-Fi) Code, which seeks to promote financial inclusion for female entrepreneurs.
The bank has a longstanding commitment to gender equality, as demonstrated by its Women and Girls Education Grant program, active for 13 years. Westpac’s financial literacy program has trained more than 39,000 women in the past decade, and the bank organizes an annual International Women’s Day walk across various locations in the country.