PROA Communicationa consultancy firm specialising in designing, managing and consolidating the communication and corporate reputation of institutions and companies, as well as of senior executives, has held a new edition of its Current Affairs Dialogues with the participation of Lourdes Garzónmagazine's editor in chief MujerHoy and of the WomenNOW.
Garzón offered a critical view of the stereotypes that exist around female leadership, pointing to "courage" as an unequivocal value of women who have "had to make a place for themselves at the table". Especially in the case of the bridge generation, who paved the way for access to university, normalised working outside the home, as well as developing a "healthy professional ambition".
He defended gender quotas as "a necessary accelerator in a process of equal access to management positions for women and men". Otherwise, "change would naturally be very slow". She pointed out that, according to the IESE, almost 40% of the directors of IBEX 35 companies are women, but this figure contrasts with the fact that there are only four female company presidents in the selective index, a low representation that extends to the management committees. "We sit at the table but we don't decide the menu", she ironised.
At the presentation of the Current Affairs DialogueThe meeting is small and guided by rules of confidentiality, Lucía CasanuevaThe partner-director of PROA Comunicación, explained that the aim of the consultancy firm is "to be present in relevant issues, closely following the concerns of public opinion such as: the challenge of water, the future of journalism, geopolitical news, the upcoming elections in the United States or the impact of artificial intelligence, among others".
Casanueva has highlighted some of the ideas that define the defence of equality that the director of MujerHoyIt affirms the need for women to have power, there cannot be equality without having power, without having figures in different spheres who have the possibility of having influence and relevance.
During his speech, Garzón pointed to the "great generational trap" of the way in which reconciliation and policies aimed at women have been approached, as if it were "a responsibility or a problem only for women", when it is a matter for families and society".
As for the possibility of taking advantage of professional opportunities, Garzón pointed out that: "We have been educated more in empathy, so I insist that the mistake I have learned the most from is the fear of raising your hand for a responsibility, because at that moment you don't feel ready. Then you never get to do it".
At this meeting at the Madrid headquarters of PROA Comunicación, which was attended by executives from different companies, business associations and media representatives, with a strong female presence, the importance of diversity and the balance of profiles to achieve the success of any project was also underlined.
In a more relaxed moment in the debate, Garzón left an optimistic vision for the future, given that the younger generations enjoy "a much more egalitarian starting point" in the educational, social and employment spheres. A conclusion to which the attendees agreed to hold a future forum to address the issue of leadership, but this time without labels.
The Current Affairs Dialogues PROA Comunicación brings together key figures from the economic, political, media and cultural spheres with business people, executives and opinion leaders to contribute to a deeper knowledge of reality, and to foster an in-depth understanding of the issues that lead the news agenda.
