Chris Urmson, Aurora Innovation Inc., shares the challenges and opportunities ahead for the automotive industry.
Reflecting on International Women’s Day – the journey together
Leading as a woman at Flex
International Women’s Day celebrates the progress we've made for women's rights and empowerment – personally and professionally. While celebrating progress is fun, we must remember that the quest for equality is a continual process.
Women are integral to our success and contribute in ways that make Flex a dynamic place to work. With our global reach, we help contribute to meaningful and necessary changes in the way societies view and invest in women around the world.
To promote #IWD2020 and celebrate our female colleagues, we launched #WomeninFlex week. Our sites around the world joined in activities and events that honor the strength and achievement of many important women. The events honored our colleagues and offered training and networking opportunities for women to discuss achievements and challenges in the workplace.
We value growing and promoting women in leadership. Companies with women in leadership have greater inclusion, increased opportunities and more robust results than those with all-male executives1. Our global presence and multi-cultural reach help us contribute meaningful and necessary changes in the way our societies approach women in the workplace.
Elevating women around the world with the Flex Foundation
We celebrate Women in Flex this week – and the support continues outside of our walls. Our initiatives support women’s education in our communities year-round.
As partners of the career connections program at iSisters Technology Mentoring in Canada, we help address the needs identified by Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO). For example, the Flex Foundation proudly supports communications and information technology training, career exploration and entrepreneurship. The program broadens employment opportunities for participants by providing job search and career development skills through classroom training and mentorship. Women actively build skills that empower them to participate in and contribute to the economy. Since 2017, 53 women benefited from the iSisters program, with 19 women graduating in 2019.
The course helped me learn how to find a qualified job, create a professional resume and write a compelling cover letter. Now I can help others learn important skills based on my training. I frequently refer women to participate in the program.– Bernardine Mukerabirori, iSisters student
We began partnering with Laboratoria in Mexico in 2017 and expanded to Brazil in 2019 to help this nonprofit foster a diverse, inclusive and competitive digital economy. The Flex Foundation supported the education of 100 women in 2019. These women show high-potential but lack access to quality education. The project is about taking the students through an immersive six-month program, focusing on software development and professional life skills. This program allowed the placement of 45 students in technology jobs in the past three months.
I didn't fully understand the importance of what we learned at the time. Once I attended a recruiting expo, I realized how valuable this knowledge was for developing a career in technology. I feel confident and capable of success now.– Laboratoria student
Supporting a diverse, inclusive and competitive world for women
There’s no question about it – when women are supported and educated, those around them are lifted, too. Our internal initiatives and female-led executive team continue to invest in communities around the world. Because operating with integrity produces outstanding results for everyone.
