Catherine Haslam – Partner – DWF – England
We have 10 years to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. What are you doing to champion the Global Goals in your business?
I lead on Diversity & Inclusion for the Real Estate Practice Group at DWF, having created — and now driving forward —an Action Plan to improve the diversity of the practice group as a whole.
What motivates you to keep fighting for the issues you care about? Making a positive difference is what motivates me.
Can you share one obstacle that you had to overcome to achieve a successful career in business?
The biggest obstacle for me was getting a training contract, at the start of my legal career. Due to my background and the schools I attended, my CV didn't contain many of the things that, back in the early 90s, generated much interest. So, despite applying for literally hundreds of training contracts over a period of 3 years, I struggled to get an interview at most firms. Thankfully I did eventually secure an interview at a firm called Cobbetts, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Can you share one barrier to women’s economic empowerment that you think is overlooked or not adequately prioritized? In your opinion, what needs to happen to accelerate the pace of change?
I think that to accelerate the pace of change we need to move from the unconscious to the conscious, and start to actively set goals and targets, because without those goals and targets the pace of change is likely to be very slow, and in some cases, there might be no change at all.
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with fellow women that are aiming to shatter the glass ceiling in the business world?
Don't give up, because through determination and resilience you will eventually make it.
What is one piece of advice that you would like to share with male leaders?
Try to walk a mile in the shoes of a woman, and consider how it feels to be in the minority trying to make it in a male- dominated environment. Once you appreciate how that feels you are more likely to be inclined to make a change, and provided the much-needed support that is required. Women cannot make a change by themselves.
