For International Women’s Day 2024—a day to celebrate the achievements of females and to raise awareness of discrimination, driving gender parity since 1911—PPDS team members have come together to share their views and experiences on how PPDS is embracing diversity in its global teams, and the positive impact being achieved.
[It's International Women's Day and Pro AV Welcomes Women Back to the Workforce]
Recent official figures from ISE 2024, have shown a marginal increase in female attendees but PPDS believes more can and should be done. ISE 2024 recorded attendance numbers of 73,891, of which 24,815 were first-time visitors. Figures show 81.5% of those attendees were male, with 16.6% female, and 1.9% non-binary or preferring not to say.
By comparison, at ISE 2023, there were 58,107 attendees, of which 15,255 were first-time visitors. Figures show 82.6% of those were male, with 15% female.
[Women of Future Making Change a Success in 2024]
Since its inception, PPDS has adopted and acted on a strong global business philosophy that every employee will be treated equally in employment and occupation regardless of personal background, race, gender, nationality, age, sexual preference, or religious belief.
Here's what some PPDS employees have to say.
Vicky Fox, head of global communications. “From the perspective of a global organization, diversity in the workforce is happening quite naturally. Fundamentally, it’s about bringing in the best people for the job. Their gender or how they choose to identify has no bearing on this process. We as a business work hard to ensure we attract the right candidates and offer the best possible career opportunities and, in a positive shift, increasingly we’re seeing more women applying to join our teams, which is great.
“For example, if you look at our U.K. sales managers today, we now have a 60/40 split in favor of women, and we have similar ratios in Germany and France. And within our global marketing operation, for example, the split is 76% women.
Nadia Riahi, sales manager Philips digital signage, DACH. “Having joined PPDS reasonably recently, it is wonderful to witness our teams from around the globe come together. Whether at our annual kick off, or at events like ISE, everyone is included equally—no matter where they come from, what their position is, or who they are. This is a great enabler for all.”
Martijn van der Woude, VP global marketing and business development. “As a global team, we have a huge range of different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking about business and life. At PPDS, everyone belongs. We thrive on their differences, using them to challenge boundaries and celebrating them for the unique advantages they bring. Together we are team PPDS: supportive, innovative and agile.”
Ellie East, key accounts manager, UK. "Working in the AV industry for nearly two decades, it has been a pleasure to see real positive changes and more inclusivity all around. There is still a long way to go, of course, but seeing more women thriving in tech—and greater diversity in general—will be great inspiration for future generations entering the sector. I'm glad to be a part of it, here at PPDS."
