Maya Hari, the CEO of climate-technology company Terrascope, explores why equity goes beyond gender
Over the years as a leader, I have become a big believer in embracing equity in all its facets—from diversity, employment opportunities and inclusion to climate action and access to the planet's resources. The undeniable need to—and the benefits of—taking an expansive view of equity have become clear, especially with my work as the CEO at Terrascope, a climate-technology company globally headquartered in Singapore on a mission to empower enterprises to decarbonise across their operations and supply chains.
Any discussion on equity begins with an acknowledgement of disparities. When it comes to climate change, we have to recognise that it does not affect everyone equally: climate change has a disproportionate impact on the world’s vulnerable communities, including women, indigenous populations, children, and people with disabilities, among others. And so meaningful climate action must also include these factors in the discussion, and vice versa.
Consider diversity as a metric for success
The first step to equity begins with representation: does your company have enough leaders, board members and employees made up of different genders, backgrounds and orientations? Once you’ve mastered the mindset for, say, gender inclusion you’ll find it easier to start applying the diversity approach more broadly.
At Terrascope, we have elevated diversity to be top of mind in all of our hiring and business decisions, and consider it as a crucial metric of success. As we traverse a hyper-growth phase, we continuously ask ourselves whether we have the right mix of skill sets, genders, nationalities and languages, and if we are making enough opportunities available for talent from all walks of life, irrespective of their location or personal situation. For instance, we’ve made it a point to hire more qualified women in male-dominated fields such as engineering, or to look for talent from smaller towns along with talent we hire from big cities.
Cultivate opportunity and a sense of belonging
True equity demands more than just a diverse workforce. It requires a fundamental commitment to cultivating equality of opportunity and a willingness to confront the unconscious biases that can thwart it. Too often, companies make assumptions about their employees based on their gender, race, or other characteristics that have nothing to do with their ability to succeed. For example, it's not uncommon for companies to assume that men can travel and relocate their families more easily than women, leading to unconscious biases that influence who gets chosen for new leadership roles abroad. These types of decisions may be made even before a female candidate has had a chance to indicate her interest in the role. It is useful to tackle these unconscious biases first by realising that none of us is immune to them. Then by creating psychological safety within the company to discuss and call our biases openly and respectfully amongst each other.
Encouraging employees to bring their whole selves to work, without feeling the need to compromise or hide their personality or principles goes a long way in this journey. In our company, we prioritise openness, authenticity and transparency; this helps to create a workplace that fosters a strong sense of belonging for everyone. Our leadership team consistently emphasises these values in every aspect of the workplace – from hiring conversations to daily interactions with coworkers – and employees are encouraged to express themselves, challenge decisions, and share their core beliefs and passions.
