REDEFINING THE FUTURE OF WORK // CIWB AWARDS
REDEFINING THE FUTURE OF WORK BY JOHN HARDY
I
t’s been an anomaly year!
Due mostly (not exclusively) to the lockdowns and other impacts of the pandemic, this has been a challenging year for Calgary business – as well as for Axis Connects, the Calgary non-profit established to connect, collaborate, champion and provide career development resources for women in Calgary. “Our mandate is to strengthen diverse representation in Calgary decision-making roles and to unite more than 115 organizations focused on women’s initiatives,” explains the gung-ho Heather Culbert, board chair of Axis Connects and the CIWB Awards as well as vice-chair of Export Development Canada (EDC). She is positive and upbeat about the increase of women in Calgary decision making roles. “The impact of diversification is demonstrated through the business results and success of the women we celebrated with the annual CIWB (Calgary Influential Women in Business) Awards. “Of course, this year’s event had to be virtual and live streamed in mid June, but, led by the two CIWB presenting sponsors, National Bank and TransAlta, five outstanding female business leaders and one male champion were recognized in six CIWB categories. The speedbump of the virtual award ceremony doesn’t deter Heather Cuthbert’s enthusiasm. “Profiling the CIWB
recipients creates awareness about the high quality of Calgary’s female leadership and inspires others to come forward and be recognized, so we can celebrate our leaders and the diversity of Calgary workplaces. “Calgary needs to use the innovation and agility that we have leveraged throughout COVID to radicalize the traditional work place to one with improved flexibility, technologies and policies that will embrace and recognize the qualities and value that women bring to the workplace,” she points out. “This is a huge opportunity for Calgary to once again demonstrate leadership and our ability to adapt and realize the new reality and redefine the future of work.”
ABOVE: HEATHER CULBERT, BOARD CHAIR OF AXIS CONNECTS AND THE CIWB AWARDS AS WELL AS VICE-CHAIR OF EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA (EDC).
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JULY 2021 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM
