High Profile Magazine: The Summer Edition by highprofilemagazine

BUSINESS. PEOPLE. SUCCESS

HIGH PROFILE

PHOTO BY @PALASSOCIATES

AUGUST

MARTINA COOGAN

MEET THE WINTRADE GLOBAL SUMMIT WINNERS

THE ENERGY OF SUMMER

RAGNE SINIKAS PURPOSEFUL PROFIT

EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH DEVELOPMENT

COVER STORIES

AUGUST EDITION EDITOR’S NOTES Dear reader, Welcome to the Summer edition of High Profile Magazine! It’s now August, and we’re in the middle of a very British summer weather-wise, ha ha! This edition our cover star is the Sheika of Kuwait, who is an inspirational woman working to empower other women in her country and around the world. We interviewed her about her career and her hopes for the world – it’s an incredible interview and we’re very lucky to have had the honour to speak to such an amazing woman. As always, thank you very much for supporting us on our journey with the magazine. We have some very exciting things coming up that we hope to be able to reveal to you soon, and we hope you are as excited about them as we are! See you next month. Rafael dos Santos Editor-in-Chief

Hello and welcome to another fantastic edition of High Profile Magazine! It’s summer, and while this summer certainly feels different to summers in the past, I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can in a safe manner, and I hope all of our wonderful readers are too! As we enter the peak of summer, it felt only right to bring you a Summer edition. We have articles on all sorts of topics concerning summer and the seasons, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we have! Going into the second half of 2021, we want to thank you for supporting our magazine throughout the year, and we hope to continue having your support as the months go by! Thank you for everything! Lola Sherwin Assistant Editor 3

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CONTENTS

3 6 EVENTS

SHEIKHA FADYAH AL SAAD EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH DEVELOPMENT

HEALTH & WELLNESS MEET THE WINTRADE GLOBAL SUMMIT WINNERS

MARKETING & BRANDING NATURE IS THE BEST DESIGNER “CREATIVE COURAGE” IS THE GO-TO TECH MARKETING STRATEGY

BUSINESS PURPOSEFUL PROFIT

BREAKING DOWN YOUR BUSINESS YEAR

39 50 46 51 54 57 60 59

THE ENERGY OF SUMMER

BEAUTY & FASHION 5 ESSENTIAL HAIRCARE PRODUCTS FOR SUMMER

SUMMER VS. HAIR: TIPS & TRENDS

RENATA ARON BODY POSITIVITY

GADGETS 5 ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS

FURNITURE

CO-OP BUSINESSES MORE RESILIENT TO COVID

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION HOW TO TACKLE THE GENDER PAY GAP

CULTURE & SOCIETY

MEET THE TEAM

COVER STORIES

MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS

16 30 32 36 38 40 48 44

EDITOR’S NOTES

LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE NOT IN THE SHADOWS

5 SUMMERY PIECES OF FURNITURE

BOOKS

5 MUST-READS THIS SUMMER

GIFTS

5 SUMMER GIFTS

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MEET THE TEAM

RAFAEL DOS SANTOS, EDITOR IN CHIEF

LOLA SHERWIN, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Rafael dos Santos is the owner and editor-in-chief of High Profile Magazine as well as a writer for Forbes. Rafael is the CEO and co-founder of GuidedPR.com, an artificial intelligence platform that connects journalists with business owners. He has won seven awards including the Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs in the UK’. His award-winning TEDx Talk ‘What It Takes To Be A Migrant Entrepreneur’ has been watched over 157k times. With over 18+ years running businesses in the UK, USA and The Netherlands, he combines real world-experience with an MBA from Henley Business School to manage his several businesses.

Lola is our Assistant Editor. She started at the company as a Journalist Trainee and progressed up the ranks after a few months of working with us. She is also a First Class Honours graduate in Hispanic Studies from The University of Nottingham, and is currently studying for a Masters in International Journalism at The University of Leeds. Lola runs a personal blog in her spare time, which has over 6,500 all-time views! She also speaks 4 languages and has spent time living in Spain, Mexico, and Brazil, as well as her home country, England.

ANDREI KOSCINA, FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER

VIVIANA LO NARDO, GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Andrei Koscina is a corporate, lifestyle and fashion photographer from Brazil. He is currently based in London, and has a degree in Advertising from PUCRS, as well as a HNC in Photography from LCCA. In 2020, he reached over 1.2 million views and 270,000 downloads on Unsplash. His main clients are entrepreneurs developing their personal branding.

Viviana is our Graphic Designer. She started in the company in July. She graduated in Graphic design and Social Media at the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo. Viviana has 8 years of graphic design experience and 5 years of social media experience! She has collaborated with many companies. She also speaks 3 languages and has spent time living in Tunisia, Italy and London.

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MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS

Lydiah Igweh

Martina Coogan Martina Coogan is better known as the Metaphysical Monarch. With over 20 years’ experience of teaching ancient lineage healings and tools of power which balance the human energy fields, mental and emotional bodies, she specialises in empowering people to achieve inner peace and opening and developing spirituality. Reach her at her website.

Lydiah Igweh is the Director of Enterprise Support at Oxford Brookes University. With over 17 years of C-level Business Development, Marketing and Strategy experience, Igweh specializes in innovation, entrepreneurship, organizational change, leadership and digital transformation. She’s committed to championing women in business and advancing race equality. Lydiah enjoys writing, mentoring future young leaders with EY Foundation, public speaking and presenting. Lydiah is the founder and host of the Race Forward Pod, sharing insights from Global DE&I leaders

Cristina Christensen

Pierre Coombes

Cristina is a Brazilian hairdresser from Rio de Janeiro. She graduated 8 years ago from Adam & Eva Skolen in Oslo, Norway, and is now the salon owner of C² Cris Christensen, specialising in keratine treatments. Cristina won the Best Brazilian Hairdressing Salon in Europe award in 2020.

Entrepreneur Pierre Coombes is considered a leading authority in Sales & Marketing. He recently featured in BBC One’s show ‘Call That Hard Work?’, where he showed what it’s like to spend a day as Tele sales person in his award-winning B2B lead generation agency Big Wolf Marketing.

Ragne Sinikas Ragne Sinikas is the Founder of World Women Conference & Awards, which is is the foremost international gathering of women leaders designed for women to share their opportunities and experiences in a number of areas. She is also the Founder of Starpreneurs TV, a digital marketing platform, as well as being a speaker and award-winning podcast host.

Nicole Weatherby Nicole is a senior graphic designer and the “boss lady” of Green House Media. She is based in South Africa, but has worked with businesses across the world. Nicole is passionate about animal welfare, and her dream job is using graphic design to help animal charities to promote the work they are doing.

Naeem Arif Naeem Arif is a Director of United Carpets and the founder of NA Consulting, a Retail & Hospitality Consultancy in Birmingham. He is the Chair of the Midlands Retail & Hospitality Forum, a Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Forbes Business Council. Naeem is the author of several best-selling books including ‘Customer First’ and ‘Customer Experience’.

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SHEIKHA

FADYAH AL SAAD EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH DEVELOPMENT

INTERVIEW BY LOLA SHERWIN AND RAFAEL DOS SANTOS,

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What are the three main goals of the al-saad foundation? The Al-Saad Foundation believes in fostering connections among like-minded individuals in society to build a community dedicated to our vision and goals that evolves on advancing human development and on empowering women within the society through providing educational, scientific and creative solutions to meet the development challenges at the local and regional levels by providing consultations, studies, training and advancing scientific knowledge. We believe that when individuals and organisations act together, social change can occur. Thus, this is why we seek global partnership with institutions with experience in the field of sustainable development to help build local competencies that are able to meet national needs. The Al Saad Foundation contributes to its goal of building advanced professional capabilities and developing the efficiency of the administrative body and human for-

from Kuwait, GCC countries and the Arab states and fosters distinguished scientific projects as well as markets them inside the State of Kuwait and abroad. How does MEWIIN help women achieve progress in all technological and economic fields? The Middle East Women’s Inventors & Innovators Network “MEWIIN” is a network that was launched in Kuwait by the Al Saad Foundation in partnership with the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GlobalWIIN). MEWIIN celebrates and recognises women involved in creating viable new ideas, exceptional creativity, innovation, research development and enterprise. MEWIIN also puts a spotlight on women from a diversity of backgrounds that include brilliant exceptionally creative, inventive, innovative, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, technologists from all sectors right across the Middle East and beyond. MEWIIN allows these women to have a platform where they can showcase their

ces through the use of curricula, programmes, tools and resources, as well as working on developing educational programs that enable individuals to exercise their role and shoulder their responsibilities towards sustainable development and help them in facing challenges and finding solutions and options that are compatible with the goals of the institution and which meet the needs of sustainable development. The Foundation also encourages enabling local and global experiences in the field of education, women in science and sustainable development and it provides advice, suggestions and appropriate solutions. The Foundation contributes to this goal through organising contests and nourishing the creative spirit of competition revolving around scientific topics. It offers scholarships for the contest’s winners 9

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scientific inventions and innovations to a panel of international judges ultimately giving them the opportunity to win an award. This award is their ticket that allows them entry into the GlobalWIIN Award in collaboration with WinTrade’s international platform. It also allows women to exchange experiences and finds opportunities for female inventors to develop and globally market their projects. MEWIIN has the clear aim of combining technology and knowledge transfer to achieve greater impact while helping women promote their ideas so that other young women would be inspired to follow in their footsteps and consider careers associated with being inventive and innovative.

What are the main goals for MEWIIN and the Al-Saad Foundation in the next 5 years? In accordance with the Al Saad Foundation’s future goal to contribute to providing education for all, the Foundation started an initiative to provide online learning to the children of the unidentified nationality population in Kuwait. During the COVID19 pandemic, a portion of this particular category of children was having difficulties accessing online learning due to their financial and legal situation meaning that most families of unidentified nationality do not have the portals for online learning. This initiative provided these children with the materials, connection and accessibili10

ty to online learning, and also arranged for volunteer teachers to teach them online courses. Stemming from that, the Foundation is working towards its ambitious goal to create a virtual online school within the next five years. The “FSSC” (Sheikha Fadyah Al Saad Al Sabah Scientific Competition), one of the Al Saad Foundation’s initiatives, which has started on a local level, then expanded to cover GCC countries in the last five years, has finally moved during this year to cover all of the Arab countries. The Foundation aims to further expand the coverage of this competition to hopefully

COVER STORIES

have a more global coverage. The Al Saad Foundation is the Middle Eastern partner of GlobalWIIN; this partnership led to the launch of MEWIIN. Although the pandemic has limited the coverage of the event, it was still a huge success, and we are hoping that in upcoming years we will be able to hold it in person in Kuwait for the Middle Eastern region. Can you tell us a bit about what it’s like to be a Sheikha? People observe the lives of monarchs and ruling families with great interest considering the status that comes with the title. While the title brings many advantages and privileges, there are also many responsibilities that come with it. The title advantages are not substantial to a great extent, especially since Kuwait is not a typical style monarchy and there isn’t a lot of pomp and circumstance, complex protocols or injunctions related to it, which is a good thing. The title responsibilities are especially perceived on the social and public areas. The title is a huge responsibility to carry because of my name and the legacy of my father and grandfather in Kuwait and because of how the people view my family, so I always must give added value for the family in all my actions. During my work on social de-

velopment that I carry out in the areas of public and charitable service, the advancement of women is an issue that I concentrate on. I am very interested in helping with educating and guiding women to the right methods that support them to achieve their goals as an equal partner to men in society and contribute further to their empowerment. If you had a magic wand which could solve one problem in the world, what problem would you choose and why? Armed conflicts are the most urgent problem in the world today. Other than being a lethal problem in itself, armed conflicts also perpetuate other problems such as oppression, poverty, lack of education, inequality, hunger, disease, etc. According to the latest statistics, there are globally 58 million children out of school, 50 per cent

COVER STORIES

of whom are in fragile or conflict-affected countries. Therefore, if we seek solutions to many world problems, we must devote efforts to end armed conflicts. Armed conflicts nowadays carry a much bigger threat of being highly destructive in today’s heavily and nuclear armed world. That is why war should be eradicated once and for all. Unfortunately, there seems to be no other way to make world peace nowadays other

issues are often ignored during such peace processes. A peace process that fails to include women loses legitimacy and misses potentially useful ideas by excluding half of the population. Should women not be included, the outcome of negotiations is also likely to be different, with agreements more likely to focus only on military and political arrangements. Women-inclusive peace processes are more likely to produ-

than wishful thinking since there has been very little success in ending man’s greed and violence in any other way despite the various organisations and societal initiatives that tried to ensure peace. We have experienced the effect of violence in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion in August 1990 when Iraq violated the Kuwaiti sovereignty resulting in a seven-month-long Iraqi military occupation of the country. Even now, thirty years later, we can still see the effect of this invasion and are still trying to overcome the damage that was done to our country. I would like to emphasize here the importance of including women with decision-making power in negotiating the resolution of armed conflicts, which is fundamental to a successful peace process, as was confirmed in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The latter resolution recognises that although women are mostly victims of conflicts, they are side-lined in negotiations and mediations for peace and their

ce durable agreements and a more sustainable peace. What are 3 things you would tell someone to encourage them to visit Kuwait? Kuwait is a mixture of Western liberalism and traditional Islamic culture. It is home to spectacular mosques, palaces with elaborate architecture, museums and modern shopping complexes. The country is also famous for its beaches, landscapes and hot sand dunes. The best season to travel is during spring when the weather is cool and pleasant. Above all, the people of Kuwait are warm and welcoming. Kuwait used to be a trade entrepot depending on commerce and its inhabitants were mostly merchants. Originally being traders influenced in having a Kuwaiti society that is opening and warm to everyone. The country is pleasant, easy to live in and the people are friendly. In short, no matter where you are from, you will feel at home in Kuwait.

COVER STORIES

watch rafael’s ted talk

COVER STORIES

What It Takes To Be A Migrant Entrepreneur click on the icon to watch 15

EVENTS

MEET THE WINTRADE GLOBAL SUMMIT WINNERS

Level 21 creates educational board games and wants to make all learning more fun through games. Lies has created 7 board games to use at school and at home for children 5-15 years old and some expansions for (young) adults providing training and tools for teachers, youth-workers and volunteers to adopt this gamified learning and implement it in their work. Learning should be fun and we’re glad to help!

NATWEST

CORPORATE WOMEN’S NETWORK

Lies Vermant

WOMEN INNOVATIONS AWARD

An employer-led network with a vision of being a gender-neutral place where everyone can achieve their potential, NATWEST aims to attract, retain and develop female colleagues. This is achieved through various initiatives to support development and growth.

EVENTS

TINNE COOLS

WOMAN TRAILBLAZER

For 24 years Tinne has been advising individuals and companies in investments, private finance, insurances. Their speciality is measure-made banking, financial and insurance products listening to what they want and then use banks and insurance companies to create the right products. As we are independent brokers, we can use all of them. She is also a lecturer at Syntra, a professional business school for entrepreneurs.

Vicki is a Visual Effects (VFX) and Virtual Reality (VR) specialist in the Hollywood film industry landing her first break working on AMC’s hit series, The Walking Dead, as well as other movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy, and Aquaman. Vicki’s goal is to democratize the knowledge and insights learned from within Hollywood, teaching students from other countries VFX skills & career tips that were previously inaccessible or unavailable to people outside of the United States

Vicki Lau

WOMAN IN TECH 17

EVENTS

Amira El-Deeb

WOMAN IN PUBLIC SECTOR

Amira is the instructional designer of the school’s educational programs. She created many programs that attract many learners every year. in 2008 she introduced social media as a marketing tool at the university at large, helping to reach many unserved segments which resulted in having diversified social media platforms at the university. She trains around 120 trainers every year on the new techniques and introduced the online tools in teaching the school’s programs and Pharma Day event.

Mona is the CEO and Founder of Nexus Digital Technology and a Clinical Fellow with a background in mental health. She also has an extensive experience in leading large multi-million transformational programmes of change across the UK healthcare industry. She left the role as executive healthcare lead for the Grenfell Tower disaster remediation for NHS West London. This provides a digital blockchain platform established on building sustainable health communities where patients are empowered to choose which health and wellbeing services they use.

Mona Hayat

WOMAN IN PUBLIC SECTOR 18

EVENTS

Valerie Thys WOMAN IN MEDIA (EU)

Valerie is an experienced corporate business presenter, host & native trilingual interviewer. The past 17 years I have built a broad and extensive experience in the entertainment industry. A trained weather forecaster and sustainability she considers herself to be a sustainability evangelist. Helping clients and organizations to communicate clear and strong about their efforts to be more sustainable and looking for future opportunities is her mission.

Zainab is a trailblazer in her field. Her career started with Marie Claire magazine Middle East where she was promoted to Editor & Chief. With the downfall of print media, Zainab with her forward-thinking she founded her own media online fashion & luxury lifestyle publication. She continues to show full support and empowerment for women across the Arab world promoting and featuring all their different successes in their various fields.

Zainab Abudulaziz Abdulrazzaq WOMAN IN MEDIA (KUWAIT)

EVENTS

Rawan AlKandari

WOMAN IN PR AND MARKETING

Comma is a creative copywriting agency that aims to empower local and regional brands through the power of words. They combine their knowledge of linguistics and phonology with creative writing to create content that not only sells but speaks to its audience. They have worked with brands in the Middle East in different industries to create campaigns, social media content, business profiles, and even website content that is both meaningful and powerful.

Carina has been consistently highly ranked in the most renowned legal directories. Apart from her work as a lawyer, she is also a member of several editorial boards, among which is Oxford University Press’ Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice. She has written several articles relating to intellectual property rights and regularly asked as a speaker at international conferences in addition to teaching classes at the University of Leuven and the University of Brussels..

Carina Gommers WOMAN IN LAW

EVENTS

Nuria Muno

WOMAN IN FASHION AND DESIGN

The interior design industry deals with either the designing and execution of designs into complete indoor spaces or the manufacture of products used by designers. The two main industry segments are residential and commercial. The activities are improving the look, usage, and safety of interior spaces; assess and meet the needs of the occupants; enhance all aspects of the space, including colour, lighting, textures, furniture, and spatial relationships; trade all type of articles in this sector.

World Women’s Conference & Awards is the foremost international gathering of women leaders designed to discuss and share experiences, strategies and opportunities with and for women in areas of health, leadership, finance and personal development. This is the first summit of its kind anywhere in the world, led by power women around the world, for all women across the world. We aim to bring together women service providers, professionals, NGOs, educators, business leaders, entrepreneurs across the world.

Ragne Sinikas

WOMAN IN BUSINESS NETWORK 21

EVENTS

Narisa Chauvidul-Aw WOMAN IN BANKING KogoPay is an AI Driven instant mobile payment for individuals and small businesses to make local payments and international transfers faster, cheaper and smarter. Our vision is to create an ethical and inclusive cashless ecosystem that facilitates payment and simple money management for everyone. AI and data analytics can also be invaluable in helping governments understand the homeless problem and find different ways to offer support.

HERMA KLUIN HESSING

WINTRADE WOMAN AWARD (SPECIAL)

Based in the Netherlands, Herma makes a predominantly male profession seem attainable for girls as a private investigator. She has a tenacious attitude and fights injustice against children, especially missing children. As a colleague entrepreneur she also finds time to connect other female entrepreneurs with network organisations and other entrepreneurs. In short Herma is prepared to help and benefit society in every way she can!

EVENTS

Maria is a classroom inclusion, environmental justice advocate and a seasoned educator. She is a Learning Disabilities Consultant, Mindfulness Teacher, and Behaviour Analysis Technician. Maria appears as ABA Therapist in the BA-eService Directory of the Université de Lille III of Nantes, France. Maria was Honourable Speaker in July 2018 at the Mental Health Congress in Paris, France with her published paper An Overview of the Neurological Base of Bipolar Disorder.

Maria Santiago Valentin

WINTRADE SUPPORTING SDG AWARDS

SH. NABILA SALMAN AL SABAH WINTRADE WOMAN AWARD

Her unwavering dedication towards empowering girls at a young age to show them the path towards becoming future decision makers and creating a difference in the region and the world has shown her dedication towards women empowerment. Sh. Nabila has also taken a job as administrative director of the Martyr Asrar Al Qabandi school. Where she further shows her love for helping nurture a well-rounded future generation that will help in making a difference regionally and globally.

EVENTS

Sakoon began with just Ayesha and to date it has grown to a team of 10 therapists, 3 course tutors and volunteers. She has a strong passion to support others not just through therapy but also delivers a number of talks to psycho-educate others on mental health, and not afraid to discuss and challenge taboo issues. Ayesha has also set up emotional support services in many organisations at grassroot level and she has also guided mainstream professionals how to effectively work with Muslim clients.

Ayesha Aslam MINORITIES MATTER

Somaya El Shafei INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AWARD (EGYPT)

Expand works in public awareness, we mainly link the public sector with all resources given by healthcare providers, educational institutes and companies who respect the public right to be educated. We reach people through all possible channels to deliver the best education possible to live long, prosperous & healthy life.

EVENTS

NAYA London Ltd. is a Hair Cosmetics Distributor with a difference, investing heavily in the Marketing and Branding of the brands they represent. Supporting several UK brands, they use beauty as a tool to empower women by hosting regular Networking Breakfast for women in business helping them become more relevant, sustainable and reputable in the industry.

Vanessa Fernandes NAYA LONDON LTD – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AWARD

Pauline Henry LLB Law LLM – HERITAGE

C.E.O and founder of Diamond In Venus in 2012, which is an independently run music label set up to exploit her own creations and to create a platform for other musicians and creators through collaborations. After a successful career as a singer, songwriter, performer in 1996, Pauline decided on a change of career and went on to study law and completed her Masters in Intellectual Property law with a focus on Music Copyright.

EVENTS

Zalina is the Founder & CEO of Zalina Swiss Organic, 360HealthQuotient, Switzerland`s leading online B2C for Swiss Organic skincare integrating holistic beauty, health wealth and wellbeing. A thriving Indie Beauty Entrepreneur, Certified Health & Lifestyle Coach, Organic Formulator & Skin Care Brand, Fitness Instructor, a Wealth Advisor, Trinidadian born, Zalina continues to tap into innovative ways to self-empower and created an intelligent full circle of life formula to help women globally to improve their lives.

Zalina Wälchli HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Simone De Gale EXCELLENCE

Winner ‘Architect of Year’ 2017, SRA’s services range from Architecture to Interior Design, Master planning and Innovation, as well as Project Management services, within Central London and Internationally. SGA is developing its international portfolio, the first project, a £200m masterplan in Tbilisi, Georgia. As well as securing a largescale masterplan project, the company has secured other international projects; in Croatia, the Caribbean, and USA, and developing opportunities in Ukraine and Hong Kong.

EVENTS

Niclas has for a long time worked to support female entrepreneurs both privately and in its role as head of companies listed on Nasdaq Sweden. Examples are Impulse4women, 17FemaleFoundersNetwork, Norrsken Foundation, Swedish-American Executive Women Conference. Niclas has also used the Nasdaq Billboard on Time Square to highlight female persons and organisations that promote female entrepreneurs.

Niclas Holmberg, Nasdaq BECAUSE SHE MATTERS

COVER STORIES

MARKETING & BRANDING

NATURE IS THE BEST DESIGNER BY NICOLE WEATHERBY Seasons have the ability to change our mood, change our lives and change our perspectives. Nature literally tells us that all change is inevitable so why not embrace it. Artists have always been drawn to, and inspired by, the natural world. Creative minds have always used nature to find beautifully functional design solutions. They have even created a design philosophy, Biomimicry (a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges), based on the concept that nature knows best. There is no denying it: many people spent much of last year and bits of this year cooped up inside. Being a Graphic Designer and being stuck in a house with nothing but walls for inspiration began to resemble solitary confinement. “So many of us have felt cooped up in 2020 with COVID and have a strong desire to spend time in green spaces. Even looking at photographs of these places can feel soothing if you are stuck in apartment. I think we’ll see a greater appreciation for these kinds of visuals coming through in 2021.” Megan Dell, Director of Design at 99designs. Whether this trend manifests in the form of leafy patterns, earth-tone colour schemes or illustrations of breath-taking vistas, graphic design is going green. The best part about this trend is we are seeing

it reach beyond environmentally oriented products. The effect of natural imagery is to represent serenity, renewal, and growth (hence why spas usually market with leafy designs)—all of which we need in 2021. What particularly influenced me was a quote I read: “There is no better designer than Nature.” -Alexander McQueen. Graphic designers consider cognitive, cultural, physical, and social factors when planning and executing designs for their target audience. There is something powerful that happens when you can look at the natural world with a sense of awe, wonder, and curiosity and then connect those ideas to new designs that solve real-world problems. Nature has a way of removing distractions, of commanding our deepest attention. Following this kind of thinking, nature is full of lessons we can draw from, lessons which can inform and inspire our daily lives. So, no surprise when summer comes, designs are slightly different. With summer comes new ideas, a different colour palette, greens, yellows, oranges, blues. One cannot deny the beautiful designs of nature. The spiral of seashells, patterns on various butterfly wings, patterns on leaves, texture of tree bark, and the list goes on. Summer is a time of light, cheeriness, expression, and passionate action. Summer is the season that is symbolic of the strength and life within every heart. So, time to stop procrastinating and start living.

MARKETING & BRANDING

“CREATIVE COURAGE” IS THE GO-TO TECH MARKETING STRATEGY” EDITOR’S CHOICE

Tech marketers looking to carve out a competitive edge in the post-Covid world are embracing creativity and taking more risks, according to a new survey carried out by Opinium on behalf of creative studio Shaped By. At the same time, social and mobile marketing are key strategic responses to decisive shifts in customer behaviour. In the survey of over 200 senior marketers at UK and US tech brands, three quarters (74%) say their organisation was more creative with its go-to market approach in 2020 than previous years – while 73% report that the pandemic triggered more imaginative audience strategies. Underlining the need for companies to adapt to rapidly evolving audience demand, 66% of tech marketers in the Shaped By study assert that creativity in marketing is more valued by their organisation than a year ago. Similarly, design and creativity has emerged as a lead priority for 60%, as tech marketers seek alternatives to tried and tested methods. This is ahead of performance marketing (57%) and market research (55%). In parallel, the survey shows a trend towards bolder, more courageous, decision-making. 74% of participants in Shaped By’s survey believe the tech sector is ‘brave’, and 66% say their organisation supports courage and risk-taking in their go to market strategy. That said, just 12% say the pivot towards a more risk-oriented, differentiated stra-

MARKETING & BRANDING

tegy is down to Covid-19. Instead, Covid-19 is acting as an accelerant for profound changes already in motion. One impact of the pandemic is that tech marketers have embraced new communication channels, with 98% expanding activities on lightly used channels or experimenting with new ones. Before the pandemic, online advertising and social media were the most common channels used, mentioned by 42% and 38% of marketers respectively. During the pandemic, channels used for the first time have included: Online events (25%). Webinars (23%). Social media (21%). The Shaped By survey shows a disparity between large companies (+1000 employees) and smaller companies (between 50-499 employees). Compared to smaller counterparts, big brands were twice as likely to use online advertising and digital events, nearly three times as likely to use social media, and four times as likely to use SEO. Tactical use of online events and webinars during Covid-19 should not deflect from deeper trends. With over a quarter of tech marketers (28%) experiencing an increase in audience engagement over the pandemic, social media is emerging as a key way in which end users explore and acquire products and services. 39% of surveyed marketers deemed social marketing to be the most important area to focus on. Mobile marketing (34%) was also front of mind, as was purpose-led brand marketing (34%). Encouragingly, 59% of tech marketers have seen an increase in audiences responding to different types of content and there has also been significant uplift in the ability to get leads (55%). One warning sign, however, is an increase in potential clients dropping off the sales cycle at different times (51%) – probably because of new work patterns. Businesses best-placed to counter this volatility are those that have cemented their bond with customers. For example, the renewal of subscriptions and upselling of products/services remained robust during 2020 with 49% reporting increased frequency and 37% no change. Shaped By co-founder Nick Farrar belie-

ves the appetite for experimentation and creativity shows that tech marketers are switching from a sales approach to a value-driven ethos. “Many tech brands found themselves in the eye of the storm with Covid: their technology was in huge demand, but they also needed to step up in a crisis situation,” he says. “As a result, brands have strived to humanise their offerings, and connect on an emotional level.” This mindset rings true for Barbara Moreno, head of marketing, NDC[X] at Amadeus, whose airline clients were severely hit when Covid-19 struck, causing a global shutdown of the travel sector. Like 28% of marketers questioned in the survey, Barbara saw a growth in audience engagement last year amid a Rethink Travel campaign her company launched to spark conversations on the best path forward. “This pandemic has forced us not just to be creative, but also to be more empathetic,” she says. “We need to be really understanding about what our customers are going through, and engage them in a collaborative team spirit.” Dave Corlett, business director at Shaped By, comments. “Brands are realising you have to communicate with clients around their passion points, and the problems that you can solve for them. So, it’s about getting back to the basics of core brand identity – and how you communicate on a genuine and profound level.” Increased emphasis on risks and creativity does not, according to the survey, signal a rejection of the trend towards AI/machine learning and data-driven marketing. 50% of survey respondents say their marketing is dominated by technology with 27% noting a dominance of creativity and 24% reporting an equal mix of the two. The underlying message is that tech marketers need to accommodate creative and tech under one roof. The new study findings come from Shaped By, a creative studio for tech-fuelled brands that recently underwent a makeover of its own. Founded by Nick Farrar and Steve Goss in 2005, it has steadily grown its influence and expertise within the tech sector on both sides of the Atlantic over recent years, working with companies including Autodesk, Rubrik and Nutanix. 33

COVER STORIES

BUSINESS

PURPOSEFUL PROFIT BY RAGNE SINIKAS Over time, businesses have defined success by one factor: profitability. While that hasn’t changed completely, in more recent years the role of business has evolved as leaders have been focused on creating a greater positive impact. As consumers and employees demand more sustainable and ethical practices from businesses, companies respond by adapting their products, taking stands on issues, and putting purpose first. Rising consumer empowerment means people are flocking to buy from and work for brands that make a positive impact on the world. As a result, it is no longer enough for brands to focus on business as usual and measure success solely by financial growth. They are increasingly expected to step forward on social issues and stand up for their beliefs or risk losing both customers and employees. This is what we call the Purposeful Profit, and it reflects a new business reality where companies are not only expected to do business in more ethical ways, but also, they are finding that doing so pays off in tangible business results. So, how can decision making with empathy and purpose transform a corporation from one solely seeking to make money, 36

into one that is successful both for its profits, but also for its impact? When a leader believes that if we all can harness and focus on our individual talents, as a collective, we can create the change that we want to see. Those leaders and businesses who choose to do so are generating significant profit. They are proof that companies can combine positive social change and financial success. Acceptance and awareness can create meaningful action. We see the trend of leaders who want to serve a higher purpose through entrepreneurship. In the past, brands would limit themselves to “soft branding” of cause-related initiatives - preferring to take a quiet role as an invisible supporter rather than taking public stand. This was once the best way for a corporation to support initiatives that aligned with its core values without feeling overly promotional. Today brands are expected to be more vocal. Sitting on the sidelines is not enough. Now companies must work to earn consumers’ trust through positive business models, ethical treatment of workers, charitable good deeds, socially responsible sourcing, and a daily commitment to purpose along with profit. Just as consumers are making intentional choices about what products to buy and

brands to support, employees too are seeking workplaces that allow them to have a greater purpose and make a difference in the world. How to use purposeful profit? To start with, the leaders of businesses need to take a credible position; as profit and purpose matter more than ever before, brands and leaders alike can fall into the trap of rushing to take a position or make a stand on an issue without thinking through whether others will see their move as credible. As consumers and employees regularly turn to organisations with a strong purpose, they will be more exacting of those who claim to have purpose but do not back up their words with action. Another way to use purposeful profit is to practice conscious capitalism. On a more personal side, as consumers, the power is in our hands. We may think that a small choice we make - perhaps forgoing a product that was produced questionably or paying a few dollars extra for a product that was ethically made - does not really make difference. After all, how much impact can one person have? Yet by making socially responsible choices consistently and thinking about the positive and negative impacts of our purchases, we can contribute to a ripple effect. With every decision about what we buy and where we buy it, we demonstrate what is important to us and send a clear message to organisations. The way they make their products and how they do their business matters. And the third way to use purposeful profit is to focus on impact. The more real-time tools (such as barcode scanning apps and online reviews) that consumers have to instantly assess corporate practices, the more they will demand not only a commitment to doing good, but also to achieving results. Those who can show demonstrable positive impact on the world will be the ones who can inspire the most loyalty from customers and employees alike, and sustained returns for investors as well. We need mission-driven businesses now more than ever to help heal the wounds our world currently has. 37

BUSINESS

BREAKING DOWN YOUR BUSINESS YEAR BY NAEEM ARIF The summer is a great time of the year, and as long as the weather holds up, it can be energising to have so much sunlight and good weather. The last week of July and the first week of August are subsequently a quiet period in many sections of the business world, as people take vacations and factories close down for a short while. Whilst the hospitality sector is usually booming at this time of the year, some businesses may not get a lot of trade at this time of the year. Planning ahead for quiet trading periods is an important part of being successful in business. As a business owner, you need to know when to push hard and when to pull back. When you are predicting a lack of demand for your business’s services or products, then you should be looking at different aspects of your business. From an offense point of view, I would be looking at where you can generate new orders, so are there any special offers you can run? Are there are new opportunities you can 38

chase? From a defensive approach, you need to think about where you can save costs or delay spend. Encourage your staff to maybe take their annual leave, or perhaps to work from home. Look at running a reduced service so as to keep your operational costs low. If the summer is not a peak period for you, think about reducing some of your marketing spend for a short while. Breaking down your full year into shorter periods is a smart way of managing your whole year. Like a racing driver going around the track, you may need to speed up and slow down based on what’s ahead of you.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE ENERGY OF SUMMER BY MARTINA COOGAN As the summer sun shines, we are energised by the heat of the sun which is at its highest light as it shines on us its brightness and spiritual light. Every year as the sun makes its journey from the depth of winter to the height of summer, which we call Summer Solstice on June 21st, the longest and brightest day most often comes with warm sunlight which is always very welcomed. We as humans often spend our days following the workload and the distractions of life, while our ancestors were much more in alignment with the cycle of the sun and the moon and in alignment with the flow of the wheel of the year as they kept themselves deeply connected with the light and energy of father sky and mother earth. When we stay in alignment, it benefits us greatly and we are much more in flow and healthier in all levels of our lives. Somehow this way of living has gotten lost in society since industrialisation. However, if we want to be in good health to live at our highest frequency and manifest our deepest desires into physical possessions, it is for sure in our best interest to be acquainted with and in flow and alignment with the seasons. Summer in particular is a season that is full of outdoor activities, full of light that fills us with positive energy, excitement and with opportunities to feel alive and in alignment with the light of the sun so we can spend more time outside in the longer brighter days and in more physical activities. It is a time when we can enjoy the abundance of life with friends and family and have meaningful reflections, and around the

solstice our reflections will most often have a deeper, more spiritual meaning for so many as the sun will be at its most powerful. Summer is a great time to pull together ideas and harness the light of the sun to manifest a positive future while celebrating the achievements and lessons learned from the past. If you would like to bring positive changes and overall positivity into your life this summer, I suggest you do one or all of the following: Go out into nature and connect with the earth beneath you and the sun above you. Once grounded and connected to yourself, write an honest list of all that you are grateful for in your life, for all the goodness and all that you have accomplished that you are proud of in your life. Upon completion re-read it and sense the abundance and invite more of that abundant energy into your life for the months ahead. Get up at least 3 mornings and watch the sunrise, connect with it and sense the newness of the new day and invite this energy into your life so you can sense the newness of opportunity in you and in your life. Go out at sunset and watch the sun as it comes to the completion of a day, see the sky in all its expression and allow the energy of completion and accomplishment to come into your life so you feel good as you complete and let go of projects and relationships as they move on as they do. Most importantly, find your way to enjoy the summer and play as the child within you will feel full of fun and this is indeed so needed for each of us be positive and enjoy our lives and relationships on all levels.

BUSINESS

Co-op businesses are more resilient to the economic devastation caused by Covid according to a new report, prompting a call for more government investment led by CEO of The Coop, Steve Murrells. The Co-op Economy 2021, compiled by trade body Co-operatives UK, reveals that co-ops were four times less likely to go bust in 2020 than businesses generally, despite the global pandemic. The number of co-ops (a diverse sector of member-owned businesses from community owned sports clubs to housing associations and credit unions) is also on the increase across the UK - bucking an overall trend of declining business numbers. Co-operatives UK CEO, Rose Marley, said: “We know co-operatives are resilient and sustainable businesses – but it’s not just their resilience that is critical to reducing the inequalities in the UK. It’s fundamentally about ownership.

CO-OP BUSINESSES MORE RESILIENT TO COVID EDITOR’S CHOICE

People are looking for a stake in the places they live, work and consume and the co-op model distributes this decision-making power. “Why are co-ops so resilient? The co-operative purpose, ownership and governance all dictate long-termism. In an economic shock it’s the members calling the shots in their collective, longterm interests, not investors

BUSINESS

making decisions based on short-term returns. Co-ops patiently build-up and reinvest reserves and use members’ capital wherever possible, rather than piling on debt to achieve faster growth.” She adds. In 2020 the number of independent co-op businesses operating in the UK grew by 1.2 per cent, with almost twice as many new co-ops created as dissolved (193 versus 107). In contrast, the number of UK businesses overall fell, with company closures outstripping new starts (389,965 versus 382,560). Just 1.5 per cent of co-ops were dissolved over the 12 months compared to 6.5 per cent of businesses generally. Rose Marley said: ““We are increasingly excited by the growth and interest in what is becoming known as the democratic economy. And co-ops also anchor wealth in local communities, which brings a whole plethora of additional benefits.

It’s something we see adopted by co-operatives across the country, of any size - the Government needs to support their future development.” Co-ops are also markedly more ambitious than small businesses generally, with 61 per cent of co-ops expressing ambitions to grow/develop in the first quarter of 2021, compared with 53 per cent of small businesses generally. Co-ops are businesses owned and controlled by their members. There are 7,237 independent co-ops operating across the UK, ranging from high-street retailers to farmer-owned businesses, community sports clubs and web developers. Total turnover increased to 39.7 billion pounds in 2021 from 38.6 billion pounds (a 2.8 per cent increase) and there are 13.9 million memberships of co-ops in the UK.

“We’re now calling for more business support to grow this increasingly valuable sector. To have even more impact in terms of levelling up the economy, co-ops need the support that other business models receive as a matter of course. Co-ops have been marginalised and underrated for far too long.” The CEOs of nine of the largest retail societies in the UK have jointly written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for more tailored business support for co-operatives catering to their distinct approach to capital raising, business strategy and organisational development. CEO of the UK’s largest co-op, The Co-op, Steve Murrells said, “If we genuinely want to build back Britain better, but also take the opportunity to build back different, this must be a decade of collective action. “The heart of every co-operative has always been the idea that, by coming together, we can all improve our situation, and make sure that nobody gets left behind.

COVER STORIES

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CULTURE & SOCIETY

LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE NOT IN THE SHADOWS BY PIERRE COOMBES I love the summer, oddly when I look back it’s the season in which I find many of my fondest childhood and even adult memories belong. There is something about the sun, the light that draws out our emotions, it makes us happy, inspires us to dance, to smile, to love, to be passionate and to live life to the fullest. And so, with this in mind, the overall mindset of the masses is positive, and despite the recent adversities and restrictions we have faced, the summer is upon us yet again and is helping many get through what has been a very tough year. As we emerge out of this terrible segment of time, and as the dust settles and the sun burns through the morning clouds revealing blue skies, we must take it as a sign of hope. Just as reliable as the sun is dependent on where you are in the world, it brings us the seasons, the difference of day and night, it’s a constant in our lives. I’m a bit of a grouch, sometimes, and it’s the summertime that really reminds me of the old adage ‘life is like a glass of water, you see it half empty or half full’; the sun only extenuates that both figuratively and factually. You can complain of the heat and sun, or you can jump in the sea and swim in carefreeness, it’s a matter of thinking and applying one thinking to yield outcome.I’ve been fortunate enough to travel extensively, and to many of the areas of the world which we deem to be the happiest, the healthiest, where people live to ripe old ages, and in many of them I saw so many commonalities. From Italy to Brazil, Greece to parts of Asia, it seems to our very British thinking that there are belts of areas across the world that seem to live healthier and happier lives. Some assume it’s the weather,

some the water, some the food, and while perhaps it’s a combination of all of those, what’s true is that many cultures promote ‘the good life’, la buena vida’ in Spanish, ‘la dolce vita’ in Italian and so on.Perhaps inspired at the source initially by the sun, these countries, towns and villages hold tradition close, and they don’t let go of what truly matters, such as family, food, festivities and being at one with the surrounding beauty. We can learn so much from this, however, and while we in the most part, aside from a few heatwaves in the summer, live in grey cloud covered rainy concrete cities, we can be inspired to connect with nature and our surrounding. It’s not just the sun that yields light, it’s soul cleansing to relate to the seasons and to truly experience them, or if you don’t like the clouds move away. ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ is such a true statement, while there is nothing more indulging than bathing in the sun with a cooling cocktail, equally if you connect with the idea, there’s nothing more invigorating that standing a storm and feeling Mother Nature cry down. There’s something about giving in to something that is more powerful than you, letting the wind touch your face, standing there until you’re soaking wet and in the bitter cold, it can take your breath away and give you the opportunity to go home, strip off in front of a log fire and have a warm cup of hot chocolate. What the summer truly reminds me of, retrospectively, is that we live in a world of ying and yang, hot and cold, rich and poor, happy and sad, that we can feel hate or love, fear or strength. There is power in knowing in our greatest moments, that we have also had times of weakness and vice versa. This is a

CULTURE & SOCIETY

mindset tool taught in stoic teaching, to know oneself and to find a balanced position, it’s knowing that because we will die one day, we should truly live in this moment now, right now. Sometimes life will also have its way of humbling us. Last week I sat in Victoria station, annoyed that my phone battery had died, sitting with a charger plugged into the wall, that seemed to take forever to charge. I sat there annoyed, sweating, complaining to myself in my head that I needed my phone to charge so I could head to a restaurant for food, and I was gasping for a drink. There in that moment, having a first world problem, a homeless person came towards the bench I was sat on, opting to approach the other two people charging their phone, and he whispered something to them that I couldn’t hear. They shook their heads strongly with looks of disgust and so he struggled off, with a limp, looking somewhat physically impaired. He then went over to the Starbucks, looking round the empty tables picking up the finished drinks desperately trying to get a sip of something to hydrate and replenish him in the sauna-like day. One by one he drank the remnants of beverages to quench his thirst. I was overcome with a sense of guilt, not that I had been asked directly by him for anything but that another human being, regardless of his situation and his own decisions should be lowered to this. I felt shame that I didn’t ask him there and then what he wanted, but as I stood up leaving my phone and charger on the bench, he walked off not allowing me the time to walk over to buy him a drink. This moment played on my mind for an hour, perhaps two; how I could complain about one thing and in reality, have no overall comprehension of the sense of luckiness and abundance I had by comparison, and yet I thought onward even to comprehend that perhaps he thought he was lucky that he could find drink, in a world of third world countries where that would be a dream, where water wasn’t running freely. Sometimes we need to get a reality check to truly appreciate things and be moved to help. In summary I guess my article this month, while celebrating the summer and promoting that we should live in the moment, wants to note that it’s important to know how fortunate we are and how we should never forget that. Live, love, give and feel in the moment, for when we look back, so much of what we worried about won’t have mattered. Drawing the business message out of this, as after all that’s what I’m here to do and I tend to digress, it’s this: we should celebrate our wins in business, learn from our failures and do the tough work first and enjoy the art, success will come naturally, as naturally as the sun goes down.

BEAUTY & FASHION

SUMMER VS HAIR TIPS & TRENDS BY CRISTINA CHRISTENSEN

Summer is synonymous with beaches, pools and a lot of sun. We wait for the summer all year round, especially in the northern hemisphere, where temperatures can sink as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter. “Holiday” is a word that we all love. It means freedom, being able to sleep in later, go out for a walk, go to the pool, dive in the sea, hiking, biking, skydiving... whatever your holiday of choice is, it’s important to look after your hair properly. This article is here to help you work out how to look after your hair, and to bring you some of Europe’s summer hair trends for 2021. Let’s start with some simple and super practical hair trends! Voluminous, choppy and wavy hairstyles are super fashionable at the moment. Summer has arrived and the long bob hairstyle is everywhere, straightened, Afro or curly. The bob gives freedom of movement, is easy to look after, and still gives you the option to put your hair up if you fancy it. Isn’t that great?! 46

A layered haircut is an excellent option if you have voluminous hair, as it brings some lightness and the movement you want. As well as being practical, when brushed it looks luxurious. Short or long, a layered haircut is always in style and on the heads of celebrities. Have you heard the messy updo? It’s that hairstyle that looks like it’s a bit messy, but actually it’s super pretty and stylish. There might be a few strands loose, or it could be a loose bun... the messy updo is super simple to do! Fringes are also very in right now, with the curtain bangs making their long-awaited return to the heads of people around the world. But don’t think that long fringes will go out of fashion! They’ll be making faces pretty for years to come. Balayage, which first appeared in French salons, is a technique from the 1970s which gives a lightening effect to the hair. It can be done in different ways, including one method called the “money piece” which highlights the face.

BEAUTY & FASHION

So, how to look after your hair in summer? Without a doubt we want to make the most of the heat and freedom of summer without risking our hair, so it’s important to maintain it nourished and hydrated. Don’t forget that we have 15% water in our hair, and so it’s important to keep it hydrated and healthy. Beach or swimming pool? The salt from the sea leaves hair dry, so one way to alleviate that dryness is to put leave-in cream in before going into the water, even if it’s a swimming pool, as chlorine also dehydrates your hair. Tie your hair in a bun or a ponytail to avoid it touching the water, and try and use a leave-in cream with UV protection. Try not to wash your hair with hot water, instead opt for warm or cold water. Salt and chlorine already damage your hair, and hot water only furthers the dryness caused by these factors. Leave your straighteners and hair dryers behind! Summer is the time to leave your hair to dry by itself – what could be a better feeling than drying your hair in the sea breeze? If you have dyed hair, you’ll need to take extra care. Use an appropriate shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair, and a leave-in mask to aid with hydration. If you have a sensitive scalp, make sure to use a hat to protect yourself from the sun. And finally, a haircut is important after all of that exposure to the elements! That way your hair will be rejuvenated and will look fresh, strengthening it for growth. Now you’re ready to enjoy your summer, without fear of ruining your hair! 47

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

HOW TO TACKLE THE GENDER PAY GAP BY LYDIAH IGWEH Decades after the International Labour Organisation Convention Number 100 on equal remuneration, the gender pay gap persists. This is because the problem is deep-rooted in systemic disparities and discriminations, and to equalise pay, there is a need to de-bias systems. According to the UK Government Equalities Office, “employers who use high-quality data to understand the drivers of their gender pay gap can target their actions and therefore deliver the most effective results.” Policies to close the gender pay gap must be developed in tandem with corporate goals. Data and evidence-driven policymaking processes ensure sustainable change.Tackling the gender pay gap requires individual and systemic changes. Some key strategies helpful in achieving this include: FORMALISING THE INFORMAL SECTOR by having laws governing pay in the informal sector, women have equity in accessing opportunities and negotiating for better pay. As indicated by UN Women, this includes “improving the valuation of women’s work through strengthening legal and collective regulation, and extending gender pay audits and action plans.” EDUCATION AND TRAINING POLICY CHANGES education is key to the attainment of knowledge and skills, so women attain suitable skills to compete in the job market. Policies that promote education and training in technical disciplines like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ensure women have equity in qualification to compete for job opportunities in relating fields usually dominated by men. TRANSPARENCY IN PAY AND REWARD PROCESSES

Women are unlikely to negotiate higher salaries if they do not know what constitutes a rational offer. Being open about the criteria, processes and procedures used in pay and reward decision-making is crucial. Transparency also allows room for negotiations and leads to impartial compensation for work of the same value. This ensures that all employees, regardless of gender, understand and guarantee fairness in processes and equal pay. REVERSE MENTORING The gender pay gap challenges are best articulated by those affected, which helps formulate targeted solutions that are appropriate for each employee. Women, who are allowed to lead management, help formulate smart solutions to close the pervasive pay gap. An excellent example is Ernst & Young’s “Race Reverse Mentoring Scheme,” which helps its leaders in decision-making, as indicated in its 2020 Pay Gap Report. Research confirms that closing the gender pay gap has invaluable benefits, including economic gains. A McKinsey Global Institute report found “$12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 if the gender gap is narrowed.” IMF also reported that if as many women as men worked, GDP would increase by 5 per cent in the US, 9 per cent in Japan, 12 per cent in the United Arab Emirates, and 27 per cent in India. The IMF report also shows that women hold 2 of 10 senior positions in Europe and increasing that number to 3 per cent would lead to a company’s return on assets. The business case for closing the gender gap is hence evident and invaluable today. Therefore, each organisation must progress the agenda to tackle and close the pervasive gender pay gap.

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BEAUTY & FASHION

5 ESSENTIAL HAIRCARE PRODUCTS FOR SUMMER BY CRISTINA CHRISTENSEN

OSMO SILVERISING VIOLET MASK 300 ML

OSMO INTENSIVE DEEP REPAIR MASK 1200 ML

AFRICAN PRIDE SHEA BUTTER - LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER - 425G

100% Sulphate Free Mask. Nourishes highlighted and blonde hair. Contains UV Filter. Contains OSMO Anti-Fade System. Banishes yellow tones, restores color radiance.

Helps restore moisture and elasticity leaving hair feeling silky, smooth and manageable. Intensive hydrating hair treatment mask to restore moisture balance. Extract of Jojoba adds shine, manageability and smoothes the cuticle. Patchouli Oil helps to tame frizz and improve the health of the scalp. Moisturises without weighing hair down.

Gives amazing manageability, softness and shine to naturally curly, wavy, kinky-coily mixed textures. Perfect for transitioners and enriched with shea butter it is nature’s superior detangling moisturiser. Helps eliminate dryness by enhancing body, bounce and shine. Intensely moisturise and instantly detangle, turn tizz to smooth curls, coils and waves. Nourish for greater shine and softness.

BED HEAD BY TIGI BEACH FREAK DETANGLER SPRAY FOR DETANGLING KNOTTY HAIR 100 ML Hair detangling spray makes knotty hair easy to detangle. Detangler spray smooths frizz, flyaways, and static. Spray moisturises and softens hair. With UV protection for hair. Bed Head by Tigi Beach Freak Moisturising Detangler Spray 100 ml is suitable for knotty hair, frizzy hair, and tangled hair.

REVLON UNIQ ONE ALL-INONE HAIR TREATMENT. Leaves the hair smoother, silkier and healthier. Hair colour protection with UVA and UVB filters. Repairs dry and damaged hair. Long-lasting hairstyle. Suitable for all hair types.

BEAUTY & FASHION

BODY POSITIVITY BY RENATA ARON When summer arrives, temperatures rise, it’s beach season, and bodies come out of hiding. Everyone seems to be in a better mood and everything seems more colourful, but not everyone is actually in a better mood in summer! All of us know someone who has had to leave the beach or the pool because they don’t feel confident in themselves. Or someone who won’t wear certain clothes because they’re embarrassed to expose a certain part of their body. Despite the fact that in recent times social media has intensified the existence of beauty standards, they have always existed in society. Wherever we look we are bombarded with images and information about how to get the perfect body. We grow up being obliged to fit into societal beauty standards which are impossible to achieve, which means that a lot of us (in particular women) end up hating ourselves and feeling embarrassed about our bodies and our characteristics. I believe that we often reach a maximum level of demand with our body and physical aspects where our self-esteem has often been destroyed. But not everything is negative. Those very social media platforms that are perpetuating beauty standards are also giving a voice to a movement which appeared many years ago but is now gaining traction: body positivity. This movement begs us to have a more positive outlook about our own bo-

dies, encouraging us to love it and respect it. By increasing self-esteem, the movement is shattering unattainable beauty standards and is reminding us that every body is beautiful. It’s a movement away from conforming and being unhappy, rather it’s about learning to accept ourselves and to accept that everyone is different and that’s OK. We can already see some changes in society and in media in relation to this change. Recently we saw the the Victoria’s Secret show move more towards inclusivity and realistic body and away from unattainable body standards. The movement has improved moods and mental health, has lowered rates of anxiety and depression, and has encouraged people to care for themselves and look at themselves more positively. Self-acceptance isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. If you work on it daily, you will soon accept your differences as beautiful. Get to know your strengths, look at yourself lovingly, don’t compare yourself to others, don’t follow profiles which perpetuate beauty standards, and remember we are all different! Social media is full of “perfect” people, but following them doesn’t help your self-esteem or mental health. Plus, so many people use filters and retouching apps! Remember all of this, and you will soon learn to love yourself. 51

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GADGETS

5 ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS BY LOLA SHERWIN

PORTABLE NECK FAN £11.04

BEER COOLING STICKS £7.49

REUSABLE FAST FREEZE ICE CUBES, £11.45

(BUY HERE)

What could be more useful in the summer heat than a portable neck fan to keep you cool on the go? This is a cheap little gadget which can save you from many sweaty days!

Nobody likes warm beer, so surely everyone needs a beer cooling stick, especially in the middle of summer!

These nifty little gadgets allow you to refill them to freeze up ice cubes, fast. They’re perfect for summer BBQs to keep everyone’s drinks cool and refreshing!

INSTANT COLD ICE TOWEL £9.99 (BUY HERE) There are few things better than a refreshing cool flannel in summer, so how about a cooling towel to prevent you from getting all hot and bothered again straight after getting out the pool?

OUTDOOR XL SMOKER BARBECUE £239.99 (BUY HERE) A good BBQ is a summer essential, and this one isn’t just good, it’s great! It’s also reasonably priced, which always helps, right?

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FURNITURE

5 ESSENTIAL PIECES OF FURNITURE BY LOLA SHERWIN

RATTAN WICKER FURNITURE SET£139.99

GREEN LEAVES CUSHION COVERS, £14.39

RATTAN DAY BED £349.99

(BUY HERE)

These stylish and comfortable chairs are the perfect addition to any garden, and they make a great piece of furniture for all those summer BBQs.

Every piece of garden furniture needs some cute cushions to jazz them up and make them look nice, and these green leafy ones are absolutely gorgeous!

This day bed is a great piece to match the chairs we’ve also listed here. This is also the perfect place to relax on a hot summer day!

RECLINING SUN LOUNGERS £149.99 (BUY HERE) Everyone needs sun loungers to catch a tan while it’s sunny for a fleeting moment in British summer, and this set of 2 is the perfect purchase.

GREY PARASOL £74.99 (BUY HERE) Not everyone loves to bask in the sun, so if you prefer to stay in the shade, then this parasol is a great investment for you.

GIFTS

5 ESSENTIAL GIFTS BY LOLA SHERWIN

SUMMER HOLIDAY COCKTAIL SET, £8.90

CITRONELLA CANDLE £12.99

SPRINKLER PLAY MAT £14.99

(BUY HERE)

This is the perfect gift for your cocktail-loving friends, as it gives them a mixture of different cocktails which are perfect for the summer months.

Citronella candles not only keep the pesky mosquitoes away, but this one is also a pretty piece of décor to jazz up your garden table this summer.

Summer is the time that everyone has to find new ways to entertain their kids, and this sprinkler play mat is a great way to keep them busy, so gift this to your friends with kids to help them out!

GLASS PITCHER £21.99 (BUY HERE) A pitcher is an absolute must for summer BBQ parties, and this glass one is a super handy one to have, as it also has a useful scale line!

LED CURTAIN LIGHTS £11.99 (BUY HERE) These pretty curtain lights will help to jazz up any garden, and they’re a great gift for friends who love to host!

BOOKS

5 Must-Reads this Summer BY LOLA SHERWIN

MALIBU RISING, TAYLOR JENKINS REID, £14.99 (BUY HERE) The story of an unforgettable night in the life of a family. A night where they all have to make a choice on what they will keep and what they will leave behind.

THE LIDO, LIBBY PAGE £8.99

THE HOLIDAY, T.M. LOGAN £7.99

(BUY HERE)

The story of two women and how the lido represents more than just a place to swim, rather it is the heart of the community. Feel-good and uplifting.

What was supposed to be the perfect holiday brings with it trouble in paradise. Someone is prepared to kill to keep their secret hidden. A gripping story.

BLOOD ORANGE, HARRIET TYCE £8.99

CITY OF GIRLS, ELIZABETH GILBERT £8.99

(BUY HERE)

A tasty, compelling thriller which is riddled with secrets and people who want to expose them. Utterly gripping.

1940s New York and all of its glitz and glamour, enclosed in the pages of a beautiful book. It’s about daring to break conventions and follow your desires, and it is incredible.

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