WHEN (previously known as Women On Top) offers consulting, training and project management services to promote gender equity and inclusion in companies and organisations.
In 2021, we supported 30 organisations as training partners to claim the pilot Equality Badge of the SHARE program, implemented by the General Secretariat of Demographic and Family Policy and Gender Equality, KETHI and WHEN.
WHEN designs and communicates policies related to important aspects of gender equity and inclusion within and outside companies.
It also undertakes projects on:
We help develop female talents through mentoring, training and community development.
The sharing of experiences, the exchange of expertise, and the networking opportunities that mentoring provides have a decisive impact on any woman’s ability to achieve her professional aspirations and advance in her career. Guided by 13 years of expertise in designing, monitoring, and evaluating thousands of mentoring relationships, WHEN undertakes the design and implementation of in-company programs that contribute not only to the professional development of mentees, but also to the growth of the mentors who support them.
In partnership with selected trainers, experienced in the empowerment of female employees, we offer skills development programmes, such as:
The communities developed with the support of WHEN provide participants with the opportunity to cultivate skills, exchange views on issues that concern them, and build relationships of solidarity and respect. These communities have a positive impact on everyday work life, employee engagement, and effective team communication. Communities can, for example, be created as:
We invest in raising awareness and training employees & executives in skills that help develop a company culture of equity and inclusion.
We believe that every one of us, in whatever stage of our career we find ourselves, can make a difference and play our part in creating a more equal and inclusive working environment. This is why we want to provide individuals and groups with the knowledge and skills they need to accomplish that, by offering workshops and keynote speeches on topics related to gender equality and inclusion such as:
In partnership with selected trainers experienced in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion issues and tools, such as experiential learning, Sustained Dialogue & LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, we offer executives/team leaders training programmes on:
Our collaboration with WHEN in 2022 touched upon many parameters of our corporate strategy on Inclusion and Diversity. The holistic approach of matters surrounding gender equality, the deep knowledge, the quality of the offered services and the effective programmes are the invaluable hallmarks of WHEN.
Maria Dimopoulou, Manager of Communications & Sustainability, PAPASTRATOS
The WHEN team, through its work, opens the discussion for a wider realisation of the benefits we can gain as a society by promoting gender equality, and it is our honour to support the organisation’s activities to this end.
Vaso Pouli, CEO, Commit Global
Novartis is committed to building an inclusive workplace, which gives everyone the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Everyday, we embrace diversity and equality in action. Our exceptional cooperation with WHEN and their flawless organisation allowed us to support young women in health sciences, both through the ”Ready for Work at Life Sciences” seminars and through having women from our management team participate in mentoring.
Foteini Bampanara, Head of Communi
At Pfizer, women’s empowerment and equal treatment is our priority, and we share the same vision with WHEN. Through our participation in significant initiatives, such as the “WHEN in Business 2022” one-day event, we play our part in creating the right conditions for promoting gender equality and equal opportunities in the workplace.
Lia Bertsiadou, Head of the “Diversity & Inclusion, Action” team, Pfizer Hellas, Inflammation & Immunology Lead, Pfizer Greece-Cyprus-Malta
As L’Οréal Professional Products, we have been supporting and showcasing the value of the hairstyling industry for more than a century. With the WHEN team, we share common values and a common vision: to grow and discover your best self, through training and the right support network. On this basis, we have created “Be Your Best”, a holistic programme for the personal and professional empowerment of women in the hairstyling industry. With the exceptional team of WHEN, we were able to offer knowledge, self-confidence and tools for personal and professional growth to every one of the women
Maria Korali, General Manager, Professional Products Division L’Oréal Hellas
The participation of Henkel Hellas at the 5th Anniversary Meeting of WHEN was a unique opportunity for us to become involved in the topic of paternity leave. Analysing our differences with other European countries in relation to parental leaves, both in terms of mentality and the legislation, we understood that, when it comes to women’s career advancement in Greece, providing to both parents equal opportunity to family care is extremely important. The speakers’ panel and the subjects were of top quality. Empowering women so they can build a career, and, at the same time, supporting men so they can be close to their families, sets the right frame for the concept of gender equality in the workplace.
Thalia Vouvonikou, HR Head Greece & Cyprus, Henkel
I n support of women’s empowerment and women’s equal participation in Boards of Directors, in November 2022 we hosted the event “How to Prepare for Becoming a Board Member – Powered by Alpha Bank”, organised by the European Women on Boards and WHEN Greece. The positive outcome of this event strengthens our excellent cooperation with WHEN, solidifying our will to support any worthy initiative, such as the ones that the organisation has been consistently taking, to promote women’s professional and financial empowerment and establish equality in the job market.
Penny Gialakidi, Head of Talent Development & Change, Alpha Bank
Women’s empowerment and the provision of equal opportunities, for us at Deloitte, are part of our culture. With 43% of our people being women, by creating internal communities, guidance and professional development programmes, implementing transparent evaluation procedures and taking a series of actions, we continuously empower women, so they can achieve their goals and grow. We are truly proud that, as Deloitte Greece, we are collaborating with WHEN, because we share the same purpose and urgency to recognise women in the professional realm at the position where they rightfully belong
Analia Kokkoris, Partner | People & Purpose Leader of Deloitte Greece
The interactive webinars we organised in cooperation with WHEN supported our people by providing inspiration, tools and new skills, so they can build a healthy confidence and be able to adapt to the challenges of our era in a positive way.
Athina Antoniadou, Employer Brand Manager, Vodafone Greece
At OTE Group, we create a work environment of equal opportunities and inclusion for our people. Our successful collaboration with Women on Top contributes to highlighting the added value of women, through special programs aimed at empowering, networking and supporting them, for the further development of their careers.
Elena Stassi, HR Business Partner Operations, OTE group
Investing in equity and inclusion needs to be part of any company’s strategy, first and foremost because it’s the ethical thing to do. Even if you’re one of those people who think that ethics don’t necessarily equate to good business practices, there are a multitude of reasons why, at least in this case, you need to reconsider.
No matter your industry, here’s what equity, diversity and inclusion can offer to your organisation:
Εnhanced innovation and creativity: A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters a variety of perspectives and experiences. This diversity can lead to more innovative solutions and creative ideas, as individuals from different backgrounds bring unique insights to the table.
Improved decision making: Diverse teams are better equipped to make well-rounded decisions. By considering a variety of viewpoints, companies can make more informed choices that take into account a broader range of perspectives and potential outcomes.
Better problem solving: Inclusive environments encourage open dialogue and collaboration, allowing teams to approach problems from multiple angles. This can lead to more effective problem-solving processes and solutions.
Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction: Employees are more likely to feel valued and engaged in an inclusive workplace where they feel their contributions are recognized and respected. This approach can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, productivity, and retention.
Attracting top talent: Companies that prioritize equity and inclusion are more attractive to top talent, especially individuals from underrepresented groups. This can give companies a competitive edge in recruiting and retaining skilled employees.
Improved reputation and brand image: Consumers and clients increasingly expect companies to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. By investing in equity and inclusion, companies can enhance their reputation, strengthen their brand image, and build trust with stakeholders.
Compliance and risk mitigation: Many jurisdictions have regulations and laws pertaining to workplace equity and inclusion. By investing in these areas, companies can ensure compliance with legal requirements and mitigate the risk of lawsuits or reputational damage associated with discriminatory practices.
Access to diverse markets: A diverse workforce can better understand and connect with diverse consumer demographics, leading to improved market understanding and more effective marketing strategies.
For the design and implementation of the consulting and training projects we undertake, to promote gender equality, we use three main theoretical frameworks, which we combine with our years of experience in collaboration with companies and organizations. The three frameworks are:
The Women’s Empowerment Principles
The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) were presented in 2010 by UN Women and the UN Global Compact and adopted by the UN General Assembly, the G20, and the G7. They provide a platform to mobilize corporate action towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The seven Principles provide businesses in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the workplace, marketplace, and their wider community.
Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is adopted internationally as a strategy to achieve gender equality. Gender mainstreaming refers to the preparation, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies, regulatory measures, and funding programs aimed at promoting equality between men and women to combat discrimination.
The guidelines of the International Labor Organization
The International Labor Organization takes a two-pronged approach to promoting gender equality. First, all its policies, programs, and activities aim to systematically address the specific and often different concerns of both women and men. These include the practical and strategic gender needs of women. Second, targeted interventions are made – based on analyses that take into account these concerns and needs – to enable women and men to participate and benefit equally from development efforts. The five key elements of the action plan to make gender mainstreaming a reality are: strengthening institutional arrangements, using accountability and monitoring mechanisms, allocating sufficient resources to the gender mainstreaming effort, improving and increasing staff capacities in terms of gender, and improving the balance in the number of women and men employed, at all levels.
As WHEN, we focus primarily on gender equality issues, always through an intersectional lens that takes into account all the identity characteristics of the women we support, and the various kinds of discrimination that may result from these characteristics. That is, we do not treat women as a homogenous group with similar characteristics; rather, we recognize the effects of factors such as age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or a disability or long-term illness.
If you are interested in consulting, training, and project management services that cover the full spectrum of diversity, beyond gender, you can contact inc.lude, which was created precisely to support companies and organisations more holistically, at any point in their DEI journey.
We design and implement programs addressed to the female employees of a company, its entire personnel, or selected executives and team leaders, irrespective of their gender. The first category of programs aims to enhance the critical skills of female employees. The second one aims to provide training and to raise awareness among all employees on issues of equity and inclusion. The third category aims to enhance the skills of company executives in leading their teams in an equal and inclusive manner and to integrate the gender perspective in all areas of a company or organisation's activities.
Of course! We know that each company and each team has different needs and objectives and may be at different points in their organisational journey. Our goal is to meet those teams at exactly the point they are at, and co-design their next steps to help them reach their desired destination. To accomplish this, we sometimes need to deeply investigate the particularities and needs of the company and/or design and implement actions that are specifically tailored to their sector, size, and ambitions.
