I broke the barrier into a field which was earlier dominated by men.

- Nanmadhi R, India

You have to believe that you belong, no matter the situation, as having that self-confidence means you don’t need to prove you are an equal, because you are.

- Caroline Debenham, United Kingdom

I #ChooseToChallenge the gender gap in STEM careers.

- Salumeh Companieh, United States

I will do my best to support women and girls to achieve their dreams.

- Carol Wong, Singapore

I’m at a point in my life and career where I’m committed to – if not comfortable with – calling out bias. Ten years ago, outspokenness got some eye rolls from people who witnessed bias but weren’t its target. Today I’m more likely to get open agreement, or private encouragement to continue speaking up. For 2021, my #ChooseToChallenge is an invitation to those who agree: Next time, beat me to it!

- Christine Wickes, United States

Businesses need to reflect the larger communities they serve, as women are a large part of the American population evidenced by only ten states having more men than women according to the Business Insider. Men continue to make most of the decisions and, therefore, need to be our allies in the fight for equality.

- Tracy Sharp, United States

Companies that embrace equality and diversity perform better than those that don’t as people of all backgrounds can come together and achieve success. I firmly believe that companies need to focus on diversity and equality in order to remain competitive and offer equal career opportunities to all talent.

- Tina Reuter, Germany

In my earlier career I worked in a male-dominated industry and felt that I had to work twice as hard to prove myself and gain people’s confidence. I further fought an uphill battle regarding stereotypes based on my gender. In my later career, I have been fortunate to work for leadership that promotes achievements and encourages diversity. In my position today, I have the ability to “pay it forward” and therefore continually look for avenues to disarm biases and mentor those who have challenges.

- Angel Doyle, United States

I choose to challenge by not allowing stereotypes to influence actions or decisions. It is always important to celebrate other women’s successes and by bringing younger generations along the journey to build them up for greater and continued successes beyond today.

- Brandi Corbello, United States

I commit to always maintain a gender-equal mindset in business and in life.

- Rika Liu, China

I can't imagine what my life would be had it not been for the strong women who taught me, loved me, encouraged me, corrected me, and walked alongside me. My life, my career, and our world is better because of women. And so, I celebrate International Women's Day every day of every year.

- Adam Stanley, United States

Equality and diversity in the workplace are essential elements of a business strategy, vision, and mission. An organization has a social responsibility to provide equitable opportunities which generate a feeling of belonging. When people feel they belong, they are more committed to the organization.

- Christine McKinlay, United States

Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield I worked for a male-dominated company. I found it challenging to have my voice heard and felt I wasn’t getting the recognition or the pay I deserved compared to my male colleagues. I realized I had to take a personal responsibility for my own path, which led me to Cushman & Wakefield. Today, as I manage my team, my experience has taught me to make equality a strategic objective.

- Jillian Monteleone, United States

We should all seek to drive gender parity and respect differences, in our work, in our relationships and in our lives. We must challenge every thought or action that is based in inequality and I’m very happy that Cushman & Wakefield has accepted this challenge and is committed to promote gender parity and inclusion. Let’s celebrate women’s achievements, and more importantly, let’s celebrate our differences and work together for equality!

- Miguel Sena, Portugal

I will cultivate an open-minded environment to foster gender equality in the workplace. I will also continue to mentor and encourage junior colleagues to become future leaders in the organization.

- Tetet D. Castro, Philippines

I pledge to help forge a gender equal Cushman & Wakefield North Asia by striving for more representation in decision-making and management positions.

- Todd Olson, Japan

As a full-time working mom of six children (five boys and one girl), a sister to my two brothers and growing up a daughter of a rural farm family, I believe that engaging men, and especially our young boys, as allies is critical. My family, and my young boys specifically, will only benefit from a brighter future for all individuals.

- Ericka Westgard, United States

In breaking down barriers, we are not looking to forge a path for others to follow, we are enabling people to architect their own unique journey and career success. I challenge you to join me in leading, championing and celebrating a culture of equality in the workplace.

- Susan Au, United States

I will challenge gender stereotypes and bias. Stereotypes serve as shortcuts for forming impressions of people and guide our subsequent interactions without us being completely aware of it. I will do this by recognizing this occurring and react to raise awareness.

- Philippa Caldwell, New Zealand

Equality is a human right. It is our responsibility, both women and men, to be agents of change and inclusivity.

- Andrea Reyes, United States

Having worked with Cushman & Wakefield in Asia Pacific, Europe, and now the U.S., I've seen a consistent thread that runs through our culture of people wanting to mentor, sponsor and support one another. That’s a critical component of driving equity and inclusion for women and other underrepresented groups in our firm and industry.

- Toby Dodd, United States

We know from external research that diversity coupled with the equality that comes from a truly inclusive culture is a powerful multiplier of innovation and growth. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable about bringing their whole self to work and where our diversity helps us to develop the new perspectives that will benefit both our clients and the communities we work in.

- George Roberts, United Kingdom

Promoting the values of inclusion and parity means being a true mirror of our society and enabling employees to recognise themselves in the organization and to embrace it. It also means better understanding and responding to the current and future expectations of our clients, who are also changing.

- Barbara Koreniouguine, France

I strive to create a safe working environment for my team and the entire workforce within Cushman & Wakefield. Every individual should be able to grow as a professional and as a person, building on their own competences and authentic self regardless of cultural, educational, economical background, regardless of gender. I challenge every business leader to do the same, it’s not just a task for female leaders to solve this universal challenge!

- Elsbeth Quispel, The Netherlands

I knew engineering was the path I was meant to take. Early in my career I often had to prove that I belonged, I would overprepare for meetings so I was ready for anything that came my way. The many hours of hard work paid off as I sit here as the first female Vice President of Operations in our company’s history. I look forward to the day when I look across the table and see many more.

- Kerri Roche, United States

I have found that when you allow people to be their true self it is the best thing to dispel stereotypes. In teams that I have led, I have created environments that did not push conformity, but embraced diversity – this enabled people to bring their best self, resulting in more engagement, productivity and definitely more fun.

- Naledi Ndlovu, United States