The Women’s Directors Forum and the Mauritius Institute of Directors (MIoD) partnered with Dale Carnegie Mauritius and Ceridian Mauritius to host a two-day Diversity and Inclusion: Cultural Awareness and Competency programme. Mark Fitzmaurice, the Master Trainer of Dale Carnegie, led the workshop. The MIoD is dedicated to encouraging more women to take on positions in boardrooms and C-Suite roles, and over 80 business leaders took part in the event.
In her welcoming speech, Sheila Ujoodha, CEO of the MIoD stated the following: “This workshop, in collaboration with Dale Carnegie Mauritius and our esteemed Patron, Ceridian Mauritius, is an integral part of the MIoD’s commitment to best corporate governance practices more specifically diversity and inclusion, with a view to increasing the participation of women in Boards and at C-suite levels. In fact, our holistic approach to this broad topic started in 2021, with the launch of the Women Directors Forum and the women leadership academy. Allow me to salute the WDF members, who are helping the MIoD to shape future leaders equipped with necessary tools to make a difference at C-suite and board level. The more diverse and inclusive the C suite team is, the more diverse and inclusive the board is, this yields better results not only for the company but the society at large.” The CEO of the MIoD proudly shared that 139 women leaders have embarked on a ‘Path to Boardroom’ journey, under the aegis of MIoD’s different programs.
Vidia Mooneegan, Senior Vice-President and Managing Director for Ceridian Mauritius, outlined the following: “We are glad to be associated with the MIoD. The subject of Diversity & Inclusion is so critical for the world and especially for Mauritius, where we have a limited talent pool. We need to have onboard everyone to help strengthen our economy. Innovation and creativity are at the core of what we do. We firmly believe that Diversity & Inclusion bring more innovation and creativity in business. These workshops can equip us with the tools to tackle current societal and economical challenges. Companies are more productive and competitive when they have more women on board. On a personal note, I believe that leadership teams must lead by example when it comes to Diversity & Inclusion. We have to ensure we have the right policies to support diversity.”
Mark Fitzmaurice, Master Trainer, Dale Carnegie led a two-day workshop on Diversity and Inclusion: Cultural Awareness and Competency programme. He highlighted that Dale Carnegie delivers Diversity training in 90 countries around the world in 35 different languages. He explained: “The world is changing. We have the same business issues, whether we are in the UK or in Mauritius. Finding the right talent, retaining our workforce in a hybrid work environment and respecting the individuality of each of our employees. Equality, diversity, and inclusion are not only issues for the Human Resources. It is a critical business issue for an organization to be agile. We must learn how to get the best of our talent and create a safe psychological environment which allows them to be the best they can be. The training is about self-awareness, mindset shift and acquiring practical tools to use to create an inclusive work environment.”
In conclusion, Sheila Ujoodha, MIoD’s CEO reminded the audience : “The MIoD, as an agent of change, will continue to champion and prioritise leadership diversity and inclusion which will enable our companies and organisations to be more adaptive, and our society to be more progressive.”