11 March 2021

Lifting up the spirits in difficult times. We celebrated IWD with a special guest: Bonita Norris

2:00 Min

In honour of International Women’s Day the UniCredit London Diversity & Inclusion Network chose to celebrate this year theme Choose to Challenge for its first event of the year. The event featured a special guest: Bonita Norris, the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

 

During the virtual session more than 100 colleagues of the branch listened to Bonita’s story. As one of the UK’s most sought-after motivational speakers she unpacked her story of perseverance, resilience and sheer grit in the face of challenge. But Bonita’s story also touched on breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and celebrating the efforts by women in shaping a more equal world.

Bonita Norris Adventurer, Author & Motivational speaker

“Thank you for inviting me to speak to your team for IWD 2021, it’s such a pleasure to share stories from my time climbing the world’s highest mountains. When I started my climbing career aged 20, I didn’t consciously set out to challenge myself as a woman, but as myself. We must work together to recognise and challenge inequality, not only for ourselves but for our children and young people today who look to us to as role models, who may see us in situations where the choice to challenge is there - and they will notice if we stand up for women, and in turn, will be more empowered to do the same.” 

The UniCredit London Diversity & Inclusion Network was founded on the commitment and dedication of a group of employees. Today the network helps to drive the D&I agenda of the branch, coordinates networking initiatives and workshops, and contributes to the broader Group-level D&I initiatives.

 

By fostering an open and inclusive dialogue through these initiatives, the Network strives to promote a positive working culture, which is mission critical for any successful organisation.

 

 

Sophie Sanadi, Head of Rates Sales US & UK and Chair, UniCredit London Diversity & Inclusion Network:

 

“As chair of the UniCredit London Diversity & Inclusion Committee, I want to highlight our efforts in growing awareness of the importance of this topic over the years. D&I is not just about gender or race or ethnicity; it is about diversity of thought, of decision making and the development of a working environment, where conformity is not key, and difference of opinion is embraced. Every single one of us, especially during such challenging times, is responsible for challenging our own biases, seeking out alternate views and collectively working together, to create a positive and vibrant culture within the bank.”