Oilserv Limited, a leading Energy, Oil and Gas servicing company, celebrated the 2023 International Women’s Day in flamboyant purple colours and activities. The company, which has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, used the occasion to recognize and celebrate the important contributions of women to its success.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day; DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality was determined by the United Nations as a global call to #EmbraceEquity, creating a more inclusive world. Oilserv Group embraced this theme with enthusiasm, organizing a range of activities that aimed towards creating a more equitable workplace.
The highlight of the day was the Purple Power Walk and Dance, which saw Oilserv Group female employees, adorned in purple T-shirts on black jeans; marching and dancing in solidarity to show their support for equity. The walk was led by the company’s female HRs and Managers, who were cheered on by their colleagues as they made their way through the aisles.
Back at the office, a special purple-themed conference was held, with employees enjoying a variety of food, drinks, music, games and lots of fun. Purple balloons and decorations adorned the office fabrication yard, creating a festive atmosphere and reminding everyone of the importance of the day.
In his opening remarks, the Group Head Human Resources and Corporate Services; Ikechukwu Ossi emphasized the need for women to be duly represented in STEM spheres and Oilserv Group’s unwavering commitment to realizing this goal within the group. The event featured a fun and educative radio chat, inspiring and thought-provoking talk sessions and interesting games.
Honoring the event as guest speaker was Ezinwa Obiajunwa of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria who spoke on women’s rights and needs in the workplace and the importance of representation and equity, as opposed to equality. She stressed the fact that we cannot give all people the same things to succeed, as everyone does not start from the same place, this is best stated with the popular quote; “Equality means giving everyone a shoe, but equity means giving everyone a shoe that fits.”
Furthering the talk session, Compliance Manager Chinwe Uche gave an insightful talk on balancing work and life as a woman. There was also an enlightening and interactive talk session on breast cancer held by Nurse Ebere Ifurueze. The event which was physically held at Base two with participation from women in other bases via Teams was indeed a memorable one. The empowerment and representation of women in STEM and other male-dominated spaces will result in more creative solutions and increased potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equity.
As observed by the United Nations, the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities are indeed glaring, therefore, we are challenged to take more actions towards ensuring an equitable society for all.
