'Inclusive Language - Words Matter'. Empowering Optical Women Leadership Programme

MIDO focuses on sustainability and inclusiveness, that are the main themes of this morning's conference "Inclusive Language - Words Matter" Empowering Optical Women Leadership programme, that highlighted the results a year after the launching of the programme to support women’s leadership in the eyewear industry, implemented by ANFAO under the patronage of Fondazione Marisa Bellisario (Italy) and the support of Ente Bilaterale Occhialeria, with the aim to provide insight into the current situation, identifying causes and difficulties, and setting guidelines and best practices.

ANFAO President Lorraine Berton opened the meeting, "Talking about women's leadership means not only to talk about women but also about development and growth in general. There is an enormous potential yet to be explored. I need only to mention a national-level figure: if women's employment raised from 49 percent - as it was in 2021- to the same percentage as men's, namely 67.1%, GDP would grow by 12.4 percent., according to the figures published by McKinsey Global. Inclusiveness is therefore a cultural, social but, first and foremost, ethical necessity, because women with power could change many things."

In her inspirational monologue, Chiara Tagliaferri, writer and author, dived deep into the issues of the gender pay gap in Italy, the still too marginal role of women in the workplace, and the importance of women financial independence: in her brilliant speech, she quoted examples like Jane Austen, Simone De Beauvoir, Virginia Wolf, Annie Ernaux, but also Dynasty and Joan Collins/Alexis and needless to say, Michela Murgia.