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Embracing Equity to the Women of the Past, Today and Tomorrow: Exclusive Interviews with Delta Women Leaders
By Genalyn Llorando - Published March 27, 2023
By Genalyn P. Llorando, Country Sales Manager – EIS Philippines
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, a new theme has surfaced about “Embracing Equity”. For the longest time as women's movements evolved, it became clear that simply treating everyone the same was not enough to achieve true equality.
Equality refers to giving everyone the same way, without discrimination or prejudice. It is about treating everyone with the same respect, opportunities, resources, and treatment, regardless of their circumstances, background, country, race, culture, colour, marital status, leadership position and age.
While Equity refers to treating everyone with impartiality by providing them with the means and resources they need to achieve the same results, despite their variances. Equity takes into account the fact that different people have different challenges and needs and seeks to provide the necessary resources and support to level the playing field not only among other gender but also among women of the past, present and future.
To see the difference between Equality and Equity, I would like to picture two scenarios, imagine two people of different heights need to reach a glass on top of a cupboard. If they are both given the same-sized box to stand on, the taller person will be able to reach for it with ease, while the shorter person will not. This is equality - both people were given the same box, but it did not result in the same outcome for both. In contrast, if the shorter person is given a taller box to stand on, they will now be able to reach the glass, resulting in an equitable outcome and that is - equity!
In summary, equality is about treating everyone the same way, while equity is about providing people with the resources they need to achieve the same outcomes, despite their differences. This is what I had seen in my recent visit last February to Delta Taiwan Headquarters, as Delta provided me the opportunity and means to learn more about Energy Infrastructure Solutions, particularly the EV Charging Portfolios, Energy Storage Solutions and Grid Management Systems
I was able to walk thru the historical product portfolio of Delta’s showroom since it started on power electronics and how it evolved to different smart technology. I was amazed that there are women who had one way or the other contributed to the celebrated success of who Delta is today.
These are the likes of Sunny Lee and Janette Yao whom I will never miss a chance to interview before I leave Delta HQ on how they had started and were able to reach success. So how are they given equal opportunities and embraced equity?
Sunny Lee –Manager EVCS-DC LOB
It was fun talking to Sunny Lee, who handles the EVCS Business at Delta Chungli Plant. She had been with Delta for more than 25 years, starting as Sales Representative for CIS with a very small sales organization back then with only her and her boss. But she made the mark as she was the first to develop new accounts in Poland. She was able to ship out four containers of UPS to Poland.
As commended by her boss, to be the first to do that among the other team. These paved the way for new challenges and new business portfolios to develop.
As I asked her about the struggles she had before, Sunny said, “it was not easy but I had never limited myself to reaching my goals. Now that EVCS is a dynamic business to develop and challenges are evolving, I know that I need to plan and strategize ahead moving forward.”
When I asked her how she was able to balance her job and her family. “I think, there are times that I had spent more time on my work rather than with my kids since the work requires a lot of travel. I think that on my part, my regret is that I should have managed it better in terms of putting balance in my career and family. I think this is not only the concern of women but also men. Everybody should have a work-life balance, a balance between the time and energy you dedicate to your work and the time and energy you devote to other areas of your life, such as family, hobbies, and leisure activities.” she added.
On a final note, I asked Sunny, what will be her advice to the women of today and the future. She said, “don’t be afraid to stand up on what you think is right and if you see another thought, another perspective, speak it up and be heard!”
Another interesting lady is Janette Yao who handles the Delta Grid Management Portfolio at Delta Taipei Neihu Office and worked for Delta for more than 10 years. She started with Delta by handling the networking device business and in time had evolved to manage the Grid Management System. I asked her, what are her challenges at the beginning of her career. Like with other working moms, it was those late-night calls as she handled US clients and this would mean less time with her son.
“I have no time to grow with them but I cherish every time I go out with my family”, she added. As I asked her if there are challenges working with men, Janette bluntly said “I think this kind of struggle or competitive feeling is always existing, but sometimes I don’t think that it is a challenge and an uncomfortable thing for me as everyone has its own value.”
Talking with Janette Yao, Sales Manager, Grid Management System
“So, if we can enhance our own value to the people around us and help them. Be able to appreciate them and make them happy to work with you. I think most of the time you will resolve the problem you have, in any kind of conflict with others. So, I think communication and enthusiasm are quite important when you work with your colleagues whether they are men or women.” Those are the thoughts she said, happily answering my interview.
It was so liberating to talk with these two magnificent women from Delta Taiwan, as they are full of wisdom and experience and had given their honest opinion. I saw that they both were not afraid to speak their minds and take the challenge if given a chance to have equal opportunity. They both are an example who embrace equity by working hard enough and working smart enough. Through the years, it is proof that Delta had given them enough resources, training and room for growth to be equally important among others.
Today, equality and equity terminology are often used interchangeably, but they still represent distinct concepts. Women continue to experience significant inequalities, both in developed and developing countries, but the fight for gender equity recognizes that different women have different experiences, and that specific interventions are needed to redress the historical and ongoing gender inequalities.
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