SHAH ALAM, 8 March 2021 - In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021 (“IWD”) with its theme “#ChooseToChallenge”, Canon Marketing Malaysia (“Canon”) is honoured to collaborate with All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) to launch its #CanonChoosetoChallenge campaign from 1 March to 20 March 2021 to heighten the awareness of gender equality in the workplace. There will be a forum happening on 20th March 2021 at 2.30pm via Facebook Live where the public can raise concerns over the gender inequality issue in Malaysia and how together we can attain workforce inclusivity. Stay tuned on the link to the forum through Canon and AWAM’s Facebook pages. Aside from the forum, a series of activities including an educational content on the gender gap in Malaysia, inspirational stories of unsung heroines and a call to donate to AWAM have been planned through the month of IWD.
Distinguished panelists for the forum include Julia Cheah - Director of Human Resource and General Affairs from Canon Marketing Malaysia, Anne Abraham - Chairperson from LeadWomen, and Dr Shanthi Thambiah - Associate Professor of Gender Studies from the University of Malaya. These women advocates and experts are coming together to address the issue of women’s employment status which has been disrupted due to the pandemic, with suggested and recommended action steps to manage the situation. The public is also encouraged to partake and contribute towards AWAM’s SimplyGiving pages, where the funds will be channeled to AWAM’s TELENITA Helpline, Sexual Harassment Awareness, Redress & Prevention (SHARP) Program, as well as the overall activities and operations of the organisation.
“The pandemic has inevitably affected the employment status in Malaysia, primarily the female sector. Women are hindered from participating in all job sectors equally, due to prevalent gender roles as caregivers. Employers rather keep the male forces especially if it’s labour-intensive work,” said Tan Chia Ee, Information and Communications Officer at AWAM. “We are glad to partner with Canon to organise the forum, which will help spread public awareness on the current status of gender inequality in the workplace in Malaysia. This forum will also showcase how Canon has practised inclusivity and women empowerment, which are crucial for sustainable development of corporations,” added Tan.
Diversity is a key attribute of a well-functioning organisation and an essential measure of good governance. In 2019, a research conducted by the Securities Commission Malaysia showed companies with 30% or more women on the board contributed to an increase of up to 8% of the total return on assets of the company.1
“It is important to have equal attention given to the participation of women in senior management in Canon, as we believe in creating a workplace environment of gender equality and inclusivity, in which each employee’s rights are respected,” said Julia Cheah, Director of Human Resources and General Affairs at Canon Marketing Malaysia. “Based on our corporate philosophy of kyosei, we will continue making concerted efforts to create a workplace environment that fosters mutual respect among our ethnically and culturally diverse workforce,” added Cheah.
In furtherance to the forum, Canon has selected 3 unsung heroines to share their #ChooseToChallenge life experiences - Serena Lee, Founder of Sign for Malaysia; Ruziana Binti Mohamad, Firefighter at Fire and Rescue Station in Nilai; and Sister Mathina Bee Gulam Mydin who has devoted her life to humanitarian work for the past 3 decades. These inspiring stories will be featured soon on Canon’s social media platforms. From 13 March to 20 March, tag and elaborate on a woman who has chosen to challenge in the comments section of Canon's International Women's Day post. 20 stories will be rewarded with a Canon canvas tote bag.
Updates on the forum and link to the Facebook Live will be available on AWAM Malaysia Facebook page and Canon Malaysia Facebook page. To take part in the #CanonChoosetoChallenge social media pledge, please visit Canon’s Facebook page and Instagram account for the full terms and conditions.
