International Women's Day is coming up, and during this period we would like to pay extra attention to the position and leadership roles of women within Dutch and Belgian companies. While much has been achieved, true equality is still a goal we must pursue together.

Gender equality is not just a women's issue, it requires collective effort. And that is why we actively call on men to play a role in this: Be an Ally! Our male colleagues entered an interview unprepared to experience what it is like to answer the questions mentioned above and more on video.

Being an ally means more than supporting from the sidelines. It means actively supporting and promoting female colleagues, raising awareness and using your voice to promote an inclusive work culture. It means speaking out when you see inequality. Everyone, regardless of gender, has a role to play in promoting gender equality.

Diversity at bol
At bol we believe that our organization should reflect the diversity of society and we have the ambition to create an inclusive and fair working environment in which everyone can flourish. We want to celebrate diversity and create equal opportunities for everyone. Our internal programs 'Women in Leadership' and 'Women in Product & Tech' are aimed at improving the gender balance within bol. Our goal? Working towards a 50/50 gender balance within management positions. We also want to increase female representation in technical positions. These programs are showing positive results: since we started actively promoting gender equality in 2021, the percentage of women in senior leadership positions has increased from 32.9% to 43.3% – a growth of 10.4%.

Awareness and alliance
By celebrating International Women's Day, we raise awareness of gender inequality, reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and explicitly call for allyship.

“Gender equality doesn't just concern women – it's something we can all contribute to. Around International Women's Day, we encourage men to actively participate as an ally. How? By supporting and making female colleagues visible, being more aware of the discomfort of certain questions and helping to build an inclusive work culture. Together we can really make a difference and initiate positive change,” says Margaret Versteden-Van Duijn, CEO of bol. “Let's work together towards a world in which gender equality is no longer an aspiration, but a reality. Be an ally!”