President of Morai Logistics, Kelli Saunders, is Awarded 2017 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 in the Entrepreneurship category by Women’s Executive Network (WXN).
On November 23rd, 2017, president of Morai Logistics, Kelli Saunders, was honoured with the 2017 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award. This award was presented to 1005 noteworthy women with achievements in leadership positions in the private, public and not-for-profit sector. Saunders expresses what the award truly represents,
The “Unbreakable” theme of this year’s Leadership Summit and Awards Gala focused on how together, women can create change. United, we exhibit an undying ability to persevere through periods of challenge enable us to come out with a more powerful sense of purpose and drive.
This recognition further demonstrates women’s ability to break barriers of inequality, while showing by example, the possibilities for aspiring women and underrepresented social groups.
Defining Power
Being honoured as one of ‘Canada’s Most Powerful Women’ is remarkable and truly is in itself: powerful. However, the term “power” can be defined in a variety of ways, changing over time depending on social context. In 2011, business and women’s leadership writer, Jenna Goudreau, joined a team of colleagues interviewed the world’s Power Women of 2011. They wanted to understand how they defined power, and of the nine responses included the common themes were as follows:
- Believing in and following core values
- Being motivational and influential
- Having the responsibility to help others
- Creating a positive impact
The 2017 Leadership Summit celebrated the incredible achievement and contributions of Canadian women in power today. Presentations on professional development and the unique experiences and challenges women continue to face, channels us to examine current definitions of power.
The equality of women was quoted in an article on CBC News, that the equal fairness and advancement of women in the workforce “is a societal issue, it’s not a women’s issue”. Therefore, there is no denying the responsibility women in power have to motivate and inspire future business leaders from all socio-economic backgrounds and demographics. The quality of women in the workforce has also come a long way over the last three decades.
Progress toward Equality
The Canadian workforce has facilitated a slow and steady progression for women to earn higher positions and leadership roles. Statistics Canada reports that one obstacle explaining the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions over the years, has been “the association of leadership with assertive, decisive, and independent behaviours that are generally deemed to be the purview of men.”
Since the late 1980’s, women with positions in higher managerial roles, represented a lower percentage of the workforce compared to men. However, in 2015 research reported the following progressive statistics:
- ‘54% of legislators and senior government managers and officials were women’
- ‘25.6% of senior managers in the private sector were women’
Women have responded to barriers of inequality with a consistent effort to achieve more, while advocating for the equal and collective recognition of hard work and success. However, the need for further procurement and support to help women advance in the workforce is important.
Logistics and Supplier Diversity
This past October, Morai Logistics explained why supplier diversity programs are beneficial for changing markets. The article identified that supplier diversity supports women, minorities and those who identify as LGBT or people with a disability, who own at least 51% of a business or non-profit organization’.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was a noted benefit. New trends in consumer buying behaviors suggest customers gravitate toward businesses that contribute to the community. The implementation of supplier diversity programs actually attract customers to buy products or services. Therefore, businesses under the leadership of women, or those defined above, are brands that value the community.
The Power to Change Together
A ‘lack of female role models to emulate and serve as mentors’, was an obstacle facing women in leadership roles and occupational mobility in the past. However, the 2017 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, represents more than recognition for Morai Logistics. It exemplifies a progressive movement to meeting the increasing demands of supply chain markets and generating greater customer satisfaction. It confirms that change is current, actionable and possible. Finally, it identifies that women of power, who exemplify ‘unbreakable grit’, are not only adept to lead successful businesses – they are required.
