Wies Bratby Wins First Empowering Women Award
More pay, more being heard, more visibility: The Empowering Women Award sends a strong signal for equality, recognition and independence
As part of the League of Leading Ladies conference at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, on the evening of June 16, 2022, a woman was honored for the first time for successfully advancing and promoting other women and ensuring gender equality not only with words but with deeds: Wies Bratby, CEO of WIN Women in Negotiation and President of Lean IN Switzerland. The lawyer and negotiation expert has recognized that every single woman can close the gender pay gap for herself - with appropriate support. That's why Wies Bratby and her initiative "Women in Negotiation" offer coaching and training for women who want more: more pay, more being heard, more visibility.
And that is urgently needed: 19.6 percent and thus an average of 1,545 francs - that's how big the pay gap is between men and women in Switzerland. "There is a lot of discussion about the gender pay gap, but few do anything to close it. Wies Bratby is different. She empowers dozens of women every day, makes them stronger negotiators and thus makes an important contribution to closing the gender pay gap. That is why the jury has decided to honor Wies Bratby with the Empowering Women Award 2022," explains Katia Murmann, Jury Member, CPO Ringier Global Media & Blick Group and Co-Initiator of the Equal Voice Initiative.
"Money is not something you talk about"
"You don't talk about money, our parents taught us. And then there's that other old idea: girls should be good. And: modest! That can't be good," explains jury member Charlotte Parnack, Head of the Business Department at The time. Women in Germany also earned an average of 18% less than men in 2021. "That has structural reasons, of course. But also social: How is a good, modest girl, who is not supposed to talk about money, supposed to negotiate a good salary?" says Charlotte Parnack, adding, "Fortunately, there are women like Wies Bratby who are not resigned to the gender pay gap; who use their energy, knowledge and international experience to help other women get the power and recognition they deserve. Wies also does this in such a charming, pleasant, personable way that makes her the perfect League of Leading Ladies and Award Ambassador for me," says Charlotte Parnack, explaining the decision.
"I am grateful and honored to receive this important award from outstanding women who are taking a stand for gender equality themselves at the League of Leading Ladies conference," said the beaming honoree. "I started WIN to fight the gender pay gap. Over time, it has become so much more. More and more women are raising their voices to be properly recognized for the great value they bring. I am very proud of each and every WINner and excited to see the example they will set in the world," says a delighted Wies Bratby, who received the award, designed by artist Gabriela Brunner, from Benjamin Bieber, Head of Marketing at Porsche Schweiz AG.
League of Leading Ladies Conference Dinner in Bad Ragaz
The Empowering Women Award was presented for the first time on June 16, 2022, as part of the League of Leading Ladies conference dinner in cooperation with conference and award sponsor Porsche at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. In addition to Katia Murmann and Charlotte Parnack, League of Leading Ladies host and Ladies Drive editor Sandra-Stella Triebl is involved in the award as initiator and jury member.
"200 recommendations were received by the jury team, 80 women were nominated. With Wies Bratby, we were able to honor a winner whose commitment makes waves beyond national borders, which makes her coaching and initiatives even more precious," says the initiator of the award and League of Leading Ladies host Sandra-Stella Triebl. In addition, she said, Wies Bratby is a personality who stands up for women but does not rage against men. "It is important that we shape the future together and side by side," emphasizes Sandra-Stella Triebl.
More League of Leading Ladies conference highlights
The League of Leading Ladies conference tickets, limited to 200 participants, were quickly sold out. Together, the female entrepreneurs and top managers, as well as a few brave men, enjoyed inspiration and networking at the annual conference. Special highlights were the keynote by bestselling author John Strelecky on the meaning of life and how to become a future shaper yourself. His long-running bestseller "The Café at the Edge of the World" is currently being made into a film by Til Schweiger. Swati Mandela, the social entrepreneur and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, inspired with her keynote on sustainability, diversity and inclusion on the African continent. Hollywood producer Didi Wong addressed combating "unconscious bias," prejudices we are not aware of. Global CEO of Spring Studios, Giuseppe Stigliano, spoke about the importance of attitude and mindset, which should be weighted far higher than ability and talent. Waste to Clean Energy entrepreneur Raphael Fitz, CEO of WABIO Technology, highlighted the forward-thinking innovations he is using to solve two problems at once, ensuring a prosperous future. Innovators and trailblazers from around the world, including Canadian crisis communications expert Renu Bakshi, succession advisor to the world's most notable family dynasties Sasha Lund, fintech entrepreneurs Olga Miler and Lidia Kurt-Bolla, career planners Daniela Haze Stöckli and Fabienne Meier, and leadership developers Michele Cueni and Marina Parris shared their expertise in hands-on workshops.
About Swiss Ladies Drive GmbH and the Ladies Drive formats
Ladies Drive, which is one of the highest-circulation print magazines for business women in the German-speaking world and one of the top business magazines in Switzerland, committed itself very early on to the vision of networking and empowering women in business. Founded in 2007 by Sandra-Stella Triebl and Sebastian Triebl in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Ladies Drive magazine connects strong women around the world with its event formats "Ladies Drive Bar Talks," "Female Innovation Forum," as well as the "League of Leading Ladies" (business club and conference), digital webinar and masterclass offerings, and its YouTube channel and blog.
