Can all the men and resilience allies: please stand up?
This is probably not the header our female members and fellow Women in Resilience (WiR) Special Interest Group (SiG) audience would expect to read when scrolling today, but here we are. It’s 2025, and as we kicked off the new year, we noticed something that deserves attention: our WiR SIG membership is around 95% all women.
While we absolutely celebrate the strength and dedication of the women in our community, we think it’s important to remind everyone that our group is open to ALL who support our purpose — which is to empower women across the resilience sector. Our mission, to uplift and amplify the voices of women in resilience, doesn’t mean that men, or anyone else, should feel exempt from contributing to this important work.
So, here is my call out today to accelerate action on behalf of the WiR SiG. Men, and resilience allies alike, please stand up.
In the words of a famous lyricist, “Could the real Slim Shady please stand up?” Now, replace “Slim Shady” with ‘resilient allies’ and—yes, stand up! Join us at the WiR SIG.
This call to action is not about simply growing our membership base. We want you to join with a purpose and actively contribute to a movement that empowers women to join and lead in the resilience sector. Together, we can create a stronger, more united front, where gender inclusivity is not just a goal, but a reality.
Why your support matters
I started my career at a time when gender diversity in the resilience sector was still evolving. It wasn’t easy to access strong female mentors. I relied on the men who employed me to teach me, mentor me, and guide me towards becoming the professional I am today. I’m incredibly grateful to all of them, for taking a chance on me and more importantly, advocating for women to join the sector at a time, in my opinion, it desperately needed to diversify.
Fast forward 15 years to 2025 and even though the imbalance is certainly shifting toward a more equal representation of woman leaders in this sector, it’s still a reality that men hold more senior and executive-level positions. This is why we are calling you, the men, to action today. You have a power to help us correct the imbalance, by hiring and mentoring more women leaders and future leaders.
Diversifying leadership in this sector is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. Your support and advocacy can make a real difference, not just in numbers, but in creating a truly inclusive environment that benefits everyone, especially the next generation, of future resilience professionals.
Here’s my challenge to you today
Take a chance on the mother returning to work after having children because her lived experience of resilience is something you cannot learn from reading a textbook. Take a chance on the university graduate eager and motivated to make her mark in the resilience sector, or the woman who is transitioning from another career into this space. The invaluable skillsets these women can bring to the table, coupled with your advocacy and mentorship, will foster a collective effort towards enhancing organizational resilience capabilities.
So, on behalf of the WiR SiG community, we’re challenging everyone today on #IWD2025, especially the men out there who work in the resilience sector, to please stand up and join us. Get involved in helping us create a diverse and inclusive environment in every aspect of our group, and the resilience sector at large.
The future of resilience depends on all of us— let’s make sure it’s one that includes and elevates women at every level.
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About the author
Danielle Ryan (Gonsalvez)
Assistant Director - Business Resilience
