Girls' Day at MAWA: Our heroines of the future

Heroines of the future, or Sheros as they are also called - this is the next generation of strong women who were the focus of Girls' Day 2022 on April 28th.

As part of Girls' Day, companies, businesses, and universities across the country welcomed girls from the 5th grade onward and introduced them to typical "male-dominated" professions—that is, career paths and industries in which women are still largely underrepresented. This day makes a significant contribution to gender equality in the workplace and encourages girls not to be limited by traditional gender roles, but to pursue a career they enjoy and thereby fully realize their potential. The topic of "strong women" is also very important to MAWA, which is why we participated in Girls' Day 2022.

We were delighted to welcome 11 participants, aged 10 to 15, from three schools in the region. As part of the event "I'll Be the Boss at Michaela Schenk's," a diverse program awaited the aspiring leaders of tomorrow. After the welcome address, the MAWA adventure began with a tour of the facilities led by our production manager. During the tour, they were shown our latest additions to our machinery and gained an overview of the production process for a MAWA clothes hanger. Next on the agenda was Michaela Schenk, Managing Director of MAWA, who shared insights into her career path and her daily work as CEO. This was followed by a discussion on equality, sustainability, and digitalization – topics that were not only central to the event but couldn't be more relevant today.

"With a good education, you can and should all confidently tackle any challenge. And never be afraid of the new or unknown. Everyone, regardless of age, can reinvent and reorient themselves professionally. And everyone, and especially every woman, has the same opportunity to be successful in their calling." (Michaela Schenk)

The participants also shared insights into their daily school life, how equality is practiced there, and their experiences during the two-year pandemic. Of course, they also got hands-on experience: In small groups, the participants created newsletters on various topics and gained an insight into online marketing.

Equality: Reality or vision of the future?

According to the World Economic Forum, gender equality worldwide remains a vision rather than a reality. It is estimated that it will take another 133 years for true equality to become a reality. But what is the situation like in the professional sphere in Germany? Michaela Schenk explains, "According to current figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the proportion of women in management positions in 2019 was still only 30 percent. This placed Germany twentieth among EU countries. Women in leadership positions are therefore still underrepresented. Compared to the figures of recent years, however, it is clear that we are already on the right track, even if there is still room for improvement. It is important that a change in thinking takes place. We should get used to the fact that there are women in leadership positions."

Sustainability was also a key theme at this year's Girls' Day. Would you like to learn more about how sustainability is practiced at MAWA? Then read our blog post on the topic here.