At QI Group, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and engage in conversations that matter.
This year’s programme was organised by the RYTHM Foundation. It brought employees together through a series of activities that encouraged wellbeing, awareness, and connection, while creating space for a deeper discussion on how organisations can better support women in the workplace.
Engaging the Organisation Through Shared Experiences
In the lead-up to the main event, employees participated in a range of activities, including a movie screening, a yoga session, a breast cancer talk and screening initiative held in collaboration with the Breast Cancer Welfare Association, a sustainable bazaar supporting women entrepreneurs, and a creative tote bag painting workshop.
These activities created opportunities for employees to connect beyond their day-to-day roles and engage with topics related to well-being and women’s health in a meaningful way.
The programme also saw strong participation in the global #GiveToGain pledge on the intranet. Colleagues across the organisation shared personal commitments revolving around support, kindness, and contribution, reflecting a collective willingness to take action in small but meaningful ways.
A Conversation on Moving Beyond Empowerment
The centrepiece of the programme was a fireside chat themed “Beyond Empowerment: Building Systems That Don’t Break Women.”
Moderated by Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, Chairperson of RYTHM Foundation, the session featured:
• Harsha Ravindran, Co-Founder of the NextGen Entrepreneurship Network (NGEN), a platform supporting young entrepreneurs, and CEO & Co-Founder of Ascendance
• Intan Zalila Mohd Yusof, Director of BenaLead, a social impact consultancy centred on organisational development and capacity building
• Trevor Kuna, Chief Network Development Officer at QNET
The discussion focussed on how organisations can move beyond empowering individuals to examining the structures and environments that shape opportunities over time.
Key themes included the role of workplace culture, leadership pathways, and organisational practices in influencing how women experience growth and progression. The conversation also highlighted the importance of recognising unconscious bias, widening access to opportunities, and ensuring that support is reflected not just in policy, but in everyday decisions.
Culture, Communication, and Individual Responsibility
In his closing address, Dato’ Sri Vijay Eswaran reflected on the role individuals play in shaping organisational culture.
He emphasised that culture is not defined by policy alone, but by what people do every day, how they communicate, how they respond, and how they choose to support those around them.
He also underscored the importance of addressing challenges openly, noting that meaningful progress depends not only on awareness, but on the willingness to act and to engage.
Continuing the Conversation
International Women’s Day at QI Group is part of an ongoing effort to build an environment where people feel supported, heard, and able to contribute meaningfully.
The participation and conversations across this year’s programme reflect a shared understanding that progress is not created in a single moment. It is shaped over time, through consistent action, thoughtful leadership, and the everyday choices people make.
