Next up, we continue our International Women’s Day series with Lauren Sorkin, Co-founder & Executive Director at Resilient Cities Network, who is proud to be leading an all-female management team where they intentionally seek to provide women leaders with a platform to make meaningful change. 

“Counting myself and other women is an everyday choice,” Sorkin reflects. “Showing up as a leader means elevating and mentoring the women around you, and also coaching male advocates so that we can have progress on gender equality.”

Sorkin highlights the power of women’s empowerment, underscoring the profound impact mentorship-based investments have had on her personal and professional growth.

As she reflects on her journey, Sorkin shares a pivotal moment from her time living in Singapore where she joined a women’s networking group. “Keynote was a group of women who were focusing on speaking out,” she recalls. “Together, we wrote a book on how women could raise our voices, in-person and virtually. This experience was incredibly empowering because of the connections I made with mentors from many different cultures, countries, and backgrounds. Many of these women are still friends that walk with me on my professional path.”

Sorkin emphasises the strategic advantage of investing in women, stating, “Investing in women means creating space at all levels of the organisation.” She highlights the common challenge where organisations achieve gender equality in lower ranks but lose representation at higher levels, stressing the need for conscious recruitment and retention policies to attain gender parity in leadership roles. Sorkin links this commitment to gender diversity with enhanced organisational performance.”

In her twenties, Sorkin encountered challenges where she was often mistaken for a secretary while working with governments in Asia. Recalling these instances, she reflects, “I had to stick up for myself when literally being asked to take a back seat to others.” Despite these obstacles, she remained resilient, asserting her place in professional settings. This experience has also fueled her commitment to supporting women leaders, embodying her belief in the importance of empowering women in the workplace.

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