EqualVoice: From an idea to an international movement in three years

"What an honor to be able to speak in New York on the topic of how to advance gender equality through technology and our EqualVoice initiative. I'm proud of how much the initiative has contributed to growing awareness and engagement on the topic of Gender Equality. Companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits of diversity in their teams and taking effective measures to make diversity and inclusion a reality in the business environment," says EqualVoice initiator and Ringier CFO Annabella Bassler.

The current highlight is the invitation to a side event hosted by the International Peace Institute (IPI) at the Commission on the Status of Women on "Using Innovation and Technology to Advance Gender Equality." Among the examples presented of innovative and technological approaches to improving gender equality was Annabella Bassler's EqualVoice initiative, founded in 2019.

EqualVoice Factor in print titles

2022 EqualVoice has achieved a lot: The initiative was rolled out for the first time in a medium outside Ringier and RASCH with the integration of the Berliner Zeitung (B.Z.). With the help of the Swiss media database SMD, the EqualVoice Factor was extended to print titles and the measurement process was validated by the algorithm from ETH Zurich. In May 2022, the first EqualVoice Summit took place, featuring top-notch speakers such as human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter and economics professor Iris Bohnet - to name just a few. The EqualVoice Summit also enabled top executives from leading international companies to exchange views on the visibility of women in the media.

Ringier, Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz, Axel Springer SE, DPG Media and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) are sending a strong and binding signal by signing the "EqualVoice Pledge". With this, the media companies and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers pledge to support gender equality in their organizations, to introduce measures to promote gender equality, to implement the idea of EqualVoice with their respective media brands, to increase the visibility of women in the media and to communicate the benefits of gender equality. The event also saw the announcement of the international EqualVoice Advisory Board, which is particularly committed to expanding EqualVoice beyond Switzerland's borders. In addition, EqualVoice made an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2022 and 2023.

Implementation in Eastern and Central Europe

The EqualVoice Factor is currently being implemented in the Ringier Group's Eastern and Central European markets. In June, the EqualVoice Summit in Zurich enters its second round, and the EqualVoice United network, which was launched a year ago to promote gender equality in business - in line with the fifth of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), gender equality and the advancement of girls and women - has grown from ten to 15 members this year. In addition to Ringier, the network includes Bank Cler, Ebay, Insel Group, ISS, Mastercard, Migros, Oerlikon, Swiss Post, Sunrise/UPC, Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland, Credit Suisse, Farner, Helvetia, Energy Group Switzerland, and On.