International Women's Day 2024

At Amblers Safety we're proud to work alongside inspiring women all day, everyday. Find out what International Women's Day means for Sophie, our brand ambassador.

What does IWD mean to you?
It’s a day to celebrate and recognise women across the world, showcasing the progress we have made and great initiatives and also discussing the hard work needed to come to achieve true equality.

Is there a particular woman in your life whom you would like to celebrate or express gratitude towards on IWD?
There are so many women in my life whom I’d like to celebrate and express gratitude with on IWD. It’s hard to pick, but naturally in my mind the first women are my mother and grandmothers who set the paving stones of my life before me. They were/are hard working, strong women who encouraged me to believe in my dreams and never give up, despite barriers (especially in construction and being a mother too now). These women did not have the same opportunities as me and I am so grateful for their encouraging voices each time I break a glass ceiling!

Do you think it is important to empower other women and how do you think it is best to do this?
Yes, it is extremely important. Without strong female role models and mentors, we are less likely to succeed or realise our potential. I remember starting my career being the only woman at work and on my construction and engineering course and it was incredibly challenging. I think now if I had that female role model and support back then, how much further along would I be now? I want to help others so it’s not such a struggle at the early and vulnerable stage of your career. I am also passionate about great women’s PPE and The Sophie Collection to help this cause; this is because by having women’s PPE you will feel welcome in this industry and that you ‘fit in’ as opposed to when I was starting out and all I had was men’s PPE which made me feel unwelcome.

Can you share a personal experience or moment that made you more aware of gender issues and importance of women’s rights?
For me this seems to be around career progression and discrimination. I find male counterparts seem to progress so much easier and I have to work so hard and fight for each stage of promotions. In my early years, the only way to progress was to apply for a new job, it just wasn’t easy or available to me. The more we normalise women succeeding and in senior positions, the more we can change the unconscious bias and perceptions.

Who inspires you in your profession?
Many women inspire me in my profession, in fact it’s a pleasure to name the safety footwear in my collection after women who inspire me! Most recently we have added a new safety boot called the Elena. Elena Dyer who it is named after is very inspiring to me, she started as an apprentice surveyor and has worked her way all the way up to Associate Director by the age of 30, I am excited to see where she grows to next and no dream is too big for her!

What do you think can be done to inspire inclusion in your profession?
It’s all about equality and inclusion for all, that’s men and women not just women and we are not an isolated group; it just builds more barriers. Therefore, for example when having children, when we are looking for women to have flexible working on their return to work, we should be making all this just as accessible for dads too. Progress and inclusion is for all.

Do you think there are still challenges or barriers that women must overcome to be leaders and respected within your profession?
We have come a long way in the last decade, however there are still significantly less female leaders in my profession and there is still a gender pay gap to resolve.

Looking ahead, what actions or changes would you like to see on a broader scale to advance women’s right and gender equality?
I would like everyone to participate in advancing women’s rights and gender equality. The only way to truly make progress is to have everyone included in the process not just one gender or key people pushing things forward. This is true inclusivity by working together. In my specific profession there is a lack of women still so we also have work to do to make women visible and show that it is a career for men and women.

What role do you believe Amblers Safety has in encouraging and supporting women empowerment?
Amblers Safety has a big role to play, it’s important to have women’s PPE and safety footwear made on a women’s last for footwear in all its variety for all the different occupations women embark on. Without women’s PPE, women are either unable to work in certain roles or be put at risk! Beyond that, and basic health and safety needs, by having comfortable, hard wearing PPE for women will allow us to focus on the job in hand and thrive. When I am wearing ill fitting PPE, I am unable to perform my job well and put myself at risk as well as feeling very uncomfortable and unwelcome. The brand itself is also doing so much to make women in a variety of male dominated roles visible and this is so important, if you cannot see someone like you in a job, it’s hard to picture yourself doing it, so the more visibility the better.

How does your role as an ambassador for the brand help promote gender equality and diversity, considering your association with the brand?
Building on the above answer, being an ambassador for the brand has given me a platform to promote women in construction, engineering and in general women in underrepresented industries! For example, for this years IWD, I have the support from the great team at Amblers Safety to discuss issues for women that are important and engage with a range of women to share their story on social media campaigns through their platforms. I also am able to keep developing a range of footwear to make women’s life better when doing their job with fantastic and hard wearing footwear. So many women have said what a difference wearing safe, comfortable and well fitting boots has made to their life! Thank you Amblers Safety.

Which is your favourite product from The Sophie Collection?
It is very hard to pick a favourite product from the collection, as I love them all and the collection has evolved so beautifully to compliment the range of jobs that women do in industry. However, if I had to pick, it would be the originals, the Sophie and the Lydia. They were the first two shoes in the collection and so much work went into the design of them. They are as relevant now as they were when they were launched in 2014 and 2016. I wear them in my day to day job and they are so smart, functional and comfortable! They also continue to be our best sellers and are loved by tough working women across the UK and Europe!