Balance for Better #IWD19

Since the first meeting in 1911, March 8th marks the annual event of International Women's Day, a day described by the fronting campaign as the celebration of political, social, economic and cultural achievement by women.

This year's theme is #BalanceForBetter which follows on from last year's #PressForProgress theme alongside the #MeToo and TIME's UP campaign and aims to show that everyone has a part to play, all the time everywhere. From grassroots activities to worldwide activism, we're entering an exciting period of history where balance within the world is expected. We celebrate its presence and notice its absence.

Focusing on the business perspective, balance is not a women's issue, it is a business issue. We're all continually striving for a gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage etc. A balance in gender is crucial for economies and communities to continually thrive.

Women in defibshop

At imperative training Ltd, the parent company that boasts the successful brands of defibshop.co.uk, thedefibshop.com and aedarmor.com, CEO David Howarth recognised the importance of women within the business at every level, right at the beginning, 15 years ago. Currently, across all brands, our team currently boasts 20 female members of staff, all at different levels of management.

Underneath our CEO, we have a 6-strong Senior Management Team, including our Managing Director, HR Officer and Financial Controller. Across the Atlantic at our office in White Plains, New York, the Vice President of Sales is also female.

Alongside the umbrella of imperative training, David also owns another business here in the UK which has women in senior positions as well as being Chairman for charity Hand on Heart who only have female employees. David said: "It is essential that there is a healthy balance of men and women in the workplace and I have been very lucky over the years to have strong, intelligent women I Senior Management roles in my businesses. I urge businesses to do the same and do it now!".

Not only does the businesses focus on a balanced working environment, we also focus on developing our employees to their full potential in line with our newly adopted PILOT values, providing them with the tools and support needed to progress in their roles - regardless of their gender.

Cardiac Arrest and Women

When it comes to cardiac arrest, no one is immune. Unlike other cardiac events, cardiac arrest usually strikes with no prior warning or symptoms. Aspects such as the patient's gender, current health condition and their ethnicity do not factor when determining the cause of the arrest.

A recent study revealed that bystanders are less likely to perform CPR on female patients as they're fearful of hurting them or being accused of sexual assault. The results of this study showed that 65% of male victims would receive CPR, whereas 54% of females would. Every 4 in 10 cardiac arrests occur in women, but many will not survive as they won't receive the required treatment.

Since 1994, more women have died each year from various heart diseases. As time goes on, the gap between male and female survival rates continues to widen. With this in mind, women's heart attacks are twice as likely as men's to be fatal under the age of 50. Heart attacks can lead to someone potentially suffering a cardiac arrest, which claims the lives of 4 more women than breast cancer alone.

The only definitive treatment for cardiac arrest is effective CPR, performed on a ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths and a shock from a defibrillator. If treatment is delivered within 3-5 minutes of the victim collapsing, their chance of survival increases from 6% to 74%.

However, for every minute that treatment is delayed, their survival chance decreases by 10%. Current ambulance response rates in urban areas stand at 11 minutes, meaning early intervention with CPR and a defibrillator is essential when saving someone's life - regardless of their gender.

Get Involved

There are multiple ways you can get involved with International Women's Day, this year but if you're looking for a simple way to show your support, strike the #BalanceForBetter pose and share it on your social media platforms!

If you've already got your plans in place, we want to hear about them! Share them with us in the comments section below or head on over to our Twitter page, @defibshop and join in this year's conversation.

defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Unsplash.