A curated register of quotes from under-represented voices.

“ Someone once told me growth and comfort do not coexist, and I think it's a really good thing to remember. ”

— Ginni Rometty, 2011

“ Bringing our true self is possible only when there is no fear of retribution or ridicule, and in fact appreciation and celebration of what makes each of us unique. ”

— Roma Bindroo

“ I am not satisfied in making money for myself. I endeavor to provide employment for hundreds of the women of my race. ”

— Madam C.J. Walker

“ This whole thing is a talent issue. Women is a talent issue. It's not a gender issue. ”

— Indra Nooyi

“ Allyship is partnership, and things are always better when we do them together. ”

— Lee Chambers

“ We have this notion that disability is invisible disabilities or physical disabilities. The reality is, we live in an ageing society. We'll all be disabled at some point in our lives. ”

— Sinéad Burke, 2023

“ Don't sit down and wait for opportunities to come. Get up and make them. ”

— Madam C.J. Walker

“ A name is how someone was introduced to the world, it usually carries meaning, often cultural or familial, and getting it wrong is a small persistent signal that you have not thought it worth the effort to get right. ”

— Chris Compston, 2026

“ I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there, I was promoted to the washtub. From there, I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there, I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. ”

— Madam C.J. Walker

“ Good allies learn, show empathy, and we take action in ways that benefit the people around us. ”

— Vince Pizzoni

“ If you say nothing, nothing will change. ”

— Sue Owen-Bailey

“ I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough. ”

— Marissa Mayer

“ It's pretty hard for the Lord to guide you if you haven't made up your mind which way to go. ”

— Madam C.J. Walker

“ The process has become so imbalanced that it risks excluding exactly the kind of inclusive, diverse, empathetic, resilient people the industry most needs. ”

— Chris Compston, 2025

“ Investing in women is smart economics, and investing in girls, catching them upstream is even smarter economics. ”

— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

“ Nothing about us, without us. ”

— Sinéad Burke, 2023

“ I remember looking around and noticing the lack of women in the workspace and I knew this had to change. ”

— Vanessa Vallely

“ I believe that when women lead HR, we bring a unique capacity to nurture talent while ruthlessly pursuing organisational goals, showing that empathy is a competitive superpower, not a soft skill. ”

— Kav Sangha

“ There is no royal flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it, for if I have accomplished anything in life, it is because I have been willing to work hard. ”

— Madam C.J. Walker

“ We should all be able to bring our whole-selves to the workplace without fear of reprisal. ”

— Chris Compston

“ We need to start focusing on bravery over perfection. We're raising our girls to be perfect, and we're raising our boys to be brave. ”

— Reshma Saujani, 2016