#MIWomenWednesday: Karen S. Carter

My name is Karen S. Carter, and I work at Dow as the Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer. That is what I do, but, more importantly, I am a wife to the best partner on the planet who has been with me on an amazing adventure with Dow literally around the world. I am a mom and a nana to four granddaughters and one really handsome grandson. I am the baby, not the youngest, there's a difference, of three girls, and my sisters are my biggest cheerleaders and biggest critics. I am the youngest daughter to the bravest woman in the world who was widowed when I was 12 years old when my dad died suddenly of a heart attack. Who I am is because of my family, and they are the primary reason I work hard on a daily basis at Dow. They are, in other words, my reason why.

I am fortunate to have worked for 28 years for a great company, Dow, who is celebrating 125 years this year. Not many companies can say that, and I've worked in a number of different jobs, spending most of my career in commercial roles from sales, to marketing, to leading a business in Asia Pacific when I lived in China, and leading one of our largest businesses in North America a few years ago. I was asked to become Dow's first Chief Inclusion Officer and shortly thereafter I expanded my responsibilities to include Chief Human Resources Officer. So, these days, I have the great privilege of helping my company prosper and thrive through our people and our culture because the best way to drive sustainable business results is through an engaged and diverse workforce and a culture where everyone can be themselves, see themselves, and have an equal opportunity.

You know, as a woman of color, in some cases I am the only or one of a few, so it's essential for me to lead loudly in an authentic way to empower the next generation to do the same. It means speaking up, even when my point of view is different than the rest of the room, because, in order for my perspectives to be valued, they must first be heard. It means showing up as my whole self every day and not hiding who I really am and all that makes me unique because it is my uniqueness that fuels my ability to innovate. Besides, it takes too much energy to hide parts of me or, worse, try to be someone I'm not. And it means not being afraid to advocate for other women, as others have advocated for me, because I am keenly aware that I sit under the shade of trees planted by so many who came before me. That is why I have an obligation to pay it forward by opening doors, paving the way and being a voice in the room for all talent, including women, helping to ensure they get a fair opportunity.

Let's face it. The past couple of years have been difficult from the pandemic, to the long overdue reckoning on race in our country, to the ongoing war in our world. Never have I been more committed to aligning my priorities with what matters to me the most: my purpose. And I am more committed than ever before to making a life versus simply making a living. I wasn't always clear about my purpose, and I haven't always aligned my actions with my priorities. So, my biggest piece of advice is to define for you what is most important. Define for you why are you really here, and then align your vocation, your career, with your purpose to make the biggest impact on your organization and on you. What is essential is that you decide not what someone else expects, not what society dictates, these are your choices, and this is your life, and, therefore, you must own the choices and the consequences that follow. That is true empowerment, so be clear in your purpose and your priorities, which may evolve over time. Be clear in what your organization needs. Be clear on how you can best meet those needs while staying true to what is most important to you, and it is at that intersection where I truly believe you will find the most personal and professional fulfillment.

The fact is that, since the beginning of COVID-19, women lost twice as many jobs than men globally. According to McKinsey, the fact is, in the U.S., women's labor force participation fell to 57.4%, a level not seen since 1988. As the economy rebounded, jobs were turned more slowly for women of color, again according to McKinsey, and the fact is that in a recent report published by the World Economic Forum, the pandemic added 36 years, 36 years, to the estimated time it will take to close the global gender gap, meaning it will now take an average of 135.6 years to reach parity between women and men on economic opportunity, political power, education, and health. In order to address many of the disparities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, we need multiple efforts to move the needle. One action organizations can take to help level the playing field is to provide increased workplace flexibility. This means expanding the options for where, how, and when work gets done by providing more flexibility. This enables women and everyone to better manage their work and life priorities while still meeting company expectations and advancing their careers. Bottom line, there are many areas we must address to help accelerate women's economic recovery from pay equity, to access to quality affordable child care, to ensuring equal opportunity and workplace flexibility because we simply cannot wait for more than 100 years to reach parity.