2158 is unacceptable: Lillian Elekan on achieving gender parity sooner

Waiting for four more generations to achieve gender parity is unacceptable to Lillian Elekan, the director of membership for Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

Lillian stresses the importance of actions, calls out the need for more policies to support women of all ages and stresses the need to actively champion equality (and call out inequality!)

What inspired your career or business journey?

My career journey took an unexpected turn from what I originally envisioned.

I studied international relations with the vision of working for an NGO or charity in International Aid.

However, when I moved to Birmingham in 2009, the recession made job opportunities scarce.

I found myself in a role supporting franchisees in developing business plans to secure funding from banks, enabling them to launch their new businesses — I discovered my passion for helping businesses succeed, and this sparked my current career.

While my path has evolved over the years, my core focus has always remained the same: empowering businesses and guiding them on their journey to success.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a woman in business and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a woman in business was standing my ground.

After having my first child, I wanted to reduce my hours, but my then-boss openly told me he loved it when mums wanted to work four days, as he got 100 per cent output for 80 per cent pay.

At the time, I lacked the confidence to challenge, but that experience was a turning point.

I soon realised my worth and made the decision to move on. Since then, I’ve been intentional about advocating for myself and others, ensuring that flexibility and fair treatment are part of the workplace culture

What’s one key piece of advice for women looking to succeed in your industry?

Back yourself and belief in yourself. Too often, women feel they need to be 100 per cent capable before going for an opportunity, while men typically put themselves forward much quicker.

Don’t hold yourself back — have the confidence to step up, take on challenges, and grow into a role.

Surround yourself with a strong support network and remember that you don’t need to tick every box to succeed. The key is believing in yourself and going for it (And yes, I still need to tell myself this too!)

How has gender equality in business changed and what still needs to improve?

Gender equality in business has come a long way - there’s more awareness, more women in leadership, and better conversations around inclusion and flexibility.

I’m fortunate that our organisation, and many I work with, now have a healthier gender balance.

But we must keep pushing forward to ensure women of all ages feel seen and have access to opportunities.

Women are still underrepresented at the top and often feel they need to be overqualified before stepping up.

We need fairer policies, and a workplace culture that truly values and respects women.

I’d also love to see more International Women’s Day events for men - too often, the room is all female, and it feels like we’re preaching to the converted.

To achieve real progress, we need everyone in the conversation.

How has being part of GBCC supported your business or career?

The GBCC has been a fantastic supporter of my career.

I started as Head of Solihull and was given numerous internal development opportunities to grow into my current role.

They invested in a coach to support me when I first joined and provided a wide range of training for managers and staff.

As a flexible employer, they’ve been invaluable in allowing me to balance my career with motherhood, enabling me to grow and develop rather than having to step back - something I know not all mothers can do due to inflexible workplaces and childcare challenges.

This year’s IWD theme is Accelerate Action. Given that gender parity may take until 2158 what does IWD mean to you, and how can we drive faster change?

Actions speak louder than words — it’s that simple.

Stop talking about gender parity and focus on what you can do to make a positive contribution.

We need to accelerate our actions to make gender parity happen sooner — 2158 is unacceptable.

Businesses must commit to real inclusivity, men need to actively champion equality (and call out inequality!), and workplaces must create opportunities that support women at every stage of their careers.

It pains me to see senior leaders — and I hate to say it, often male senior leaders —demanding a full time return to the office.

It goes against inclusivity, disproportionately impacts women (who still carry the bulk of childcare responsibilities), and will ultimately hinder progress on gender parity.

Real change begins with the actions we take today, not the promises we make for tomorrow, so I encourage everyone (both male and female) to commit to one change they can make this IWD to accelerate action.