Male allyship for inclusive workplaces

For decades, women have carried the responsibility of advancing equality, fighting for recognition, representation, and respect in workplaces and boardrooms. And while progress has been made, invisible barriers remain: the glass ceiling, unconscious bias, and outdated stereotypes. These are challenges women alone cannot dismantle nor can men afford to ignore.

On Sept. 18, I shared my views on male allyship with the Board and senior officers of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) for an Executive Session on Male Allyship, a timely and transformative conversation about how men can step up as champions of gender equality.

WHY MALE ALLYSHIP?
Too often, gender equality is framed as a women’s issue. But it is not. It is a human issue, a business issue, and a leadership issue. Companies with diverse leadership are proven to be more innovative, more profitable, and more sustainable. Diversity of thought produces stronger decisions, while inequality limits potential and risks talent loss, disengagement, and reputational harm.

This is why male allyship is not optional. It is not about men “helping women” out of benevolence. It is about leaders ensuring that organizations maximize the full range of human talent and creativity. When male leaders actively support women, they model the inclusive workplaces that will define the future of business.

ECOP offers a good example. Among its 22-member Board of Governors and Corporate Officers, six are women — a significant increase from past decades when there were only two. Meanwhile, women comprise 70% of the ECOP Secretariat, the organization’s operational backbone.

These numbers show movement in the right direction. But sustaining progress requires more than representation. It requires champions, and men in leadership are critical to ensuring equality becomes a daily practice, not just an ideal.

WHAT ALLYSHIP LOOKS LIKE
Allyship is not passive. It is active, intentional, and accountable. It means listening to women’s experiences and believing them. It means challenging stereotypes so that merit, not gender, drives decisions. It means mentoring women, nominating them for leadership pathways, and ensuring they are included in networks where influence is built.

Most importantly, allyship means holding oneself accountable, tracking representation, setting measurable goals, and embedding inclusivity into policies and structures. This is how leaders move from good intentions to meaningful change.

At the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), we help companies translate these principles into action through two initiatives:

First, the Workplace Gender Equality (WGE) diagnostic tool called GEARS — Gender Equality Assessment, Results, and Strategies — which was developed by the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) in partnership with Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government. GEARS offers comprehensive insights and actionable recommendations to help companies advance gender equality. It enables organizations to assess their current standing and develop strategic roadmaps for improvement across key areas, such as parental leave, flexible work arrangements, leadership accountability, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

Second, Leaders for Change (LfC) is a transformational leadership program for CEOs and senior executives. More than a program, LfC is a movement. It provides leaders with opportunities to learn from peers (LeadersLink), amplify their voices as champions of inclusion (StoriesLink), and mentor the next generation (MentorsLink). Together with GEARS, LfC equips leaders to align business strategies with inclusive and sustainable growth.

Access to these tools is available to our members who comprise a community of like-minded leaders committed to building workplaces where both women and men thrive.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, SHARED FUTURE
Gender equality is not a threat, but a strategic advantage. And it is not a burden for women to carry alone. Male leaders have a vital role to play in shaping workplace cultures, influencing policy, and modeling inclusion beyond the boardroom — in their homes, their communities, and society.

Every decision leaders make, every policy they approve, and every conversation they lead can either reinforce the status quo or move us closer to equality. The champions of change we need are not those who seek the spotlight, but those who use their influence to lift others up.

Because when women rise, we all rise. And when men step forward as allies, they help create the inclusive, resilient workplaces that will drive the Philippines toward a stronger and fairer future.

Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia is a member of the MAP Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and the MAP Education Committee. She is founding chair and president of PhilWEN and chair of the Governing Council of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment. She was the first female chair of the Bases Conversion & Development Authority. She is president of Mageo Consulting, Inc., a  corporate finance advisory and consulting firm.

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