Partnership on the conference Equal Pay Day that we have been organizing every year since 2010.
The year of 2010 – We are starting! The first Equal Pay Day in the Czech Republic. The Palladium department store is just opening. We have the top floor, so far still empty, all to ourselves. We select the first partners for cooperation, who feel as strong about equal pay as we do. Mary Kay, in combination with its high-quality products, is our first choice.
2011 Palladium once again, this time in an enclosed space. A varied cultural programme presented and organised by the actress, Ilona Svobodová, attracts a huge interest of the visitors. The Mary Kay team is busy, and the visitors are transformed before our eyes.
2012 We are dancing with prams to the sound of drums in Wenceslas Square. The educational zone spreads throughout the entire 5th floor of the House of Fashion, the female visitors already know that it´s good to do a bit of preparation with the chosen topic in mind, to get a greater benefit from the discussions. The Mary Kay banner decorates the mentoring zone, transforming its stand into an oasis providing advice and make-up service. And this magical role, charming all the senses remains until 2019 – and women love it.
2013 End of improvisations, we are in Clarion. A professional environment and all the facilities to hand. Mary Kay sends the first mentor,Lenka Prchalová, to the event, who has so far shared her experiences 3 times; in 2021 she shoots a live stream and in 2019 she excels in a conference duel on corporate culture on the topic I create my world.
2014 – 2018 A special day is now dedicated to mentoring and important personalities from MK inspire many mentees as well as the conference participants. These are always fully attended. Yvona Crhová Mitrofanovásucceeds three times with the topic Woman and Career, Alice Pavlů invites women to Work harder on yourself that on your job. Kristýna Hošková opens up a debate on finances in the panel of personalities under 30 – Why aren’t we talking about money?
Since 2016, for the 10th anniversary year, we have been filming invitations with Barbora Chuecos , the General Manager; as one of the speakers at the conference, supporting a path of the highest potential, which she supports as a mentor. We are launching VIP meetings of EPD personalities at the Mary Kay premises. Professional networking behind the scenes in 2019. We communicate the event’s outputs in English for a number of English-speaking speakers and guests in the 6th annual report. And Mary Kay brings a variety of ideas and topics.
MK becomes a year-round partner of many events organised by Business & Professional Women CR. 16.2.2019 we are launching the EPD Campaign, or Lenka Name Day, Beauty Day with Bára Chuecos on the occasion of the Empowering Women 2016 project or the 15.1.2020 New Year’s Party.
The joint campaign #nominateyourmum provided education space through mentoring for women on maternity/parental leave. This then grew to support a year-round # scholarship fund for young women.
Our traditional partnership is based on mutual trust, mutual reliability and a long-term vision of equal opportunities for women. Even though we are a non-profit organisation, we feel to be fully-fledged partners. We always fulfil any of the obligations on our part.
In March 2020, CEO Edita Szabóová reacts promptly to the Covid19 situation and, with her amazing courage she broadcasts her contribution online, together with other top leaders, after which the entire conference content was heroically uploaded, too, within just 14 days. We confirm the important role of women in a responsible businessand we courageously embark on the preparations for the November online mentoring.
Year 2021. BPWCR becomes the ambassador of Women Empowering Principles in the Czech Republic and Mary Kay comes to transform women’s lives. Although it is not possible to meet in person, we are triumphing with a 7-day online broadcast combined with a live studio at the Magenta Experience Centre with the theme Count on Us. We inspire our 918 followers and the media campaign for #equalpay lasts for 6 months.
Mary Kay is an example of a company with fair pay, teaching women to be economically independent and at the same time have a healthy self-confidence. Beauty lies in self-confidence. These are the intersections linking MK and Equal Pay Day for many years to come. We are looking forward to the future.
Lenka Šťastná,
President of the NGO, Business & Professional Women CR
www.bpwcr.cz, www.equalpayday.cz