IWD 2025: Accelerating change from the North

International Women’s Day 2025 arrives with a bold mandate: “Accelerate Action.” With experts warning that at our current pace, closing the global gender gap could take 132 years, a statistic widely cited by global gender equality organizations, Northwestel is stepping up in Canada’s North.  

For us, IWD is not just another day; it’s a call to lead, innovate, and create measurable change.

Empowerment begins at home

At Northwestel, we proudly champion 168 remarkable women working in communities such as Beaver Creek, Fort Nelson, Iqaluit, Whitehorse, and Yellowknife. Recognizing that women in tech and telecom continue to face challenges, from unconscious bias to historic underrepresentation, we took decisive action on IWD 2024 by launching Our Women’s Network. This employee-led initiative empowers talent and drives leadership. Over the past two years, our senior female representation increased by 2%, and our field division boasts 50% female leadership.

Through initiatives like the WCT program, engaging speaker sessions with female leaders, and dedicated senior leader forums, we’re celebrating small but important victories on our journey.

A Town Hall that sparked action

This year, Our Women’s Network hosted an IWD Town Hall for our female employees that set the stage for honest, inspiring dialogue. A heartfelt fireside chat between tech execs Tammy April, VP, Customer Experience at Northwestel, and Michèle Beck, Senior Vice-President of Canadian Sales at Telesat, brought the IWD theme to life. Michèle, a pioneer in satellite communications, stressed the need to inspire more women to embrace STEM, noting that only about 20% of new graduates in related fields are female.

Their conversation underscored that mentorship, allyship, and addressing challenges like imposter syndrome and work-life balance are essential to progress. The event concluded with a short video showcasing 16 remarkable women from our team. Opening with the message “Dear dreamer,” the video reminds us that every small victory is a step forward, celebrating the strength, resilience, and transformative power of women shaping our future. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to watch it on our socials, it’s a tribute to every woman pushing boundaries and making waves.

Impact beyond the company

Our commitment extends far beyond our workforce. We proudly support Camp Engies, a girls-only engineering camp that sparks curiosity and builds confidence among young women in grades 5 to 8. For the past two summers in Whitehorse and Yellowknife, our sponsorship has enabled our women to shine as role models, sharing their expertise and mentoring future innovators. This initiative is a key part of our broader commitment to empower women and drive meaningful change in our communities.

In parallel, our long-standing collaboration with the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce amplifies our impact. This year, Northwestel is proud to be the Lunch and Networking Sponsor for the Trailblazers Symposium, a vital platform for mentorship, networking, and recognizing outstanding female entrepreneurs.

Deanna Cornfield, General Manager of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link (MVFL) and a Northwestel Northern Value Awards recipient for Make Our Community Better, will speak and represent Northwestel at the symposium. Deeply involved in the community, Deanna volunteers on the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness in Yellowknife, the NWT Disabilities Council, Northlands Condo Corporation, and Northwestel’s Social Committee and Health & Safety Committee at Tower Yellowknife.

Joining her at the symposium are three of our inspiring leaders: Tracy-Ann Gentles, Senior Manager of Customer Relations for MVFL; Sharon Gibbons, Sr. Manager of Ops Shared Services; and Gabby Morrill, Sr. Manager of Retail & BCC Ops. Together, these amazing women are driving change and challenging the status quo in our industry.

A call to #AccelerateAction

As our IWD 2025 campaign concludes, our journey for gender equality is just beginning. The hashtags #AccelerateAction and #FullSignalsForHer aren’t fleeting trends, they’re a rallying cry for every employee, partner, and community member to push for equity. Whether mentoring a young professional or advocating for inclusive policies, every action accelerates our progress.

Northwestel’s journey proves that when vision meets resolve, transformative change is possible and inevitable. Join us; share your commitment, ignite social conversations, and be part of the collective drive for equality. The time for change is now.

What will you do to accelerate action today?