Pledge 1%'s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Cynthia Asije
CEO, Adirelounge
Paris, France
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
My current tole is the CEO and Creative Director for Adirelounge. A sustainable fashion company that creates sustainable fashion products and textile fibres from banana waste.
This year's International Women's Day theme is "Embrace Equity." What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
"Embrace Equity" is a theme for this year's International Women's Day, which aims to promote gender equity and inclusion in all areas of life, including the workplace. As a founder of a sustainability textile startup, embracing equity means ensuring that women and other underrepresented groups have equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making power within the company. This includes implementing policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as flexible work arrangements, training and development programs, and transparent hiring and promotion processes.
To build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive, we need to address systemic barriers and biases that prevent women and other marginalized groups from fully participating and thriving in the workplace. This involves taking a proactive approach to diversity and inclusion by identifying and addressing implicit biases, promoting equal pay and benefits, and creating a culture that values and respects diversity.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
Yes I do have mentors and role models that has helped me in my journey. Having a mentor or role model has been incredibly beneficial in personal and professional growth. Mentors and role models can provide guidance, support, and advice based on their own experiences and expertise. They share their knowledge and insights, offer constructive feedback, and help identify strengths and areas for my personal improvement.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
One valuable piece of advice is to "be true to yourself." This advice has helped me to stay authentic and honest with myself, to follow my own values and passions, and to not compromise my beliefs or principles for the sake of others.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
In the face of new and unprecedented challenges,I often find motivation and inspiration in small wins and successes. Celebrating progress, no matter how small, helps me stay motivated and build momentum towards my goals. Focusing on the positive and taking small steps towards progress helps me stay optimistic and hopeful, even in the face of challenges.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it's important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition that businesses can and should do more than simply generate profit. Companies have the potential to create positive social and environmental impact, in addition to financial returns. Prioritizing social impact can bring a number of benefits to companies, such as improving their reputation, attracting and retaining employees, and building customer loyalty. It can also help companies address some of the pressing social and environmental challenges facing the world, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.
Pledge 1% is an initiative that encourages companies to pledge 1% of their equity, profit, product, or time to support social and environmental causes. By making this pledge, companies can leverage their assets and resources to make a positive impact, regardless of their size or stage of development.
At Adirelounge social impact is at the core of what we do, we work with farmers communities and help them earn more with the waste, also work with artisans in underserved communities and pay them over 2.5X the minimum wage.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Resilient
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Start your day with a simple routine: Having a consistent routine can help set the tone for the day and provide a sense of structure and stability.
Use a to-do list: Writing down your tasks for the day can help you stay organized and focused.
Take breaks: It's important to take breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and stay refreshed.
Practice gratitude: Focusing on the things you're grateful for can help shift your mindset and boost your mood.
Overall, incorporating small habits and routines into your day can help you stay focused, energized, and positive. Find what works for you and make it a part of your daily routine.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
I love Canva ! Has made my life so easier.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
One of the major things I am looking forward to this year is raising external funding for Adirelounge. We have bootstrapped from day one and would now like to raise funding to help us reach our goals and scale faster.
