Welcome to a special edition of RedCloud Insights in celebration of International Women’s Day 2023! In line with this year’s theme of DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, we sat down with Judyta Owsianna, the Head of Digital Marketing at RedCloud, to discuss technology, gender equity, and inclusion.
Read on to hear Judyta’s inspiring thoughts on technology’s vital role in driving equity and providing access to the tools and resources that female entrepreneurs in emerging markets need to grow their businesses.
As the Head of Digital Marketing at RedCloud, what steps are you taking to ensure that your marketing efforts are inclusive and equitable? How do you measure success in these areas?
My team and I at RedCloud have taken several steps. First, we’ve diversified our marketing content and imagery to reflect the diversity of our audiences and are using inclusive language in all our marketing campaigns.
In addition, we are also improving our data collection and analysis process to ensure that we are reaching a diverse audience. We also regularly review our campaigns to ensure that they are aligned with RedCloud’s commitment to diversity and equity.
Our success in these areas is measured by our campaign metrics and the feedback we receive from customers and stakeholders.
What do you think are some of the most effective ways that technology can be used to empower women and promote gender equality, both within our own organization and in the markets we serve?
One of the key ways that technology can help improve gender equality is by creating accessible and user-friendly tools that can help women overcome the many barriers they face in accessing education, finance, and employment.
At RedCloud, we’re proud to do our part to empower women in emerging markets through our Open Commerce platform. By providing millions of female retailers and distributors with the resources and tools they need to build and grow their businesses, we’re helping to create a more equitable world where everyone can succeed.
Women often face unique challenges when it comes to accessing finance and building businesses. For example, I recently read a report that said 35% of women globally are financially excluded, compared to a 28% financial exclusion rate for men. Furthermore, in low-and middle-income countries, women are 20% less likely to use mobile internet. This means that 300 million adult women cannot access digital financial services that could help them grow their businesses, even when they are available.
RedCloud’s Open Commerce platform can help bridge that gap by allowing them to buy stock for their businesses, pay online, and access credit facilities, even if they do not have a traditional bank account.
RedCloud’s Open Commerce platform is designed to empower the next billion retailers and merchants in emerging markets, many of whom are women. How does your team ensure that our marketing efforts effectively reach these communities and drive real impact on the ground?
To ensure that our marketing efforts effectively reach these communities, we are collaborating with local organizations and the local network to get our products to female retailers and help them succeed in the new knowledge economy.
In addition, we are working closely with the RedCloud Academy to provide training to children and young adults in the communities where we operate. Through the Academy, we equip youths in the local communities, many of whom are women, with essential tech skills that will help them participate and succeed in the coming fourth industrial revolution.
How do you see technology and innovation playing a role in driving equity and empowering women in emerging markets through the Open Commerce platform?
I strongly believe Open Commerce can be a game-changer in driving equity and empowering women in emerging markets. RedCloud’s Open Commerce platform is the first of its kind and was built to provide equal opportunities for everyone. In particular, it was built to help retailers and distributors who have been affected by the broken traditional trading model in emerging markets.
We believe that providing open access to a new kind of trading technology, one that levels the playing field, will help female entrepreneurs overcome the barriers they face every day. These include the inability to purchase stock for their stores due to the inefficient distribution chain and the lack of access to key financial services due to financial exclusion.
I am incredibly proud to contribute to a future where women in emerging markets are empowered to build and grow successful businesses, support their families, and lead their communities to greater prosperity.
On a broader scale, beyond RedCloud and Open Commerce, what role do you think technology and innovation can play in creating a more equitable and just world for women, both in the workplace and in society?
When technology is made accessible to everyone, it has a multiplier effect on the entire society. It goes beyond individuals to affect families and communities. For example, Increased access to financial resources for small female-owned businesses will often mean that a mother can grow her business, better provide for her family and ensure her children don’t go hungry. It means that the child has more energy to play and learn, which is essential to their proper development, and guarantees them a better future.
So, for me and everyone in RedCloud, we are proud that our work is helping millions of female retailers and distributors across emerging markets build successful businesses. We’re changing how they buy and sell consumer goods to over 5 billion consumers in a way that will positively impact future generations, and that is something worth celebrating.
