Bank of Ireland host IWE event

The Bank of Ireland has hostedan International Women of Excellence (IWE) event in Bristol facilitated by Rebecca Stephens MBE, the first British woman to climb Everest and the Seven Summits.

The event, ‘The Foundations of Leadership: Integrity and Trust’, focused on how leadership lessons can be learnt from Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, and marked 100 years since the completion of his 1914-17 expedition.

Stephens herself has followed in Shackleton’s footsteps, crossing the island of South Georgia and twice sailing to Antarctica to visit Shackleton sites.

The IWE itself is a non-profit organisation committed to helping professional women realise their full potential in the corporate world. This is the first event of its kind that the organisation has held in the South West.

Senior business leaders from Bank of Ireland UK and surrounding companies heard from Stephens that Shackleton had shown that teamwork is of greater importance than overall success.

Although the 1914-17 expedition did not reach the intended destination, Shackleton’s reputation is based on a far greater success: the safe return of his entire team.

Stephens said: “The story of this expedition is an inspirational tale but for today’s business leaders it represents far more.

"They can learn from the example of this extraordinary man, including dedication, bolstering morale, persistence, resilience, adaptability, crisis management, and responsibility – all crucial themes in today’s business climate.”

Amy Burke, HR director for Bank of Ireland UK, added: “We are delighted to have hosted IWE and Rebecca at this prestigious event.

"One of our company values is ‘Doing the right thing', and this event has helped us to consciously consider how we can individually and collectively promote and encourage integrity and trust in everything we do.”

The event was hosted at Bank of Ireland’s Temple Quay offices.