Fonterra has changed an International Women's Day panel after facing backlash for only having male speakers.
The dairy co-operative came under fire after the features editor of the Critic, Elliot Weir, tweeted a photo of the lineup questioning why there were no women included.
The panel is presented as an International Women's Day event aimed at "breaking the bias". But the speakers didn't go over well with Weir pointing out the three main speakers were men.
"Fonterra is having a Women's Day panel event and ALL THE SPEAKERS ARE MEN," they tweeted.
Fonterra initially defended itself tweeting: "We know this doesn’t look great and want to share a bit more context. We have a range of events lined up for International Women's Day. We have inspiring females sharing their stories and this panel of male allies talking about the important role males play in helping to overcome bias in the workplace. Both views are equally as important to achieve change. We’re really committed to improving gender diversity."
But after facing criticism for its response, the company changed the lineup.
"We recognise that we did not get this event right. We have reviewed the panel and changed it to two women and one man," Fonterra Managing Director People & Culture Kate Daly told Newshub.
"It's important that we have both men and women talking about gender diversity so that we can all work together to overcome gender bias in the workplace.
"This is one of many events we have lined up for International Women's Day. We are committed as a business to improving gender diversity and breaking down barriers that exist for women."
The company's initial response was slammed online with one person suggesting women would be better suited to tell men how to be allies.
"Surely a panel of women talking about ways that men could be better allies would be better than a panel of men explaining how important allies they are?" they said.
"As a bit of context from A WOMAN I don't really want to listen to a panel of men congratulating themselves for being good allies. Give them their cookies and get some women in," one woman said.
"You know it doesn't look great because it isn't, but you are defending it and doubling down? Looking at it from the bottom of a deeper hole won't make it look better," another person said.
Other social media users also criticised the lack of women of colour in the lineup.
In 2018, Fonterra's Board 'approved an aspirational target' to increase the number of women in senior leadership to 50 percent by 2022. Currently, of the 11 board members at the company four are women.
International Women's Day is held on March 8 and is about celebrating women's achievements, raising awareness about bias and taking action to ensure equality.
