W-Women Globally

The next annual leadership W.I.N (Women’s International Networking) conference will take place in Prague, 8-10 (11) October 2009. We have asked Kristin Engvig, the founder, about the genesis and purpose of W.I.N. and in the course of next days we will focus on the initiative.

W-Women Globally: what is main purpose of W.I.N., your goals, mission, vision?

Kristin Engvig, W.I.N. founder: W.I.N. is an important point of reference for women working internationally as well as companies working with women in leadership and diversity and inclusion programs.
It offers a chance to join the future, a movement that drives innovation, fosters diversity and inspires.

W.I.N.’s overall objective is evoking change to authenticity and raising feminine and global awareness to create a sustainable future.
It requires the sharing of knowledge, experiences, results, truth, power and discoveries as well as fearlessly standing for and defending what we commit to.
In the new paradigm, feminine values such as integrity, spirituality, compassion, resilience, sensuality and a win-win approach play central roles. Balance is the ultimate goal.
(read more about the core values of W.I.N. under this link).

W-WG: Who can be member of your organization?

Kristin Engvig: anyone loving our vision

W-WG: when did you get the idea of establishing W.I.N. when it all started? why?

Kristin Engvig: I got the idea back in 1994 and started it in Milan, Italy back in 1997. As a Norwegian, was a foreigner in Milan and realized how important a network was to get anything done. I also had some great experiences travelling around the world as a business woman, and realized that being a woman, rooms service, close your door seven times etc, was an experience that differ. I also had a number of years of experience from a multinational and thought there were other ways that could make life easier for women

My first motivation was to facilitate the situation for women working globally. Secondly, after a few years I started to research on how we do anything we do and the HOW which main focus is on the AUTHENTIC and the FEMININE has taken more space at W.I.N.

6000 women have attended our events by now.

W-WG: do you have some leading issues you especially focus on in your/W.I.N. activity?

Kristin Engvig: Empowering women and bringing forth their potential at a global scale as per our mission and vision

1) the global leadership conference is our number one activity
2) global network (benchmarking group) for companies
3) Mobilizing women tours and community activities (e.g. working with women’s networks from around the world)
4) Developing fund for women of the developing world

W-WG: Do you cooperate with any other women-organizations?

Kristin Engvig: Yes plenty – through our partner program “networks of networks” we try to assure women hear of networks, join as members and collaborate.

W-WG: Where do you think you/W.I.N. will be in 5 years from now? (short- and long term plans?)

Kristin Engvig: I think it will grow. We will set up a center and as more women become aware of the empowering energy in being authentic and feminine, the need for training in the field will just grow.
Also our sustainable focus and our knowledge of the issure from a strategic point of view will support companies into the future.