Gender diversity isn’t just a buzzword at M-CO – it’s woven into the very fabric of who we are. Founded by women, majority-owned by women, and majority-run by women, our organisation offers a unique perspective on what truly inclusive workplaces can achieve.
For International Women’s Day this year, at a time where the wealthy and powerful around the world are taking aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what gender diversity means to the people who drive M-CO forward every day.
We asked our team a simple question: “What has gender diversity meant to you in your working life?”
Their answers reveal not just the professional benefits of diverse perspectives, but the deeply personal impact of working in an environment where everyone’s experiences are acknowledged, respected, and celebrated.
From senior leadership to those just beginning their careers, these reflections paint a picture of a workplace culture that values the whole person – not just what they can contribute between the 9 to 5.
Della O’Donoghue, Managing Director
I’ve worked mostly for female company founder/owners so I have them to thank for the jobs I’ve had. That said, I was mentored and learnt so much from male colleagues and clients over the years and would not be in the position I’m in now if not for their support and trust.
For most of my professional life my day-to-day working life was with far more men than women. In my 20s and 30s I worked on large-scale projects with clients, design and project, legal and build professional teams which were hugely male dominated.
I was regularly the youngest, and often the only, female in the room. Sometimes it was nerve-wrecking but I also had great fun (I grew up with brothers) and accepted it as the norm.
However, in this latest chapter of my working life, being part of a more gender diverse team has become very important to me. It has changed my world view in unexpected ways. I feel I am more fully myself and because of that there is more emotional congruence and intellectual ‘space’.
It can also be more challenging because diversity of all types challenges groupthink, but we need that. We have some work on gender balance to do in M-CO yet; we need a few more males!
Ciara Ross, Senior Project Manager
I worked in the service industry for 10 years. In this setting, I encountered some of the typical pitfalls that women face when ‘serving’ the public – lecherous older men, unwanted advances, being physically harassed, being called a ‘good girl’. Women in service roles are routinely infantilised and patronised.
In the second part of my working life, gender diversity has meant that I have had a male boss who is an exemplar feminist and utterly trusts and values female employees and made my transition into working motherhood comfortable and adaptable.
Gender diversity has feminised the workplace in positive ways that mean we don’t have to conceal issues or challenges that are specific or over representative in women’s experience, both trivial and life changing.
We don’t have to mirror men to gain respect or be listened to in the workplace, and that is an immense privilege and stark difference to my mother’s experience in the 1980s and 1990s.
I often think how lucky we are to live in a place and time where we are afforded the opportunity to express ourselves and participate in public life so freely.
Chris O’Keefe, Associate Director
Founded by women, majority-owned by women, and majority-run by women, M-CO is a special place to work. It’s such a special place, that I came back after 4 years away, due in no small part to the compassion and human-centredness there that I had found sorely lacking in the patriarchal employment structures I encountered elsewhere.
I have found that a company run and staffed by a female majority views our personal lives as something integral to who we are as employees, not an inconvenience to be buried between 9 – 5.
The best professional mentors I have ever had have been women, and some of the best colleagues too. As a white male who has plenty of privileges when it comes to the world of employment, working in such a diverse and inclusive environment is likely the most valuable one of all.
Bernardine Carroll, Senior Project Manager
Who washes the cups?” You can learn a lot from observing who isn’t washing cups, how the task is allocated and what the reaction is to your sudden and unspoken withholding of cup-washing services after yet another event where you are at the sink while your colleagues are shaking hands with the Mayor.
Note: washing cups is a very different task to pouring the tea, and in various contexts this task can also include washing wine glasses after exhibitions, taking down Christmas decorations in the office and being asked to volunteer for non-promotable tasks.
Caoimhín Corrigan, Director
Working in an environment that was not gender diverse would seem alien to me. From public to private sector, of the 8 CEOs I’ve had across my career have, 4 have been female and 4 have been male.
I value the breadth of perspectives this diversity brings and I feel it has helped these organisations to avoid group think – maintaining a culture that is more open and interrogative, and yet more grounded.
Alex Furey, Junior Designer
This is my first job as part of my career, so I have little to say about comparing my experiences in the workplace with regard to gender diversity.
But I will say: Aren’t I so lucky to be inspired daily by the extraordinary work the women in this company do, but then to feel comfort and enjoyment from the casual conversations about our periods or our changing bodies after giving birth?
Not only are these topics just normal conversation, but they are welcomed, and even further than that, celebrated! Respected!
So different to the experiences of my mother and aunties in the workplace where they felt their bodies were a weakness, and their responsibility to carry pregnancies were pushbacks in their career paths. I feel empowered as a woman at M-CO, thanks to the wonderful women and supportive men.
Dara Carroll, Associate Director
I have been lucky that each of the organisations that I have worked with over the past thirty years have had strong gender diversity, and M-CO really embodies this.
This diversity of colleagues has ensured a more stimulating, fulfilling and enjoyable experience throughout the ups and downs of working life.
Angel Cassin, Associate Director
Gender diversity in the workplace has meant diverse perspectives on social issues being applied to real world challenges and opportunities.
Emma O’Mahony, Senior Project Manager
I think gender diversity is very important in the workplace, allowing for balanced perspectives, opinions and experiences.
There is no doubt that embracing and supporting gender diversity contributes to the success and effectiveness of teams and what they can achieve.
Sarah McKendry, Senior Project Manager
In my working life I’ve encountered environments dominated by both men and women. In both, acknowledging this imbalance and ensuring everyone’s perspective is heard is central to building a strong respectful team. This is particularly important as not everyone is gender normative.
The voices shared here represent more than just individual experiences – they tell a story of evolution in the workplace.
We know that true gender diversity goes beyond hitting numerical targets. It requires creating cultures where different perspectives can flourish, where non-promotable tasks are distributed equitably, and where personal lives aren’t seen as inconveniences to be hidden away.
As we continue our work on projects that create positive, tangible change in society, we carry these values with us. Our commitment to gender diversity isn’t separate from our professional mission; it’s fundamental to how we approach every challenge, bringing the full spectrum of human experience to the table.
This International Women’s Day, we’re grateful for how far we’ve come, mindful of the work still to be done, and proud to be building a workplace where people feel empowered, thanks to the incredible people who make up our team.