So, news reached us this week that there are finally more female CEOs than CEOs named John in the S&P 500.

No need for the party poppers just yet because of course, things like this always come with a hefty disclaimer.

Because what this represents is that just 41 or 8.2% of CEOs at 500 of the US’s top companies are women. Which when you consider the fact that approximately 51% of the US population is female, you don’t need to be a maths wizard to spot the imbalance.

And things aren’t much better across the pond. Over in the UK, recent research by Raconteur revealed that there are only nine female CEOs of FTSE 100 firms.

So even though though we may have technically secured a victory, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve still got a long way to go.

But let’s remind ourselves that even if we do have a battle ahead, we are far from helpless. Here are 5 ways gender equality is good for us all and how we can contribute to achieving it:

1. When women win, we ALL win – word on the street is that gender equality isn’t just a benefit to women, but to men too. Research from the World Health Organisation found that in countries with better gender equality, men achieved better health and wellbeing outcomes overall from lower suicide rates to lower depression. Proof (as if we didn’t already know) that when women win, we ALL win.
2. Start the process early – talking to our kids about money is a great way to swerve some of these gender inequalities, in advance of them happening. Research by Starling Bank shows that there is a pocket money pay gap of 20% between boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 11. However financial literacy rates for those children who are paid pocket money is 25% higher than those that aren’t so figure out a formula that works for you, and seize the opportunity to open up a conversation about gender equality in your household.
3. Take off your superwoman cape. As a fully fledged member of the ‘I’ll do it myself” club, I know how hard this can be, but achieving gender equality in all aspects of our lives requires us to ask for help when we need it. Whether that is getting a financial adviser or setting up a monthly money date with your partner and asking for help in lightening the load don’t continue down the path of martyrdom any longer.
4. Speak up. Ever heard the phrase closed mouths don’t get fed? If you want that promotion or to work on a particular project, speak up and ask. How can you expect to get what you want people don’t even know? Speak up and make sure that people know what you want.
5. Mind your inner critic. Far too many of us are guilty of booing ourselves off stage before we’ve even had a chance to perform. In being our own harshest critic, we can often also talk ourselves out of opportunities that should absolutely be ours. So instead of focusing solely on the negative, stop selling yourself short. Stop telling yourself you’re not good enough, or don’t deserve that raise, promotion or project. Instead remind yourself of your wins, progress and all the things you’ve achieved, and that you are worthy and capable of achieving your goals. Of course you should be realistic about the things that you can and should improve, but don’t let this hold you back from going for what you want.