What A Pair! Steel Blue steps up for female tradies, on- and off-site
Steel Blue’s annual What A Pair campaign raises awareness among women in trades about the importance of regular breast cancer checks.
Steel Blue has a long and proud history of supporting women in trades, both on and off the job site.
The work boot manufacturer has raised close to $10K for Sweet Louise since the partnership started in 2022. The company also recently announced a partnership with Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) designed to get more women to consider careers in the traditionally male-dominated sector.
Steel Blue helping women into trades
Getting more women into trades is vital to the New Zealand economy. The recent Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) found that nine in 10 employers are struggling to find talent with the skills required. Yet just 15% of trade jobs are filled by women. In some trades, the figure is as low as three per cent.
Steel Blue chief executive officer Peter Bell said Steel Blue continues to encourage and enable more women into trades and done their part through designing work boots specially made for women.
“It’s become part of our DNA to remove obstacles to women joining the trades, whether that’s obstacles they experience on-site, like having comfortable boots to wear, or off-site, like tackling breast cancer, or having an opportunity to get a start in a trade in the first place,” he said.
“When we started making work boots for women, there just weren’t any options out there. Women were forced to wear uncomfortable, heavy boots made for men. Now, we have one of the largest ranges of true ladies fit work boots in New Zealand.”
Steel Blue supporting women in trades
Peter said sales of Steel Blue’s true ladies fit work boots had grown from nine per cent to 12 per cent over the past five years.
Through our distribution partners, Steel Blue is changing the landscape for women wanting to enter trades based roles in New Zealand. We collaborate with our distribution partners to educate more organisations and industries on the importance of the right equipment designed just for women, like our true ladies fit boots to help address practical concerns of footwear comfort.
Steel Blue supporting breast cancer charities
Steel Blue’s What A Pair campaign encourages women to check their breasts for cancer.
Breast Cancer Foundation figures show about one in nine NZ women will be affected by breast cancer in their lifetime. Six percent of all breast cancer diagnoses are women under 30 and on average, 25 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in NZ every year.
“For the best part of two decades, $10 from every pair of our special women’s charity boots has gone to breast cancer charities. Two years ago, we rolled out the pink boot initiative in New Zealand in support of Sweet Louise ,” Peter said.
“The funds raised help Sweet Louise to provide practical support and emotional support for those living with incurable breast cancer.
Sweet Louise chief executive Catrin Devonald said: “Steel Blues support of Sweet Louise and Kiwis with advanced breast cancer is making a huge difference to women going through a really difficult time. Over the last few years donations have provided practical support such as meal deliveries & household help to nearly 40 women. Sweet Louise relies entirely on donations to continue our vital work so Steel Blue’s support is greatly appreciated by us all.”
Steel Blue championing women on- and off-site
Every box of Steel Blue true ladies fit boots contains a shower tag to remind women to check their breasts. Mr Bell said the bright colours of the boots themselves had often been conversation starters on worksites and acted to raise awareness about breast cancer and self-screening.
