photographer: carly wollaert © | make-up artist: carmen zomers

rtl

for years, gender representation is one of the priorities within rtl nederland. as one of the biggest media-organisations of our country, we are convinced that it is our responsiblity to represent women in all functions and showcase our female role models for their unique talents and drive: to our colleagues as well as to the broader public. we take this responsibility very seriously and are making good progress, but we can always improve. both on screen and behind the scenes. we see it as a privilige to affirm girls and women how crucial their place is in society and in our company.

kim koppenol

director communications at rtl

about

woman, perfect in all my imperfections, leader of the best team in the world, daughter, sister, lover, partner, stephmom of a super talented son, student for life, favorite aunt of two nephews, vegetarian, wanderer, feminist, chaos, introverted extravert, reader, dancer, teller of stories, listener, talker, (over)thinker, ally, menopausal, advisor, friend, haku of two dogs, advocate, strong, loud sneezer, flawed, loner at times, free spirit.

to top it off, the two leading principles i live by: be kind & be courageous. be kind doesn’t mean soft, it is taking on the good and difficult stuff with respect and dignity. be courageous, i try to be every day in small ways and in big ways if necessary

what can you do in your position to create role models?

for me it all begins with knowing that everyone has an authentic story and perspective that is worth listening to. everyone can be a role model and teach you something essential. i think that is the basis for the work i do with my team and many other colleagues within and outside of rtl on corporate social responsibility. we focus on three topics: ‘diversity & inclusion’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘respectful collaboration’. i think our first significant milestone was in 2016 when we exchanged zwarte piet for a piet everyone can love. together with two former colleagues we put listening to different perspectives into practice. it gave us unique insights that led to a, then bold, but necessary decision at c-level to take a stance: only chimney piets in our programs and commercials. i see the changing role of media as a great opportunity. we are no longer just a mirror of society, we are intertwined and have the power to not only represent our society and the different people in it, but to confirm everyone has his/her/their rightful place. it can create understanding and from understanding real transformation is possible.

why is international women’s day important for you?

first of all i am a woman and a priviliged one in many ways. unfortunately that is not true for all women and girls in the world. in the netherlands the income of a woman drops with 45% after giving birth to her first child in the first two years. mindblowing statistics that we cannot accept as a society. we are better than that. life is better when you share it. whether it is the limelight, political field, boardroom, parenthood, the sports arena, we all have a place in the world. my favorite saying is: ‘knowledge is only rumour until it is in the muscle’ (maori community). we need international women’s day to help us train that muscle and act. not just accept the statistics as a given, but act to change them for the better. it is a collective responsibility to create equal chances to all genders.

what advice would you give to your younger self?

three things: put yourself first, taking care of yourself, especially as a woman can feel selfish, but it is essential. don’t hurry life, there is beauty and wisdom in taking it slow. ask for help, especially when you think you don’t need it. the funny thing is that at the age of 54 i think i should take more advice from my younger self. to see the magic of life in the little things, to see with the heart, not the eyes and to be in the moment and play more. dance no matter who is watching! our younger selves carry so much wisdom that we forget or repress because we think it is inappropriate or frowned upon by society. the great thing about pulling from that inner child wisdom, it is always available and true. i would love to sit down with my 5 year old self and just be, what magic that would bring!