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This year Women in Food and Agriculture (WFA) hit the road, hosting events in Vienna and Chicago consisting of various workshops, panels and educational sessions on topics such as personal development and team building for women in the food and agriculture sectors.

 

The Food and Ag space has for years been a male dominated industry, but with diversity initiatives across the board in most major companies, the transition to a more inclusive environment has begun to take shape, with many female leaders in positions to influence the next generation of the industry. To talk more about women’s career development and how Bayer is following through on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, WFA sat down with WFA Vienna Roadshow panelist, Nora Eischet, Head of Sales Operations, Sales Excellence and Digital Farming Solutions at Bayer CropScience Germany.

 

[WFA] Thanks for chatting with me. Tell me a little bit about your current role with Bayer.

[Nora Eischet] I recently became a member of the country leadership team of our DACH (Germany-Austria-Switzerland) organization, where I lead the teams for sales operations & excellence as well as Digital Farming Solutions within our Crop Science division.

“Agriculture is the most fundamental of industries. Innovations in this field have contributed to the continuously increasing prosperity of humankind. At the same time, it is a major shaper of our environment and one of the biggest levers when it comes to sustainability.”

 

[WFA] How did you get started in this industry? Tell us what led you to your role in leadership in the crop science field.

[Nora Eischet] When I initially joined Bayer at the corporate level, I was mostly interested in our Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health divisions. As for our Crop Science business, I didn’t know anything about it nor about agriculture in general, and to be very honest, I also didn’t care very much. Luckily though, I was staffed on various Crop Science projects, and as my understanding of that industry grew, my perspective took a 180 degree turn. Agriculture is the most fundamental of industries. Innovations in this field have contributed to the continuously increasing prosperity of humankind. At the same time, it is a major shaper of our environment and one of the biggest levers when it comes to sustainability. I truly believe we can make a difference with our solutions for farmers, consumers and our planet. Coming into the space has opened my eyes and shown me the blind spot that I – like most people in our society – had before. This is where my passion comes from to work in this industry, advocate for it, and be a part of shaping the agriculture of tomorrow.

 

[WFA] What obstacles did you run into on your journey?

[Nora Eischet] I am lucky to be part of the generation that already has strong female leadership role models to look up to in the industry. At the beginning of my career, what I struggled with most was to have confidence in myself. I know that many women feel the same way. For me, the main thing that helped was experimentation. By experimentation, I am referring to exposing yourself to opportunities that might intimidate you at first – in short, leaving your comfort zone. Today, I still experience feelings of insecurity, but I know how to put them into perspective and not let them stop me from being bold and doing the right thing.

 

Now, I am coming upon the second type of challenge that many female leaders face: How to combine family plans with the responsibility I feel for my work and my team. I don’t have the answer yet, but what helps is talking about it with other women and looking for role models that fit your personal balance between motherhood and career.

 

[WFA] What did you speak about at this year’s WFA Summit in Vienna?

[Nora Eischet] I had the privilege to sit with three amazing, inspiring leaders from other companies. We shared many very personal stories and experiences that highlighted obstacles that we managed to overcome in our journeys, what we learned from them, and how we now try to pave the way for a new generation of diverse leaders coming in. What we all observed and discussed is that at this point, diversity is less about generating “demand” for it – most companies and leaders have realized how beneficial it is and have put programs and targets in place to increase it. We now have to work in the “supply”. How can we make our industry more attractive for diverse talent to join us? How can we make leadership roles fit specific needs of diverse talent?

[WFA] Your panel touched on hiring strategies and attracting new talent to our industry; what strategies have proved effective in identifying, nurturing, and promoting individuals from underrepresented groups?

[Nora Eischet] There is so much that can be done! Within your company, you can create mentoring and networking groups along different diversity characteristics, to share best practices, encourage and learn from each other, and for leaders to sponsor diverse talent. If you spot a potential talent that you want to elevate into a leadership position, make sure that position fits their needs. Maybe you’ll find creative ways to make it fit even better (for example job-sharing for leadership roles, allow for family co-travel if the kids are still small etc.).

“As you are trying to bring in more talent from outside, target your employee branding and marketing activities toward universities and networks that you might not have considered before.”

As you are trying to bring in more talent from outside, target your employee branding and marketing activities toward universities and networks that you might not have considered before. Write the job descriptions in a way that encourages talents to apply even if they don’t tick all the boxes. And in the interview process, make sure to have diverse interviewer panels to get a 360° perspective on the candidate.

 

[WFA] Could you share instances from within Bayer/in your career where diversity has directly led to innovative solutions, improved company culture, and increased business success? 

[Nora Eischet] Absolutely! There are so many examples, but I’ll pick one that is related to one of our biggest innovations, our short-stature corn, which is being launched as the Preceon® Smart Corn System. Until recently, I was part of the launch team in our U.S. market, a huge undertaking that is being led by an amazing female colleague of mine. She had worked in the hospitality business for seven years before she decided to go back to university, study biology, do her PhD in genetics, and then join our company. As the launch lead for Preceon®, drawing on her personality and background, she is working tirelessly to create the most customer-centric experience, setting higher standards and inspiring the whole organization around her to shoot for this goal. She definitely is a big inspiration and an example how diversity directly drives innovation, culture, and customer value.

 

[WFA] In your opinion, how has Bayer contributed to what you are discussing? How have they pushed Executive Leadership towards a more diverse and inclusive environment?

[Nora Eischet] Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) is a key priority for Bayer. We strive to be a place of work where everyone is valued and enabled to be the best version of themselves. As a global organization, working in various markets, our employees come from diverse backgrounds. I mean this in terms of nationality, race, gender, education and others. Over the past decade I feel that we have been able to increasingly foster this diversity into true inclusion at the team and leadership level as well. But there is still room for improvement. This is why we have established clear global commitments for gender balance throughout the Bayer Group and at all levels of management. Additionally, we have also defined commitments to further diversity, covering age structure, nationality, career experience, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities, among others. Further aspects such as ethnic background and race are integrated into our commitments for our regional organizations.

 

But DE&I is not only an internal aspiration of ours – we also have ambitious commitments to support women across the globe, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Until 2030, we want to support 100 million smallholder farmers (many of which are women) and provide modern contraception to 100 million women in LMICs. We see DE&I as a holistic ambition, to not only change our place of work but also the communities we serve for the better.

 

As Bunge’s current Vice President of Industrial Operations, Eugenia Zorila is one of the agribusiness and food giant’s top female executives and one of its key decision makers. She also finds herself in the unique position of being in charge of an area of the business that is very male dominated and is committed to creating more spaces for women in her teams and inspiring them to see her field as a viable option for them.  

Ms Zorila’s ascent to occupying one of Bunge’s top positions has given her great insight into what it takes to be a good leader and how to create teams that can deliver. What’s her secret? It’s all about the team. According to her, being a great leader is about supporting your team members and ensuring that they have what they need to not only successfully tackle any current projects, but also to mature, develop and grow in their careers.  

In the below conversation with WFA, Ms Zorila shares even more tips on being a female leader and how to inspire teams to achieve their goals. We also talk about some of the challenges that she has faced on her climb up the corporate ladder and how she is supporting the advancement of women, and diversity and inclusion in her area of the business.
 

[WFA] Ms Zorila, you first joined Bunge in 2004 as Commercial Director. Can you please tell us about how you came to be VP of Industrial Operations and what this role currently entails? 

[Eugenia Zorila] My educational background is in engineering and international business, and my experience prior to Bunge was in industrial operations. Accepting the offer as Commercial Agribusiness Director for Bunge Romania in 2004 was a conscious decision that aligned with my development goals and ambitions at the time. However, after a few years when I was given the opportunity to return to operations as Operations Director for Bunge Romania and Bulgaria, I was happy to accept it as it meant the expansion of the geographic scope of my responsibilities plus involvement in the development and execution of the Bunge strategy for the Danube region. From then on I have had roles either fully or partly connected to industrial operations. 

 

[WFA] You’ve spent 18 years at Bunge (so far) and in that time you’ve held various commercial, ops and management roles. During this time, what has been the achievements that you are most proud of? 

[Eugenia Zorila] Each one of my roles at Bunge has been extremely rewarding, filled with both challenges and achievements. But what makes me most proud are the teams that I have worked with and the people whose development I have supported. I am also particularly proud of the time spent mentoring colleagues, my contributions to driving the D&I agenda for Bunge, as well as the excellent safety record of the operations I have been in charge of. In addition to that, I am also happy with the transformational role I have played at Bunge, including my involvement in the Bunge Global Internal Audit transformation, the global Food & Ingredients department transformation (which I led from 2015 to 2017), and in the integration of the Loders Crooklan industrial operations into Bunge. And of course, I have also overseen large construction projects across the world, from Romania, China, and India to the US, Ghana, and the Netherlands. 

 

[WFA] Looking at your entire career, both inside and outside Bunge, what were some significant career barriers that you overcame? How did you navigate them to continue climbing the ladder? 

[Eugenia Zorila] The barriers I have faced are not uncommon. At times I did not have all the support or resources I needed to accomplish my business objectives, or other times my views were not aligned with those of my peers, my team or my bosses. There were even times when my ability to influence situations failed me or I felt stuck in a certain role and could not see my next move. How did I overcome these situations? I have built and, to this day, rely on a strong internal and external support network which consist of both informal and, when possible, formal mentors and sponsors. Through these networks I have continued learning, I have stayed connected and, most importantly, found the motivation to continue working hard and uncover the necessary solutions needed to overcome certain barriers.  

[WFA] What is your secret to being so adaptable to various roles? What would you like other women in our sector to know that find themselves considering taking on new career challenges? 

[Eugenia Zorila] I am very curious, and I love a challenge. I always want to learn more, and I do not like routine. Plus, as a leader, I always surround myself with people that are experts in their respective field and that I can trust and lean on for their opinion. Regardless of the area we operate in, as leaders our number one responsibility is to assemble the best team possible and make sure we work on motivating, engaging and developing that team.  

 

[WFA] What would you like organisations in the agrifood industry to understand about attracting and retaining female employees long term? 

[Eugenia Zorila] To attract female employees, we need to make our industry more visible and more attractive. We have a noble mission of providing food to all corners of the world, and we need to learn how to communicate that more widely and be more vocal about it. We also have to continue to deliver on our diversity and sustainability commitments, because these are values that make us more attractive to the modern job seeker.   

 

I also believe that to retain talent organisations should have flexible work policies, clear development programmes, have a strong social agenda and be very pragmatic about their employees having a work-life balance. In addition to that, to attract, develop and retain female talent, we need dedicated policies for working mothers, including paid maternity leave.  

 

[WFA] And how have you personally as the VP of Industrial Operations ensured women could thrive in what can be seen as a very male dominated area of your business? 

[Eugenia Zorila] I have always tried to make sure that my passion for the job, for people, customers and cultures has been visible. I am a strong believer in ‘walking the talk’ and so have always trusted that being a strong example for other women and them seeing the joy I am deriving from what I do, will inspire them to take the same path. In more practical terms, I have made sure that the teams that I oversee have diversity targets in place and make efforts towards minimising hiring bias. I also check in regularly with female talent, including sitting down and listening to the women at our plants and encouraging them to speak up when they need to, raise their hand and just go for it!  

 

[WFA] As you have mentioned, you have overseen some massive building projects, which I assume has involved leading mainly male workforces. What advice do you have for other women that find themselves in this position? How should they navigate potential resistance to female leadership?

[Eugenia Zorila] I believe that women are good at “reading the room”, and intuitive enough to easily understand what goes on behind the scenes. We understand what makes people tick and can use that positively to influence and lead.  

I am not sure my advice is best, but what helped me was to be clear about my goals, confidently stay the path, surround myself with the best teams and supporting my teams to continuously develop. On the more personal side, I have made conscious efforts to carefully build and manage my image, or my personal brand if you will, so that I am always seen as a strong, trustworthy leader.  

 

[WFA] Let’s look into the future a bit. What are the main goals/projects that you would like to realise as VP of Industrial Operations at Bunge in the next few years? What are the ideal projects you’d like to see happen?

[Eugenia Zorila] My main goal has always been, and continues to be, to build strong talented and diverse teams, to strive for excellence, and to deliver the multitude of amazing growth projects we have in the pipeline. And, of course, to also help as many individuals as I can along the way to progress and fulfil their dreams.   

 

[WFA] Lastly, we often see D&I budgets being first on the chopping block when though times hit. Why is it important for organisations to continue investing in these initiatives during these times? 

[Eugenia Zorila] I am optimistic and believe this is a changing trend. ESG is driving the agenda of organisations today and we see D&I being prioritised all around us. Companies are embedding D&I in their strategies and structures with clear goals and KPIs and are determined to continue to make progress. This is what our employees, communities and customers expect from us so, I believe, this is what we need to continue doing. 

17 November, 2022

The food and ag sectors have a unique image problem on their hands. Not only are they vital to answering the question of how we are going to feed a rapidly growing global population without putting more pressure on the Earth’s already strained resources, but they are often painted as being environmentally unfriendly industries and climate offenders themselves.

It is a narrative that French multinational food company, Danone, is working hard to change through various initiatives, including getting B Corp™ certified and through the company’s own OnePlanet.OneHealth programme which is built on its belief that the health of the planet and that of the people on it are inextricably linked.

To find out more about how Danone is doing its part to reshape and rehabilitate the industry’s image, WFA chatted to Nadine Küster, the company’s General Secretary for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Ms Küster – who first joined Danone in 2007 as Legal Director for the company’s Medical Nutrition business – works with a dedicated team to support all of Danone’s business divisions – Fresh Dairy & Plant based, Waters, Early Life Nutrition and Advanced Medical Nutrition – covering mainly the areas of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance.

 

[WFA] Ms Küster, why do you think we should be prioritising improving the image of the industry?[Nadine Küster] From my point of view the question is more about building trust in our industry rather than improving the image. The food and ag industry has one key role to play: we need to feed the world’s current and future population in a sustainable way. That’s a huge

responsibility that impacts the health of people and the health of the planet. We in the industry cannot do this on our own. We must earn the trust of the consumers, farmers, governments and other key players to partner with us and successfully manage this challenge together.

 

[WFA] So, how do you think our sector is currently viewed by consumers? And how do we change that view and, as you said, earn their trust?

[Nadine Küster] What we have observed is that there is a huge shift in how consumers perceive the role that big multinational companies like ours should play. They are expecting higher verified levels of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. In essence, they want these companies to go from being problem causers to becoming solutions providers on a wide range of issues, like obesity, hunger, access to water, climate change or plastic pollution. We believe the solution here is for the industry to listen to these calls and move away from simply being providers of good products to being good companies. That is what we at Danone are aiming for.

 

[WFA] How do you think the reputation of the food and ag sector has impacted our aims to attract diverse talent to the industry?

[Nadine Küster] Having a good reputation is clearly great for attracting new talent. However, the overall reputation of the industry is, from my point of view, only one piece amongst many that matter to future hires. I believe that every company needs to work on their own individual reputation as an employer and that a truly diverse workplace culture should make up a key element of that process.

 

[WFA] So, what are you doing at Danone to improve your company image but also that of the industry?

[Nadine Küster] In line with our Danone – OnePlanet.OneHealth agenda, we have committed ourselves to honestly and transparently communicating through our company and product brand platforms on a variety of topics, chief amongst them being our sustainability plans and actions. We also regularly join forces with other players in the industry to improve progress on topics relevant to our sector. We also proactively invite friends with varying opinions to the table – like consumer advocacy group FoodWatch, for example – to engage with us and share their views on our activities. Danone also runs an ambassador programme which empowers and encourages our employees to share what we are doing and achieving through their own social media accounts. We are also in regular exchange with governments in the various markets we operate in to positively influence their health and sustainability agendas. These are just a few of the things we are doing at Danone to help change the narrative.

 

[WFA] Another way you are doing this is through B Corp certification. How does this contribute to the image of the business?

[Nadine Küster] B Corporations are for-profit companies certified by the non-profit organisation B Lab for meeting rigorous standards related to workers, the environment, customers, governance and communities. But B Corp™ is much more than a certification. It is a vision, it is a legal commitment enshrined in our company’s statutes, and it is also a movement of people using business as a force for good to make a positive impact on people and the planet.

Since 2015, Danone has partnered with B Lab to help define a meaningful and manageable path to certification for multinationals and publicly traded companies, as well as accelerate growth of the B Corp™ movement into the mainstream. It is a unique label that meets the most demanding criteria in terms of performance, corporate responsibility and transparency.

70% of Danone’s global sales are now covered by B Corp™ certification, marking significant progress towards achieving Danone’s ambition to become one of the first certified multinationals. Danone’s goal is to be fully certified across the company by 2025 and this signifies our long-term commitment to doing sustainable business, as well as fostering economic success and social progress.

 

 

14 November, 2022

At WFA we share the career stories of senior women in the industry to gain useful advice and showcase different career paths. From financial roles to the country head of Turkey, Andreea Popa has had a diverse career in her 15 years at Syngenta, a leading agriculture company. Now working within the business’ Seedcare department as the Global Key Account Lead, she has recently been involved in developing collaborations with other innovative companies in this space.

Business to business partnerships can strengthen and diversify the offerings of organisations in the food and ag sector, but there is a lot of work behind the scenes to get these agreements established. Challenges can arise and these sorts of deals often fall through, so it is vital they are approached in a reasonable way and with a personal touch. We sat down with Andreea to learn more about her career path, advice on developing collaborations with external companies, how bringing together individuals with varied backgrounds aids innovative ideas in the sector and advice for women looking to progress in the industry.

[WFA] Can you start by telling us about your current role and career background?

[Andreea Popa] I’m the Global Key Account Lead for our Seedcare business. In my role I look after key customers and also work with our teams all over the world to implement our strategy. I joined Syngenta 15 years ago in the finance management programme which is a rotational programme which helped me to gain experience in a few different areas of the company and also allowed me to move to different countries. Mid-way through my career I changed from finance to commercial when I became the country head of Turkey. After Turkey I moved back to Basel, Switzerland and I’ve been here now for the last 3 years.

[WFA] Your role as the country head of Turkey must have been a great opportunity in a growing market. Did you have to overcome any challenges as a woman in a senior position in this region?

[Andreea Popa] The excitement about the new role was much higher than any concerns I had about its challenges!. I soon found I didn’t have any problems being a woman running our business. Once the customers and team realised that business carries on despite changes in leadership I was embraced and able to implement my vision. The one thing I did feel that some people found unusual was my age. I was in my early 30s when I moved to Turkey and stereotypes often suggest that a country leader should be older. However this was never a blocker for me and the four years I spent in Turkey were one of the best experiences that I’ve had in my life, both from a from a professional and personal perspective.

[WFA] You work for the Seedcare arm of Syngenta. Why do you think this is such an exciting field to be operating in at the moment?

[Andreea Popa] The Seedcare business unit in Syngenta is looking after seed applied treatments. When I was not in Seedcare I remember looking at the team and activities and thinking that it must be pretty good working there! Having joined the team around 3 years ago, I continue to enjoy working in an entrepreneurial and creative environment, with a high performing team that is fully focused on delivering value to the customer. In my role I look after our global key accounts but I’m also involved in a number of strategy projects. The openness to try new things is really energising – we are an agile team and if someone comes up with a business idea that can create value for our customers, we can provide “seed” investment to get it off the ground and test it with our clients. The focus on collaboration and innovation to support farmers are the core values of our team and Syngenta overall, and it’s something that really resonates with me.

[WFA] You have recently overseen an interesting collaboration in this area – can you tell us more about it?

[Andreea Popa] We recently announced a collaboration in the space of biologicals seed treatment with Bioceres Crop Solutions, one of the leading seed treatment global biological companies in the world who are very active across South America. Biologicals are a key pillar of our strategy and we wanted to broaden our offer and capabilities in this space. We strive to be the most innovative and collaborative partner for our customers and wanted to complement our value proposition with biologicals. For us it’s about creating the tools i.e. the portfolio but also developing capabilities and building credibility in this space. This is how the collaboration with Bioceres began. We didn’t start the partnership from scratch as we have been part of a long term, successful collaboration with them in Argentina, so we started by asking ourselves how we can expand our collaboration to the whole world. The collaboration allows Syngenta to develop our tools and capabilities in the seed treatment biologicals space and by leveraging our wide reach, Bioceres’ technology will be able to bring value to so many farmers around the world.

[WFA] When entering into this partnership did you face any challenges that needed to be overcome while developing the collaboration?

[Andreea Popa] From the beginning of entering discussions about a potential collaboration we were very clear about the benefits for both companies and customers. Often, despite the overall vision alignment, discussions can be long-winded and lengthy, especially when you go into the detailed deal mechanics. But both parties knew what we want to achieve. What really helped here was the commitment of the teams to achieving a balanced approach which I believe is fundamental for any successful collaboration. As elusive as the win-win outcome may have seemed at times, the perseverance and solution-oriented approach of both teams got us through to the finish line.

[WFA] What benefits can diverse individuals from a range of backgrounds bring to the table in a partnership like this?

[Andreea Popa] Quite a few friends of mine are working for start-ups in various industries, and I am fascinated by their stories of innovation and creativity. I believe pockets of innovation are being developed at an accelerated pace outside the more traditional R&D space. It’s hugely important to be open to different ways of doing things and surround ourselves with people who don’t always think the way we do. The next big innovation may not necessarily stem from our labs but from the ability to harness diverse ideas through collaborations within and outside our industry. I strongly believe that companies that are relentless collaborators and take the customer view, have better chances to succeed and remain competitive in the market.

[WFA] Finally can you share with us what your advice would be to women looking to progress their careers in the food and ag sector?

[Andreea Popa] I think my advice is applicable to everyone. Especially at the beginning of one’s career I believe it’s really important to be open to new experiences which may not necessarily fit your life plan. For example, taking an assignment in another country and immersing yourself in a different culture is one of the most enriching experiences out there. Another example could be taking a role that maybe was not exactly your dream job – all knowledge is great knowledge and give you the opportunity to absorb as many learnings as possible. Equally important is to find mentors, be them colleagues or line managers, to draw on their huge wealth of experience and advice.

11 November, 2022

Four of Bunge’s top female leaders share their views on empowering women and improving gender diversity.

To educate and motivate others and raise awareness about diversity and inclusion across the organization, global agribusiness and food company Bunge regularly arranges employee live chat sessions to hear about colleagues’ views and personal experiences. In a recent session, a group of inspirational female senior executives discussed key issues including the characteristics of the leaders who motivated them, strategies to improve diversity and inclusion in our sector and advice for the next generation of female leaders.

The discussion featured Ana Nadalin, Senior Director, Digital office; Katherine Huang, APAC Commercial Director, Sharon Walbert, Vice President of Global Innovation; and Tyronna Capers, Director of Marketing.

1. Inclusivity Over Diversity

“There is a big distinction between a diverse environment and a diverse and inclusive environment. Inclusivity is what allows you to be your authentic self and bring your best value – diverse thinking – which ultimately leads to better solutions.” – Tyronna Capers.

The panelists discussed how the need for diversity in the workplace ensures businesses can progress and are getting the most out of their workforce. Nevertheless, they considered inclusivity, in the sense of fostering flexibility to accommodate personal and work life, as a key element to allow women to open themselves up more.

They agreed that to address this in the sector, we must be more aware of our personal biases. As people naturally tend to gravitate toward someone who’s more like themselves, this needs to be challenged at all stages, starting with hiring decisions.

 

2. Inspirational Role Models Set a Path

“There is a common thread to the women that I have worked with […] Most of them remain faithful to their core and the things that are important to them. Other than that, they will all have their own specific strengths and characteristics that will get them to succeed.” – Ana Nadalin.

The panelists believed that it is key to have inspirational examples of women leaders in a business who demonstrate authenticity, hard work, confidence, and kindness. They described some female leaders who were inspiring in the way they balanced their work, home life and community work. All of them agreed that these examples encourage women to find and use their voice and help individuals learn who they are, what works for them and how they can bring their own personal characteristics to their work.

 

3. The Shift is Happening: Broken Barriers

“A lot of start-ups in food and ag technology are female-led. They don’t see the same constraints that we saw early in our careers and if they [do] see them, they don’t care. They’re just displaying confidence and courage… It’s inspiring to see. Those are the companies of the future, and we are already seeing a big shift in the agri-food space that is young and female-led.” – Sharon Walbert.

The reality of agribusiness has changed a lot in recent times, and it is unstoppable as new generations join the industry. The panelists jokingly agreed that, as recently as five years ago, they would have been happy just to be at the table but highlighted that it is not the case anymore. They now want their voices to be heard; they expect their opinions to count and requested their female peers find their voices and use them to make an impact.

 

4. Leadership’s Commitment is Key

“They enter the company at the same time but the career paths for men and women then can look quite different as women sometimes stop themselves because they think they cannot do the job at the 100%. It’s our job as leaders to break that barrier and let them know they can have an open mind and take on new opportunities.”
– Katherine Huang.

While it is hard to feel 100% ready for a new job, you should never let that be a barrier. The panel felt engagement from top executives boosts the chances of women, particularly those hesitant to take on new roles, by breaking such barriers and helping them find their path and voice to navigate their way together with their stakeholders.

19 October 2022

With organisations across the world working towards improving diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) within their businesses, WFA is committed to highlighting different initiatives in the sector to allow us to work towards a more fair and balanced industry. Some of the boldest statements we see across food and ag are when organise make their goals in this area public. A move like this does not just demonstrate how seriously the company treats DEI to potential recruits and current employees, but also comes with risk as it opens the organisation up to scrutiny if these are not achieved.

In cases where goals are shared, projects and initiatives must be implemented to ensure they are met. Cargill is one of the largest players in food and agriculture and early 2021 chose to introduce a new strategy for DEI focused on the three key goals. The first is to achieve gender parity, with women holding 50% of leadership positions globally by 2030. The second is to advance underrepresented groups in leadership globally, with Regional Diversity Councils choosing focus areas for their region and in the United States achieving 20% representation of underrepresented groups in manager and above roles by 2030.  The final goal is to address anti-Black racism and increase Black Americans and Afro-Brazilians in Cargill’s workforce overall by 20% by 2025.

Jane Gauthier is someone on the front line when it comes to working towards these goals. She is a Talent Acquisition Process Lead for Cargill who has 26 years of experience in human resources and has been with Cargill for 4 years. “It is my job to indirectly lead a team of recruiters that support our business units,” she explained. “I am also acting as the recruiting lead for our Women in Operations Program. This program includes hiring, female engagement and development, inclusive facilities, and promotion to work towards Cargill’s goal of achieving full gender parity in operations by 2030.”

When we spoke to Jane about why Cargill believed it was important to put forward these public goals related to DEI, it was clear she believed it is key to identify your problem areas and then work towards targeted solutions: “In January 2021, Cargill assessed where it faced challenges and introduced a new strategy for DEI focused on increasing leadership representation for women globally and underrepresented groups in each region, and overall representation of Black Americans and Afro-Brazilians.”

“Cargill put forward its DEI goals because it is the right thing to do and makes our business stronger,” Jane added. “At Cargill, we truly welcome employees with different ideas and points of view. As employees, we all have a responsibility in our day-to-day jobs to learn more about DEI and carry that through in actions.”

When it comes to female representation in leadership, there are barriers that we have observed across the food and ag sector. When we asked Jane her views on the barriers given her role in female engagement and development, she believed out-of-date views have had an impact on the careers of women across the sector. “Historically, men’s dominance in the workplace has resulted in less developed networks of female leaders,” she told us. “Such networks play a critical role in mentoring and sponsoring female talent. This is why I think it is so crucial for companies to set up resources for women to gain more leadership skills. Whether that means female leadership networks might offer formal presentations about strategies for leading in business, or even casual get-togethers over wine to build relationships and learn about one another’s businesses and how to help one another.”

So, what are Jane, her team, and stakeholders at Cargill doing to better support the progression of women in the business? “Cargill invests in providing great tools and opportunities for women,” she explained. “Cargill Women’s Network, for example, is a fantastic resource to contribute to the progress towards our gender parity goals along with advancing women in Cargill and beyond. The problem is not solved overnight, and it takes a village to get more women ready for leadership.”

Addressing anti-Black racism is another area that Cargill has focused on in their goals. We asked Jane why her business felt it was important to focus on this area in particular. “DEI is the core value at Cargill, and to be successful we must address and knock down systemic barriers directly,” she told us. “When it comes to addressing this goal, in 2021, Cargill signed onto a new effort called the ‘MLT Black Equity at Work Certification’ that will hold up the mirror to companies and measure their progress objectively. Our participation in this program aligns with our overall approach to DEI, and specifically our goal to address anti-Black racism.”

For Cargill, there are of course benefits to implementing these projects. In terms of recruiting and retaining the best talent, bold moves like this demonstrate they are engaging with candidates and employees from all backgrounds and supporting them through their careers in an inclusive environment. “Additionally, certifications like this will position Cargill as an employer of choice that is committed to improving diversity in our organization, suppliers, and investments, while being an active ally on issues supporting Black equity in society.”

Finally, we asked Jane what other initiatives related to DEI Cargill will be implementing over the coming months to further support the work towards these targets. “We have joined CEO Action for Diversity and the Hispanic Promise” Jane explained. “We are working towards Paradigm for Parity 2030. Our job does not stop here so watch this space as we make Cargill a more diverse and equal place to work over the coming years.”

18 October 2022

Interview with Ana Apolaro, VP of HR, ADM

It is no secret that the higher and higher up the corporate ladder we look, the less and less women we begin to see. In fact, as ADM’s Human Resources VP for Latin America and DE&I Global Lead, Ana Apolaro, recently shared with us, the gender gap is almost non-existent for entry level positions but begins to grow around the middle manager level.

To help women shatter this glass ceiling, ADM created its Women’s Employee Resource group, an initiative that brings together women and gender parity supporters from ADM offices around the world to advance the cause within the organization.

In the below conversation we find out more about the initiative’s origins, how it has benefitted women within ADM, and how it goes about addressing the issue of gender parity around the world being sensitive to regional differences. We also asked Ms Apolaro for her opinion on how to best approach the subject of gender parity with those who might still be resistant to the idea.

 

[WFA] Can you give us a brief outline of how you came to be the HR VP for LATAM at ADM.

[Ana Apolaro] I joined ADM in 2016 as the South America HR Director. ADM has always inspired leaders to go for more in their careers offering expanded scopes based on a performance management and career development path. So, in May 2018, I double hatted as Global Human Resources Business Partner for Oilseeds, supporting the global oilseeds business unit. In 2020, our South America division expanded to cover the Caribbean and North LATAM, and I was offered to lead the entire LATAM. In February of the same year, I took over ADM’s DE&I Global Strategy to further strengthen inclusivity within our organization.

[WFA] Can you give us a bit of background on ADM’s Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG). When was it established and what led to its development?

[Ana Apolaro] At ADM, the issue of gender parity is a priority. In 2019, we were one of the first 100 companies to partner with Paradigm for Parity®, a coalition of business leaders dedicated to addressing the gender gap in corporate leadership. In 2021, through this partnership, we globally launched our Women’s ERG, through which we promote discussions about gender parity in corporations and seek solutions that help us to increasingly reduce this gap in our own company. We currently have more than 1,000 members, which includes women and allies around the world.

[WFA] What does the initiative entail? What does it offer female employees and gender parity supporters within ADM?

[Ana Apolaro] ERG’s main goal is to encourage discussion and promote ways to drive gender parity within ADM itself, empowering our female colleagues and bringing to light the fundamental role that allies play in this regard.

To this end, we have an agenda that includes regular meetings between members and allies of the Women’s ERG, activities to build networking and alliances, platforms to encourage personal and professional growth, collaboration with departments, and initiatives such as Human Resources and the DE&I Regional Councils.

[WFA] On that, ADM is running the Women’s ERG initiative across LATAM, EMEA, NA, and APAC. What are some of the key findings this has revealed about the state of gender parity in the agrifood industry around the world?

[Ana Apolaro] All over the globe, we have a very good gender balance at entry level up to entry level management positions. The gender gap usually starts growing at the middle management and senior levels. Seeing this we analyzed our “build and buy” recruiting strategy – which entails hiring from the market and developing talents internally – and have developed an action plan to close this gap in the next few years by guaranteeing that all final candidate slates have at least one female. We have also committed to restructuring our Talent Review Cycle so that it can better challenge promotions and accelerate development plans for women.

[WFA] Also, with the initiative covering so many different countries and cultures, how does ADM go about navigating and driving the issue of gender parity while being respectful of regional differences?

[Ana Apolaro] As a multicultural company, we know that each region has its own specificities based on its local customs and culture. Therefore, in order to ensure that our ERG program always respects our differences, we have a global committee of representatives from different parts of the world: Latin America, North America, Asia and Europe.

This global committee unfolds into regional committees, which, individually, take a closer look and implement actions aligned to local realities. When we look at ERG globally, we have an enriching exchange of views and experiences, which makes us look more empathetically beyond our own reality and supports us in creating a truly diverse and inclusive organization.

[WFA] What are some examples of how the Women’s ERG has furthered gender parity at ADM? What concerns/ideas did the initiative raise that ADM has actively addressed/implemented?

[Ana Apolaro] One of the ADM Women’s ERG’s missions is to keep the topic of gender parity prominent among our diverse audiences. For example, global, regional and local committees establish ongoing communication with group members and allies, promoting opportunities for knowledge and skills development, such as webinars and targeted training. In addition, ERG members regularly interact with leaders, executives, and business teams to raise awareness about gender parity.

Another important action within the ERG’s initiatives is our global mentoring program for women. This is a platform that supports our professional development of these women to develop female leaders for ADM’s near future.

[WFA] What do you think is the best approach is to take with those who might still be resistant to gender parity? How do you convince them to join the cause or work around them to continue furthering the cause?

[Ana Apolaro] In my experience as an HR professional, I have seen that diverse teams deliver better results and performance. A team formed by different profiles is rich in many points of view and this is a great asset for companies, in any market, nowadays. This is the path towards which we are converging, and any thought or attitude that goes in the opposite direction will have no space.

Thus, I think that the best “convincing strategy” is to demonstrate the benefits that these social transformations bring to all of us. The world is evolving and so are societal behaviors. We have to transform ourselves and adapt to the new social configurations, where tolerance for excluding ideals is getting smaller and smaller.