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A key part of job satisfaction is finding the work that you do engaging and meaningful. However, this widely understood concept is, unfortunately, so rarely realized.

Dame Fiona Kendrick, for one, can count herself among the lucky ones. At the beginning of her career, faced with a number of offers, she decided to join Nestlé because, amongst other reasons, she could relate to the company’s products. “You have to find work that really interests you if you are going to enjoy it, be good at it, and ultimately find it fulfilling.”

Last year, after 40 years with the company, where she reached the post of Chairman& CEO for Nestlé UK and Ireland, she stepped down and now has several non-executive director roles. Today, as part of Agribriefing’s Women in Food and Agriculture initiative, she shares with Flexnews the lessons and perspectives acquired over four decades at the world’s biggest food company.

Gender in the food and beverage industry: a changing landscape

Her early years at Nestlé began in sales and marketing roles, but eventually saw her climb the ladder, driven by a firm belief that it was up to her to create her own career path. Following roles in Nestlé’s food business and their out-of-home business, she went on to become MD of the beverage business and finally achieved the role of head of the global Coffee Business Unit in Nestlé HQ in Switzerland. It was the job she had always aspired to “It was challenging moving the entire family over there at the age of 50, with a husband and teenage boys, however it turned out to be a fantastic move for both myself and the family, we had the most amazing 5 years”.

She came back to Britain to take up the position of Chairman and CEO of Nestlé UK and Ireland at a time when there were few women at that level either in Nestlé or indeed the Food and Agriculture sector. Of course, this wasn’t the first time she had found herself the only woman at the table; the corporate world in her youth was a much less diverse place, she recalls “Through my 20’s and 30’s it was much more male-dominated, no question.”

But, Fiona says, it wasn’t all bad; while men were the majority, there was plenty of space for women to shine, to bring their own unique perspectives, and to stand out. Fiona didn’t feel that there were any explicit roadblocks, but did acknowledge that an environment with mainly men required that she make a conscious effort to put herself forward. “Yes, I felt I had to work harder, make sure that I found my own voice. In meetings, I spoke up, I found I had to be more proactive to be noticed.” As a woman, you might have to take a bit more risk, she says, but make sure you are well prepared and don’t be afraid to take the initiative. “That is what I believe in and what I have done.”

“Through my 40’s and 50’s there were definitely more females coming in. I think the food and agriculture sector is really attractive to females, as they often find they have an association with the products in that market. What we did see at Nestlé were more females applying for graduate positions”. Her view is that this is not uncommon given their interest in food.

On the question of intrinsic motivation and capabilities, of course, it is a level playing field: “Women start their careers with the same level of intelligence, education, commitment and perseverance as men.” In some cases, women [and indeed men] don’t have the ambition to climb to the top of the corporate ladder—and that’s fine, if that is their choice. In other cases women take time out to have children, returning from maternity leave often in a part-time or job-share arrangement. When the company is accommodating and flexible, in Fiona’s experience, they return to take up their career with renewed enthusiasm and commitment.

“I do genuinely think [the workplace situation] is improving, I see more women in senior positions, I see companies being more flexible in finding working environments that are more accommodating—and let’s remember it is not just women, but increasingly men who require this flexibility.”

Indeed, she expects that by the time the next generation are in senior roles, the workplace will be a different place. “The next generations will demand the changes. They won’t have to push changes themselves; instead, this will be the norm”.

Attitudes or behaviours creating obstacles

While there might have been certain unhelpful, even sexist attitudes and behaviours years ago, Fiona doesn’t think this is the case anymore. “I think now more than ever, the world is their oyster. There are great opportunities out there, and they need to grasp them, be confident and have the courage to act on them. The idea of it being a man’s world has long gone.”

In her view companies recognise the skills and attributes women bring at all levels, including in the boardroom. “There are many facts and stats about the positive impact women have on boards and how those companies perform. So, I think some of those skills that people recognise at board level are relevant and important at all levels. Women are typically more inclusive, supportive, more flexible and have higher emotional intelligence, and are great team builders. If I look across all the functions, I would say sales, plus the technical functions, are still today more male-oriented, other than that, women have an equal voice.

Beyond evolutions in mindset, Fiona says that other forces are helping to change who participates in the workforce. “Technology has been the female’s friend.” For example, Fiona points out that the transformations brought by digitization have opened up positions such as factory manager and supply chain roles, which were typically male domains, are now of interest and open to women.

“What is important is to keep an open mind. I believe women can excel particularly when they demonstrate key skills like curiosity and initiative. In my view it’s all about your leadership tool box…and how you plan to fill your tool box.”

Where are the opportunities for women?

Fiona firmly believes opportunities are everywhere, so it’s your choice of where to start. However, she does counsel that those at an early stage in their careers must prioritize breadth, to gain wide, diverse experiences. “It’s tough to move sideways to gain experience at a senior level,” she confides. “So, I always advise young men and women to get breadth early on in their career, as it is much easier, you naturally become a more informed and stronger leader having gained critical skills and experiences which ultimately will be key in your career”.

There is nothing wrong with planning a direction for your career but it’s important to seize opportunities as they arise as well. “I never considered going into the out-of-home sector, but in those four years I gained so much experience in a different market, yet it was never on my radar to go there. So my advice is to grasp the opportunities that come your way, don’t automatically turn them down if they don’t fit into your ‘career map’. Opportunities will potentially provide new routes and new experiences.” For women, Fiona says, this may mean being a bit more of a risk-taker.

Many companies today use quotas in an attempt to drive diversity in the workplace. “I am personally against quotas, and grateful Nestlé do not have quotas. The last thing women want, and indeed the last thing I wanted was to become the CEO of Nestlé because it ticked a box. I wanted the job because I was the best person for the job. Thankfully that was also Nestlé’s position.”

Advice

In the main work defines you, so finding that job that motivates you is very important.

“Find a job you love, that way you will flourish. Never turn an opportunity down. Always give every opportunity serious consideration. Don’t write it off at first instance. Take initiative and be curious—nobody will ever knock you back for taking initiative. Do it in a professional, respectful way, do it with evidence, but taking initiative and being curious are phenomenal skills to have. Have courage, find your voice, speak up, and take ownership of your career. Manage your own professional development, if you think you need training find it, research it, don’t wait, take your career in your own hands.

Finally, it’s your career, your future, your life. It’s up to you to own it and make it the success you deserve”.

Dame Fiona Kendrick
Formerly Chairman & CEO for Nestlé UK and Ireland

A director of one of the UK’s retail giants, Judith Batchelar OBE has a wealth of experience in the agrifood business. She tells Olivia Midgley about the importance of acting on feedback, even if it’s negative, and why working part time after raising a family doesn’t have to hinder your career.

THEY say past experiences shape the people we are today and Judith Batchelar credits some of her previous bosses and colleagues for the leadership style she now possesses.

It was her time working for food and confectionary heavyweight Mars that she describes as a ‘pivotal’ moment in her career.

“I got a job as a national account manager at Mars, which is where everyone wanted to work in the ‘80s,” says Judith.

“It is where I met my future husband and my future bosses – people like Justin King (former Sainsburys chief executive), Allan Leighton (former Asda chief executive), David Cheesewright (former Walmart chief executive) Richard Baker (former Asda chief operating officer and Boots CEO).

“I have to say that was one of the most pivotal moments in my career because they were all really clever and I had to work really hard, intellectually, to keep up with them.

“That made me realise I could, and I was capable of doing that. It also showed me what ‘good’ looked like because the standards were unbelievable at Mars.”

Her time there also demonstrated how a business could run well without there being a strict hierarchy in place.

“Mars was a meritocracy,” Judith explains.

“The first person in on a morning got the best parking space, everyone ate in the same restaurant, everyone was paid weekly, everyone got a good timekeeping bonus and everyone had to clock in whether you worked in the factory or the office and you were literally assessed on your merits.

“It never occurred to me there was another way of doing things.

“It gave me my sense of fair play and justice and I believe that is the only way to assess people.”

It was a theme which ran through her 12-year stint at Marks and Spencer, where she enjoyed various roles on the food technology and product development side of the business.

It was also where she was introduced to the world of part time and flexible working, after having her twin daughters.

Following a non-linear career path

“Women by the very nature of being women, means your careers are not linear in a way other people’s are. You may get married and take time off to have children but you actively choose to prioritise things at different times in your career,” says Judith.

“Someone once asked me why it took me so long to be made a director, and I said I’d worked part time for five years before my children went to school because I would never get that time back again. But when you do that it means you are not going to progress [as quickly].

“That was pretty ground-breaking in those days, I think I was the only woman at my level who worked part time. But those are active choices that women make which mean their careers need to be a bit more flexible.”

She looks back fondly on those years.

“People still talk about coming to my house on a Friday for a meeting and sitting around the kitchen table with the kids”, says Judith, adding both girls have followed in her footsteps and taken up jobs in the food and retail sectors.

“I had a boss at Marks and Spencer, Linda Shepherd, who I credit with who I am as a person as much as my career, because she was one of those generous people as in generous of spirit.

“She had two boys and never had the opportunity to work part time when she had her children.

“She always vowed if anyone who worked for her had kids and wanted to work part time then she would bust a gut to make it happen for them. And she did that for me.”

The need for women to support women may seem obvious, but it is not always the case in business.

Judith adds: “When some women climb the ladder they pull the ladder up behind them. Linda was the exact opposite of that. She was an enthusiast and an encourager of other women.

“I think that principle rubbed off on me.”

Finding a good mentor and listening to what they have to say is key, even if it is someone outside the business.

“My mentor cared enough to tell me the bad things as well as the good things,” adds Judith.

“I always tell people that if someone is giving you feedback you don’t want to hear, it is as hard for them to give you the feedback as it is for you to hear it.

“If people are prepared to put themselves through that uncomfortable pain then it is because they care about you and know you have the potential to do better.

“It is not easy to have those conversations.”

Practical help to get more women onto company boards

While women are currently underrepresented at company board level when compared to men, times are changing and there are specific courses to help women obtain the skills they need to move into the upper echelons of business.

Judith benefited from Deloitte’s Women on Boards program.

“This created a strong cohort of women and showed you how to be a board member, because previously there had been no training for this sort of thing,” she says.

“Knowing all things around corporate governance, audit and risk, the legal requirements, what your responsibilities and accountabilities mean and how to enact those accountabilities professionally; all of that is valuable, but mostly that got passed down from men to men.

“And you can see that in the make-up of boards around the world. Therefore programs like the Deloitte Women on Boards, which disrupt the normal processes are vital. Not that women should get special treatment, but when you know the system is failing, what are you going to do differently to break the status quo?”

The fact board requirements are changing also brings opportunities for women, adds Judith: “The way a company operated was very much around the financial propriety of the business, so board members were often accountants and came from an audit background. The stereotype meant there were always going to be more men than women.

“But if you look at what a board Is being required to do now by law – some of the new legislation around corporate governance which talks about getting a multi-stakeholder view, things like ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) when boards take their investors through their environmental and social governance –  all of those things that are happening at corporate board level actually play to a lot of women’s strengths and technical expertise.

“So now could not be a better time for women’s skills and talents to be more easily recognised at senior level, and I’m not sure a lot of women see that.”

“Boards have got to prove they have got the right skills from a broader cross section, from a diversity perspective and a women’s perspective. But I like to think women get there on their own merit, not because someone has set a target.”

What it takes to be a good leader

Judith notes a book she read by Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, in which the author highlights the differences between those with an ‘abundance’ mentality and those with a ‘scarcity’ mentality

“People with an abundance mentality believe there is so much out in the world, it is an abundant world where everyone can thrive. They are the people who you want to associate yourself with. As opposed to those with a scarcity mentality, who say ‘I can only get on in life if you’re not as good as me; I can only get on at your expense and if you get promoted before me that would be a bad thing’,” Judith says.

“I think the more you give, the more you get back.”

Judith is involved in various initiatives which aim to encourage young people and new talent into the agrifood sector, including Speakers for Schools and IGD’s Feeding Britain’s Future.

She believes the industry could do much better in attracting talent.

She adds: “We undersell ourselves as a sector, everything that people care about, the environment, health, the sense of well-being and how we look after ourselves, is all linked to food and how we produce it.

“Therefore we should be telling people that a career in our sector is probably one of the most purposeful you can have, if you really want to make a difference.”

Caroline Creven Fourrier is Syngenta’s Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity with more than 13 years of international experiences across various geographies in Europe and Asia and functions such as diversity and inclusion (D&I) HR, production, logistics and procurement. Caroline holds a PhD in talent management and Masters degree in procurement. She is also certified by INSEAD in D&I and St Gallen University in research.

In her current role, she works closely with the company executives to drive the global D&I strategy, contributing to increasing the performance of the company through fostering an inclusive environment where people feel they belong and can be the best version of themselves. She is also part of the Women in Food and Agriculture Advisory Board and a speaker at the WFA Summit.

With the summit (https://www.wfasummit.com) only a few months away (December 3 – 4 at the NH Grand Hotel, Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam), we discussed some of the key WFA-related themes with Caroline.

[AgriBriefing] Do you think there are any challenges of being a woman in such a male dominated sector as agriculture?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] I think there are lots of issues for women in farming – including not being considered a farmer in some places, despite working on the farm, etc.

More generally, the challenge is really whether biases preventing women in agriculture to grow in their career are being addressed (through systemic changes, communication…). This would be true in any industry however. I do think there are areas where woman in agriculture are represented, particularly across R&D, agronomy, corporate functions such as legal and finance.

[AgriBriefing] Why do you think there are not many women in the agricultural and food sectors?
[Caroline Creven Fourrier] It is a very good question. If, in the past, education was generating mainly male talents, this tends to be more balanced now. But still, the reputation of the industry seems to attract more men than women. Similarly as above there are probably some biases at play. At Syngenta, we try to pro-actively address these through  targeted engagement and campaigns as well as ensuring a more diverse slate when it comes to recruitment.

[AgriBriefing] How can we improve workplace culture for better employee retention?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] People want to stay in a company where they feel respected and valued, whoever they are. So creating a safe environment where people can speak up is fundamental. In today’s economy, more and more employees want to work flexibly and we need to recognise that the days of 9am-5pm are long gone.

Employees want greater balance in their lives – be it to dedicate extra time to hobbies, personal development, religion, children, or whatever they choose. So companies need to listen and adjust to those new and emerging needs. Syngenta has implemented flexible working options – that also take account local legislation – to allow employees to work either flexible hours, flexible location, and/orjob share. While we are not unique in doing this, it is one of the ways we are working to improve our working environment for our employees.

[AgriBriefing] How can we inspire the future of women and diversity in our industry?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] Having more women at the top, in leadership roles of those organisations helps. It creates role models for those younger or further down in the organisation. Gender diversity is only a small part of the overall diversity we should tap into an organisation. However, research does show that if you create a workplace that allows women to contribute to their full potential, it dramatically changes the overall culture for all – regardless of the diversity you bring.

[AgriBriefing] What do companies need to understand about diversity and inclusion and ensure that their policies are truly inclusive?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] In my view, the first priority focus is inclusion. If you prioritise diversity over inclusion, the chances are that you bring in diverse talents who will be frustrated by a non-inclusive culture.

Also, I am always very careful to not shortcut diversity for a gender agenda only. What matters for business and customers alike is a diversity of thinking, this is facilitated by a more gender balanced organisation but this is not the only factor. Other elements of diversity are all equally relevant including diversity of background, culture, nationality or religion – they all shape our thinking and views.

[AgriBriefing]  Gender and racial diversity has been correlated with increased profitability. What types of strategies have worked to achieve gender equality in your sector from your perspective?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] Our approach encompasses various elements:

• Create flexible working options (part-time, job share, flexible time, flexible place…)
• Reverse mentoring
• Speaking up culture /personal story telling by employees and leaders
• Review of our benefit offer to make those more inclusive (paternity leave, same sex couples, disability…)
• Review of our recruitment process to bring in more diverse slates of candidates
• Tailored D&I training
• Collaboration with customers and external communities
• Collaboration with NGOs

It is a journey that never ends, but a very exciting one!

Finally, gender and racial diversity are not the only elements correlated with increased profitability. It is about creating greater diversity in teams and particularly important in a company that has a heavy research and development focus where we welcome diversity of thought. At Syngenta, we also recognise that some D&I challenges are very different from one geography to another. If the racial diversity you indicate is predominant in one region, it is less so in other geographies where, for example, religion is more a critical inclusion element.

[AgriBriefing]  Would you say Syngenta is a diverse workplace?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier] Relative to the industry, Syngenta is well positioned. There is another question I like to ask: with a customer base that is very diverse, how much of this diversity do we have represented internally? Are we able to offer dedicated solutions to dedicated customer groups or are we over-standardised due to a lack of diversity of thinking?

[AgriBriefing]  Our recent market research highlights that investing in women is
becoming more important for businesses in the food and agricultural sector and the importance of promoting the sector to younger generation – where do you think there are opportunities for women in the sector?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier]  With women and the younger generation increasingly being the key buying decision makers, of course companies should ensure they understand their needs and offer solutions tailored to their challenges.

The risk – in agriculture – is to stereotype the customer base. If a company were to consider all customers alike, then odds are that a solution would not meet the needs of part of our customer. And that is where D&I is actually a business enabler – if properly leveraged in an organisation.

[AgriBriefing]  Can you give any tips on how to become a successful woman in the agricultural sector?

[Caroline Creven Fourrier]  Make your contribution visible! Be yourself and don’t be apologetic about it.  Build relationships and find yourself sponsors who can talk of you in your absence – these include both men and women.

[AgriBriefing]  How can women achieve their full potential in agriculture and food – roadblocks to career success?   Personally, have you found any stumbling blocks in your own career?

 

[Caroline Creven Fourrier]  What is super important to me is to have senior leaders who I trust and appreciate my contribution to the organisation.

In my career, I faced several challenges:

• Having several periods of maternity leave in my career. If some colleagues commented on it negatively (career stopper, mums should stay home….), I did not let those define who I was.

Instead, I had very open discussions with my management: what do I want / not want? Where do I wish to develop when I come back? All those discussions allowed the company to retain me and to not have wasted years of development on me.

• Being young for some of the roles I took. Again, do not be apologetic. You did not get a role out of charity, you got it for the value you bring to the organisation. It remains true though that a major challenge for women is to be promoted based on past achievement while a male colleagues are often promoted based on potential. In that sense, women are indeed at risk, and often have to demonstrate their value more.

At the end of the day, your level of responsibility should not be impacted by your age but by your ability to do the role.

• Looking younger than my age. This one continues to irritate me and adds to the above challenge. So it can feel as though you need to speak up and show your value even more.

The world of agricultural inputs is extraordinarily demanding, involving the use of some of humanity’s newest and most advanced science, applied to one of the most ancient and vital livelihoods, sometimes in the world’s most remote locations. Recruiting successful candidates is already difficult enough. The last thing the industry needs is rigidly defined gender roles discouraging, or actively weeding out, the female half of the pool of potential employees. Thus, it is quite logical that Rahul Kalia, head of human resources for the Crop Science division of Bayer Crop Sciences in Asia-Pacific, is an advocate for greater gender diversity in the workforce.

Obstacles, both social and tangible

Unfortunately, as he explains in an interview during the run-up to the Women in Food and Agriculture Summit in Amsterdam this December, when it comes to parts of Asia Pacific, progress on gender equality is not simply a question of recognizing the problem and maybe grappling with some unconscious biases all around the table. Instead, the obstacles are tangible and anti-woman prejudice can, in some cases, be both deeply held and openly expressed.

For, while women make up a significant chunk of the agricultural workforce in many developing countries of Asia-Pacific (perhaps 35-40% of the personnel, Mr. Kalia estimates) among smallholder farming environments in this part of the world, women tend not to be the decision-makers in terms of what is grown, and, crucially, what products are used on the crops. This reverberates throughout the industries serving these farmers. As Mr. Kalia observes, “If the decision-makers are mainly men, historically I think there were more men in that part of the world in the agricultural input industry in terms of the salesforce…when you want to actually reach out to these farmers, today still we are going through a personal connection.”

The idea that men would be more persuasive and authoritative company representatives among these largely male decision-makers has slowed the growth of women in the front-line ranks of agri-input companies. Indeed, in some particularly traditionally rural areas, he says, there is a “[hesitation] with most of the male farmers to converse with female commercial executives.”

Additionally, he points out that in some places, the very infrastructure poses an obstacle to women travelling around some of the rural territories. “For example, having the basic [women’s] washroom facilities available [can sometimes be a challenge],” he acknowledges. “And security becomes a challenge…in some of these countries.”

Rather than relying on a blunt instrument such as gender quotas in hiring, therefore, Mr. Kalia highlights that there is real work to be done, collectively, to address these obstacles. Moreover, he urges that the industry must take the lead on this, instead of waiting around for the government to implement solutions that will improve the situation on the ground. “I feel more can be done by the agri input companies to come together, as an industry body, to say ‘what are we doing about it?’ To me, if we say there is no infrastructure in place, then this presents an opportunity for the companies to come together to provide better security and a better working environment, even something as basic as a toilet in rural places.”

Opportunities: what a non-diverse industry is missing out on.

Overcoming the very real obstacles in place to integrating more women across the business is not just a feel-good social initiative. As Mr. Kalia points out, there are severe business-critical consequences to leaving such a massive portion of the talent pool on the table when recruiting. “50% of people who actually graduate out of agricultural colleges are women. Why are we, as an industry, not able to hire them? Where do they go? …It’s a big, big miss for the industry itself.”

But beyond simply the sheer weight of numbers, he is also convinced that marginalizing women in the workforce means depriving a company of important skill sets, not to mention customer insight. After all, he repeats, most consumption decisions are made by women. “If we really want to be customer-centric organizations, or consumer-centric organizations, better diversity would lead to better innovations for companies like us.”

He cites Bayer’s choice of a woman as the commercial country lead for Pakistan as an example of this principle in action. “She told me that initially there was a lot of resistance from farmers to converse with her …but being a woman also helped her to connect with the families of the farmers, because if you want to connect emotionally with the farming community, you actually connect with the whole of the family, and being a woman really helped her to make those connections.” He opines that women’s strengths in compassion and empathy can be extremely relevant to success in positions such as media public relations, while active listening and other social skills can help in a leadership position, and curiousity can be essential in R&D.

However, he argues, to profit from this effectively requires that companies abandon standards that are implicitly biased towards male strengths. “One particular competency that everybody [judges by] was courage… but we don’t describe courage by the ability to be curious, to be inquisitive, to ask questions; we measure courage by our ability to actually stand up for ourselves, fight for it, which comes from a very masculine definition of courage. And that perspective really needs to change.”

Of course, overturning established cognitive habits is a lot easier said than done. And indeed, it will require engaging with everyone in the workplace. In Mr. Kalia’s words, “we in the industry need to take the initiative in changing the mindset, especially focusing only on the women—attracting them— but we also need to educate a lot of the men who are leaders in the organization, because there needs to be a will from willingness on their side to contribute to it.” It will also demand a rethinking of what it means to manage: “What is the job of a leader? The job of a leader is not to judge people…but to get the best out of everybody you have on the team.”

“The right intent is there…now we just need to pick up some speed”

Mr. Kalia is optimistic that things are going in the right direction; having been involved in the industry for the last 10 years, he detects a pick-up over the last 2-3 years, when it began to shake its reputation as an old, conservative and transactional industry and push forward a more modern, digital image. “I do see a lot of millennial women especially who are getting attracted to this industry… but still we need to do a lot specifically in attracting women in the smaller Tier B, Tier C kinds of cities in South and Southeast Asia,” he says.

He is encouraged by his own company’s leadership on this front, most notably via Bayer’s “Samavesh” educational initiative. This program offers opportunities to female students and gives them a taste of the front-line career opportunities available in the life sciences, as well as providing them a supportive environment to help them integrate into the organization, including female mentors, special induction plans, and training for both the students and their managers. It is understood they have close to 50 women enrolled in this. “But if you asked me, I would say that is just the start. Compared to other industries, I would say we are have still not [caught up] but at least the right intent is there, in order to move in the right direction…. Now we just need to pick up some speed.”

Nikki Putman-Badding was a fresh faced dietician, finishing grad school when she persuaded one of the biggest companies in agriculture to create a new role, just for her.

Three days at an Alltech conference left her “wide eyed” and convinced she had to work for the company. After hustling and networking, she was put in touch with her current mentor, Alltech’s global director of applications research, Becky Timmons.

“I was asked to write the job description for my role – the open-mindedness of Alltech to a young female, straight out of grad school, was amazing,” she says.

After working in technical and sales support improving nutrition along the food supply chain, beginning with crops and animals Ms Putman moved up to lead the human health division a year ago.

Gender bias and making room at the table

Women face challenges and stereotyping, says Ms Putman, remembering a conference where the technicians prepared her to introduce her male colleague, assuming (wrongly) that he was the speaker.

But “diversity can broaden and deepen an industry, says Ms Putman, and “it’s important to challenge bias and what a leader looks like. Don’t accept stereotyping or bias. Don’t be a bystander – lead by example – be part of the solution to make inclusivity, diversity and equality a priority in your organisation,” she says.

“Ask for clarification or an explanation of a comment, or if you feel your idea or opportunity for involvement were overlooked. Communicate the impact of the bias; by dealing with it directly you can ensure not only that your concern is heard, but allow space for effective and respectful communication.”

Dealing with gender bias involves greater awareness that it exists, and actively making room at the table for those who may be subject to it, says Ms Putman. All leaders need to do this.

“Male colleagues and leaders should counteract gender bias by acknowledging that stereotypes and both explicit and implicit biases exist – challenge yourself and your colleagues to monitor your internal and external dialogue and actions and choose to be part of the solution by recognising and correcting stereotyping and bias when it occurs.”

How women can pull each other up

Support from her mentor and other women, has been instrumental to her career, says Ms Putman. “I have been learning from females throughout my career. Many have mentored me throughout, without even knowing, because they acted as role models.

“A good leader fosters a diverse, inclusive workplace, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation. In my experience, good female leaders tend be flexible, agile and confident in any situation. They have grace under pressure and take a team approach.

“My mentor, for example, has shown me the value of collaboration and creating relationships. She presents stability and agility and commands respect. She is fair across all genders – she sees a talented person and helps them. I’m forever grateful to her for giving me a seat at the table.”

Tips on career advancement

• Seek out a mentor: Irrespective of gender or background, find someone who inspires you and ask for performance feedback, introductions to key decision-makers and advice on professional development. Reach out within your company, on social media or LinkedIn. Attend local or industry networking events and ask for recommendations. Some professional and trade organisations offer mentor matching.
• Learn how your organisation works: Get to know the decision-makers and create relationships with other departments – look and ask for opportunities to collaborate
• Be confident in what you know, but humble enough to know you haven’t got all the answers
• Help colleagues succeed: The more you can share your own knowledge and skills to help others problem-solve, the more you’ll be asked to be involved.
• Continuously learn from others: Ask to be part of meetings that will help you learn more about roles or projects adjacent to yours or that you aspire to be in or a part of.
• Be prepared to explain why you are right for a role or project.

Meat Business Women held its first Speed Networking Dinner last night (2.10.19) at the newly reopened Butchers’ Hall, London. The event saw 12 industry leaders dedicate their time to mentor 150 delegates from right across the meat supply chain. Attendees also heard from Minette Batters, NFU President who, as after dinner speaker, told the audience that global networking groups such as Meat Business Women are essential to galvanise our industry.

The event saw the presentation of the 2019 ‘One to Watch’ prize to winner Jodie Bolland, Morrisons PLC. Jodie wins a place on the Cranfield Management School’s ‘Women as Leaders’ course, worth over 4,000. The independent judging panel included Margaret Boanas (Chair of International Meat Trade Association and Vice President of U.E.C.B.V. – European Livestock and Meat Trading Union), who said, “the calibre of entrants was extremely high and having met all six finalists to discuss how they would address some of the current industry challenges it’s clear we have some remarkable talent in our sector. Jodie’s breadth and depth of knowledge coupled with a solution-focused attitude makes her a very worthy winner. However, all our shortlisted candidates acquitted themselves, their businesses and the sector with pride. Thanks to everyone who took part.”

Laura Ryan, Chair of Meat Business Women told the sell-out audience that, “the global momentum behind Meat Business Women continues to grow at pace and the initiative is now active in UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. This is coupled with being recognised by the United Nations (UN) as one of the global solutions to their Sustainable Development Goals. I’m delighted to say the Meat Business Women will be expanding to USA, working in partnership with United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and North American Meat Institute (NAMI). This expansion will further help to deliver the ambition of MBW to inspire, network and grow the pipeline of female talent across the world.”

The event was attended by USMEF Director Cheyenne McEndaffer who said, “we’ve been speaking with Meat Business Women for some time and see huge opportunity in bringing the concept to the USA. We will be working to develop a committee and sharing best practice with the other global chapters which are all extremely active. We are already planning the first event which will take place in 2020.”

Katie Rose McCullough, Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at NAMI said, “So many of the challenges and opportunities that we are experiencing in our industry need a global approach, so working with proactive and likeminded groups like Meat Business Women is a real positive for our organisation and wider industry in the USA.”

The next Australian event will take place in Brisbane on 9^th Oct 2019 and the next UK & Ireland event will be on 23^rd April 2020 at The Belfry. For more information and booking see www.meatbusinesswomen.org

For photos see: https://we.tl/t-nmkPv37qyY

Deborah Borg is Executive Vice President and Chief HR and Communications Officer at Bunge. She took some time to chat with us about her perspective on the issues impacting women working in the industry. Bunge is a world leader in sourcing, processing and supplying oilseed and grain products and ingredients.

Q: Our research highlights that investing in women is becoming more important for businesses in the food and agriculture sector and the importance of promoting the sector to the younger generation. What has been your experience in developing and encouraging female employees to pursue leadership roles and what advice would you have for organizations to help them foster growth and diversity?

When it comes to women in leadership roles within the food and agriculture sector, we’ve made a great deal of progress — but there is always more to be done.

For me, the opportunity to advise and mentor women as they grow into the next generation of industry leaders has been a source of enormous professional satisfaction. Young women are incredibly excited to create a career path in this industry and are coming to the table with invaluable insight and capability.

As an industry, I think the key to success lies in reminding of the big purpose that we have in feeding the world, having diverse sourcing channels, ensuring a robust entry level hiring strategy with equal gender representation, raising awareness of the vast career opportunities within the industry and cultivating a workplace that emphasizes equality.    And I think there is also success in having a larger voice and driving partnerships to amplify that voice.  To this end, I am proud of the Together We Grow Initiative, a partnership we have with industry peers, academia, NGO’s and legislative bodies that is working to grow the pipeline of diverse talent within the industry.

Q: A big part of your job is talent acquisition. What traits do you look for when sourcing leaders in this industry?

Every individual has a unique set of traits that makes them a successful leader. But the first quality I look for in a candidate is their fit to the company’s culture, and the passion they have for their career. You want someone who is excited by what they do and who can instill that enthusiasm in others. It’s also important that a candidate is adept at navigating a rapidly changing industry like our own; whether that be in a cultural, economic, or technological sense.

Q: What are the top challenges you see for those looking to make a career in this business? Do you think that there are challenges specific to women working in what many consider to be a male-dominated agriculture industry?

I would say the greatest challenge lies in certain misconceptions about the agriculture industry. In part that relates to the idea that this business is dominated by men, but equally challenging is that many people outside the industry don’t fully realize the breadth and scope of what we do and the career opportunities that exist within the industry. Of course, farming is the cornerstone of this industry, but there are a multitude of career paths like finance, engineering, innovation, research, risk management, marketing, HR, digital technologies, IT, communications or investor relations that are all essentially to the business.  Helping the public better understand what it is we do, and how people from across a wide spectrum of backgrounds and experiences contribute, is an important priority across the sector that can be resolved with better communication and visibility.

At Bunge we are proud to see how more women are joining the industry in recent years. As an example, through our Young Engineers Program (YEP) we recruit recent graduates who are seeking a career within Bunge’s industrial operations and we have seen the increase of women participation in the program year over year. In the past 10 years, our female YEP graduates have tripled and in the last YEP edition women accounted for 70% of the total participants. Our goal is to continue increasing the presence of women in the different roles and functions as well as career and development opportunities with us.

Q: Our research shows that at boardroom level there is an under representation of women on company boards. In your view, are policies focused on improving the gender balance at leadership level too limiting? How can we ensure that they open doors to broader workplace diversity?

Under representation of women on company boards remains a problem across all industry sectors – an area that I hope every organization, in every industry continues to address. While it is true change has been slow, the needle does seem to be trending in the right direction. Given board members are typically sourced from leaders with operational and finance backgrounds, I think our policies need to be focused on improving gender balance at leadership levels in these kind of positions.  In order to achieve this goal, we need to be honest about the landscape we currently work in, correct biases both unconscious and otherwise through education of employees, and always strive to assure that the avenues to succeed in business are of equal advantage to all.  I am proud to say that we have had a strong focus on this at Bunge and three of our nine non-executive directors are female.

Q: Research shows that economic gender parity could add substantial value to the GDP of the United States, United Kingdom, and China. How can companies operating with the food and ag industry do their part to close the pay gap and attract more female talent?

There’s no question that equality in pay and opportunity is to everyone’s advantage. From an industry perspective, it helps assure that we attract top talent who can provide the fresh perspectives and insights that will assure our future success. I think it’s vital that dialogue about the wage gap continues, but we also need to work proactively to assure the issue remains top-of-mind for decision makers across every sector to affect change.

As to attracting female talent, it goes back to the need for our industry to communicate the growing diversity within the field, as well as highlight the depth and reach of what it means to work in the agriculture business: from farming and commodities trading, to technological and scientific innovations, there are so many inspiring paths to success for young women in this industry.

Q:  From an HR perspective, how can we improve workplace culture for better employee retention?

The most important thing we can do is ensure a workplace that provides the optimal conditions for open communication, assuring that people feel comfortable expressing their ideas and beliefs at work.  It also should be emphasized that this means a lot more than just passive listening; we need to carefully consider employee feedback and proactively find ways that will optimize our corporate culture to assure it is a place where all employees are seen and heard.

 Q: What are some ways to promote inclusivity and combat unconscious bias in the workplace and in the industry?

Bringing awareness to the unconscious is key which is achieved by education and communication.  We embed unconscious bias training in our leadership development, and actively promote promoting content and channels to share the voices and perspective of employees from different backgrounds.  .

Q: Where do you think opportunities exist for women seeking a career in food and agriculture today?

Today is an extremely exciting time for women in the agricultural sector. There is such a diverse field of specialties and careers in this business that allow women to excel in whatever their passions might be.  The Food and Agriculture sector has opportunities in more female dominant fields like HR and communications, but also in areas like research, innovation, sustainability, commercial and engineering.  The possibilities for women to create a meaningful career path in food and agriculture are truly endless, and the future looks bright.

Q: Lastly, you are sponsoring the upcoming WFA summit, what does this initiative mean to you and why do you think it’s timely and important?

Bunge is very proud to be a sponsor of the Women in Food and Agriculture summit. It is an incredible opportunity to learn from and network with women from across the supply chain. It also provides an invaluable forum that brings together some of the best minds in the industry to discuss the opportunities and challenges we face both from the perspective of gender and the industry as a whole.

Start-Ups, Diversity, and Shaking up the Food Industry—Interview with Rabobank’s Innovation Head Anne Greven for Women in Food and Ag

The food industry is being powerfully reshaped by its consumers, as demographically diverse younger generations have grown into an influential consumer bloc, seeking exotic flavors, responding to woke brands, and demanding new things now.

But the food industry is also being reshaped from the inside, as non-traditional participants lead it in new directions. Big names in food and beverage are increasingly turning to start-ups to stay in tune with the fast-changing consumer environment, whether buying them outright or monitoring their development through the launch of incubators or similar arrangements. Start-ups founded by self-employed moms or by socially conscious Millennials have a greater voice than ever before in the industry.

Few people are better poised to evaluate the influence that start-ups and their culture of diversity are having on the food industry than Anne Greven, Rabobank’s Global Head of Food and Agribusiness Innovations. After a career which has included stints at Citibank, TD Securities and Morgan Stanley, as well as 15 years building key client-facing businesses for the bank in New York, today Anne is responsible for mentoring start-ups through the agribusiness lender’s FoodBytes! Initiative, a pitch competition which brings start-ups before investors and corporations.

As part of the Agribriefing Women in Food and Agriculture project, Anne sat down to share her insight on these topics with FLEXNEWS. “I really believe there is a shift taking place- in a big transformational way- within the food and agriculture industry”, Anne told FLEXNEWS. “The sector is poised for innovation because the needs of consumers and clients are changing rapidly. On top of that, [there are a lot of] very old and antiquated processes that are ripe for greater efficiency and innovation.”

In her own patch of the world, she is convinced that start-ups and diversity are mutually reinforcing each other to drive change in the industry. “If you look at the start-ups across our platform (FoodBytes!), they are very diverse in their backgrounds. Applicants have come from 62 countries across multiple disciplines, so they naturally tend to have more diversity in concepts and products because they are coming from a wide array of global cultures and intellectual pursuits.”

In spite of this progress, the sad but undeniable truth is that the fight for diversity is not yet won. For all that global food companies are seeking to profit from diversity by monetizing new flavours and fresh concepts, they are not especially good at compensating diversity. Research from Columbia Business School documents how women-led operations in our industry—as in quite a few other industries—have a harder time getting funded, even though they outperform peers with an all-male management team. “It is well known and documented that it is harder for women to raise money. Not just for start-ups but across the board,” asserts Anne. In 2017 USD 84 billion of VC investment went to start-ups, according to Fortune companies with women founders received less than 3% of total VC dollars.

This is a vital problem if it means that the industry is passing on transformative innovations.  From upcycling old products to applying new technology, start-ups are tackling some of the most urgent problems troubling both consumers and industry actors. Some are already making a splash; “anything around food waste, which is a focus now, is brilliant,” she confides. Meanwhile, there are other concerns looming. “Changes in climate and production yield are also shifting food cost, which are going to go up in many places. In some countries food is 40-50% of the cost of living. So if you’re asking if the average consumer is going to pay more, I think it is going to become increasing challenging.” In light of such disruption, the industry cannot afford to discriminate.

Therefore, it is essential to recognize that discrimination is present and that the industry will be struggling with it for the foreseeable future. She recommends dealing with it head-on and consciously creating space at the table for women to have equal access. “The sad reality is that it may not always be an equal playing field, but if we can get a little closer to a level playing field each time, I feel like we are making progress”.

Unfortunately, progress on gender equality is not only in one direction, something which becomes evident when scanning the top ranks of the industry, where less than 10% of companies have female CEOs. While for a time, it appeared that the food industry was shifting in a positive direction on this front, recent moves at PepsiCo, Mondelez and Campbell are illustrations of the fact that women can lose ground as well as gain it. Anne’s own feelings are that there are still not enough women running companies, and she is optimistic—and impatient—for a change. “What message are we giving to women, now that 50% of the workforce is female but women are nowhere close to representing 50% of CEO or senior management positions in any organisation?”

Of course, she acknowledges that business decisions including who to promote and fund must not be based primarily on a need to foster diversity; obviously, what matters most is the ability to get the job done. “We have many guiding principles; diversity of products, ideas and people is one of them. But another is the belief that the candidates should offer something really unique. We want to influence change; we are most mindful of the potential and power of the idea.” And it is simply a reality that for programs such as FoodBytes! and TERRA (Rabobank’s food and agriculture accelerator programme for growth-stage start-ups), the candidate pool is largely masculine. “Traditionally with FoodBytes! and TERRA we try to have a diverse group, in terms of not only geography and nationality but also gender,” she explains. “Historically, I would say that the majority of applications come from men. But now, around 30-40%, depending on the event, are coming [from] women. I feel there is change occurring, and hopefully we can be a major catalyst for that change.”

AgriBriefing’s Women in Food and Agriculture campaign, which promotes the role of women across the agribusiness supply chain, has today announced the launch of the first industry-wide diversity and inclusion survey, supported by Alltech.

Agribusiness and food production are the world’s largest employers, and across the supply chain there is a huge appetite to address the issue of diversity. Agribusinesses are under increasing pressure from consumers, politicians and their own business partners to ensure they are embracing the technology that will revolutionise the sector and building a workforce that has the skills and innovative mindset to utilise it.

Study after study has shown that inclusive workplaces with real diversity across their workforce directly correlate with improved business performance; with an estimated 9 billion mouths to feed by 2050, it is a challenge the industry must step up to, quickly.

The global survey launching on Sep 10^th, will be the first to explore the issue of gender diversity and inclusion in the Food and Agricultural industry.

AgriBriefing’s Group Events Director Elisabeth Mork-Eidem commented: “The aim of this ground breaking survey is to explore the current gender diversity and inclusion sentiment across the entire agricultural supply chain. By accessing personal views and experiences, we can identify potential solutions to help companies act on gender diversity, gain stronger business outcomes and drive the industry forward.”

Alltech’s President and CEO Mark Lyons said: “The food and agriculture sectors include many
talented female leaders, and we need to make sure young people see themselves represented and can envision a future career in the industry. Through this industry-wide survey, we hope to gain a better understanding of the sectors currently supported by women in ag and identify opportunities for growth.”

The results will be presented at the Women in Food and Agriculture Summit in Amsterdam on 3-4 December 2019.

With more than 50 senior executives speaking from global agribusinesses, food and retail companies including Alltech, ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Bayer, Nestle, Microsoft, Diageo, Grieg Seafood, Sodexo and many more, the summit will present an unparalleled combination of cutting-edge techniques, industry insights and practical strategies used by top international leaders to empower their workforce, innovate their businesses and promote agriculture as an employer of choice to the next generation.

To enter the survey or get more information about the summit, simply visit www.wfasummit.com . The survey closes on Monday, 14^thOctober 2019.

In January 2019, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) announced its commitment to achieve gender parity within its senior leadership structure by 2030, through a partnership with Paradigm for Parity – a coalition comprised of CEOs, senior executives, founders, board members and business academics who are committed to achieving a new norm in corporate leadership: one in which women and men have equal power, status, and opportunity.

Through its partnership with Paradigm for Parity, ADM among addresses unconscious bias in the workplace, increases the number of women in senior operating roles, with the near-term goal of at least 30% representation in all leadership groups. ADM also seeks to focus on hiring processes, wage gap elimination, internal network development and widespread diversity and inclusion engagement at all levels.

At the time, ADM Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano stated: “We recognise that our success as a company and as an industry relies on developing, creating and growing an inclusive culture and diverse workforce … We believe that true innovation arises from having many different perspectives and backgrounds represented at the highest levels of an organisation, and we have a comprehensive plan in place to promote inclusion in all roles, at all levels at ADM.”

Aurélie Giles is ADM’s Communications Director for the Europe, Middle East, Africa, India (EMEAI) region. Aurélie is a marcom professional with 20 years of experience leading corporate and marketing communications both in agencies and in-house for multinationals across diverse industries. She has been working at ADM since November 2016 and is also part of the Women in Food & Agriculture Advisory Board.

With the Women in Food & Agriculture Summit (https://www.wfasummit.com) only a few months away (December 3 – 4 at the NH Grand Hotel, Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam), we discussed some of the key WFA-related themes with Aurélie.

 

[AgriBriefing] What drew you to the agriculture industry, or to the feed business in the first place?

[Aurélie Giles] The agriculture industry is one that makes a tangible difference in the world and addresses key issues that will determine our future, such as how to feed growing populations more efficiently, combat climate change, eradicate poverty and improve health. It is this that attracted me to pursue a career within agriculture and working for a company like ADM with a clear mission, is particularly rewarding. It’s also an industry that offers opportunity at every level, across multiple skillsets; from research and marketing to engineering and operations – anyone can make an impact.

[AgriBriefing] It would seem that many women in our industry (or in others) work in media relations, corporate communication, crisis communication, as well as in event management. In your view, why is that?

 

[Aurélie Giles] Although there are many women working in these roles, in my experience communications departments tend to have a relatively equal balance of genders. I believe this is due to the ever-evolving nature of the job – the communications sector is a world away from where it was even ten years ago. In my opinion, it offers women and men equal opportunities for both their current jobs and their long-term careers, and it’s this that attracts those creative, driven individuals looking for an exciting and dynamic profession.

 

[AgriBriefing] What would you like to say to encourage organisations to further look into implementing diversity practices at the workplace?

 

[Aurélie Giles] It is vital to consider diversity practices in conjunction with parallel efforts to promote inclusion; if corporate diversity means celebrating and harnessing the differing backgrounds, experiences and outlooks of a workforce, this is only made possible if people feel welcomed and empowered to express themselves fully.

Only a few years ago, diversity and inclusion policies were considered to be attractive afterthoughts – nice things to have, but relatively unimportant to the everyday running of a company. Now, such initiatives are essential for the attraction and retention of young talent who expect their workplaces to be spaces where everyone has equal opportunity to grow and achieve, irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or national origin. A key point I would emphasise is that companies must back up their pledges with concrete, measurable actions. Policies such as equal and transparent pay structures, flexible working hours and accessible workspaces not only prove a business’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, but materially benefit employees on a daily basis.

 

[AgriBriefing] Can you think of any examples of women who have served as particular inspirations for your own career?

 

[Aurélie Giles] Throughout my career, I have admired many different traits exhibited by the women I have worked with. One senior colleague, for example, inspires me with the respect she commands from her peers, while another has always impressed me with her wit and charisma. I think it is important to draw inspiration from a host of sources, not just one, and adapt those traits to build your own successful career path.

[AgriBriefing] Why is it important for you to be part of the Women in Food & Agriculture Advisory Board?

 

[Aurélie Giles] I’ve seen first-hand how a diverse workforce helps promote innovation, which is critical in such a competitive industry, and it’s this that underpins my passion for the Women in Food & Agriculture campaign. It’s a privilege to be a part of something that has a true purpose and effects positive change in peoples’ experience of work and the workplace.

 

[AgriBriefing] What are you expecting to learn at the Women in Food & Agriculture Summit in December?

[Aurélie Giles] I’m hoping to exchange ideas and best practices with talented women in my field and learn more about how other companies are planning to tackle issues such as gender parity and creating inclusive cultures within the food supply chain. I’m also looking forward to collaborating with my peers to develop policies that will encourage a wide range of diverse talent to pursue careers in the food and agriculture industry.