Baking & Snack - June 2023 - 8

editorial
More than a quota
D
Diversity and inclusion are more than just ensuring you
have met a quota of women or people of color at your
organization. They are about the value different perspectives
bring to your company. That's what stood out
to me as I talked to Nerida Kelton, executive director of
the Australian Institute of Packaging and vice president
of sustainability and save food for the World Packaging
Association, and Nadia Taylor, director and co-founder
of TNA Solutions, at interpack 2023 last month in
Düsseldorf, Germany.
Ms. Kelton moderated a panel of women leaders in
the packaging industry - Ms. Taylor included - on the
challenges facing women in the industry today, but both
were willing to talk with me one-on-one about their experiences
and perspective. It would be easy to assume
that any conversation about women in a particular industry
would focus solely on making sure there are enough
women at the table. But in both of my conversations
with Ms. Kelton and Ms. Taylor, it was clear that
including women for women's sake wasn't the
goal. The benefit comes when an organization
has a diverse team at all levels, including executive
leadership, because diversity of people
breeds diversity of thought, which is a boon to
any organization.
" We all bring different skill sets to the table, "
Ms. Kelton said. " You can't have a slant on men
any more than you can on women because we all
bring different skill sets and see things so differently.
An industrial designer will see things so differently than
a food scientist than a chemist than a sustainability manager,
so equity isn't just gender-based. "
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EDITORIAL
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8 Baking & Snack June 2023 / www.bakingbusiness.com
Ms. Taylor mentioned multiple times how opportunities
should always be based on merit. However, women
are often overlooked in male-dominated industries, even
when they are qualified and deserving. This requires
companies to be more intentional about their hiring practices
and leaders to look past their unconscious biases.
Male-dominated industries must work harder to position
themselves as viable career options for women.
" I think the biggest challenge and also the biggest opportunity
lies in the manufacturing aspect of the industry, " Ms.
Taylor pointed out. " This area has historically been maledominated,
and there are stereotypes that are hard to break
away from that I believe deter a lot of women from applying
for what are highly fulfilling positions. In general, the
packaging industry has not been showcased or promoted
as a good career opportunity, and from the perspective of
encouraging more women to apply, it is key to promote the
fact that women leaders and role models exist and are continuing
to break down those barriers. "
Ms. Kelton also noted that the industry has gotten
more diverse, especially in developed nations, but there
are still opportunities for more women in leadership roles
and the industry to position itself as a place for women to
build their careers.
" If we can show women around the world that there
are women in this industry doing good work, that they
are leaders, they are CEOs, then I think the younger people
who are just starting will have the confidence to believe
there is a long-term career path for them, " she said.
" And that's changed a lot since I've been in the industry. "
- Charlotte Atchley, Editor
catchley@sosland.com
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Baking & Snack - June 2023

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