Inspiring inclusion
Image: Shutterstock
March is an important time for women globally, with Women’s History Month taking place and International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March.
The IWD2024 theme is ‘inspire inclusion,’ with an explanation of ‘when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.’
In heavily male-dominated industries, it’s important that female voices are showcased and celebrated, and even more important that young women feel encouraged, welcome and empowered in sectors such as packaging and manufacturing.
Graph: Statistica
The above graph from Statistica shows we have a long way to go to achieve equality in manufacturing, but there are strides being made. For instance, recently, India’s largest aluminium producer, Vedanta Aluminium, announced its goal to achieve a 30 per cent workforce of women by 2025, showing it is already ahead of its original 2030 target. The company’s CEO, John Slaven, stated that women professionals already comprise 22 per cent of the total number of employees at Vedanta.
Slaven said he believes global manufacturing companies must include women professionals in teams to leverage diverse perspectives, resulting in better decision-making, well-rounded offerings, and superior customer services. Hear, hear.
At CanTech International, we will continue striving to highlight and support women in the metal packaging industry. The CanTech team itself is comprised now of mainly women, and we’re seeing more of a presence at our own events and abroad. Let’s keep championing inclusion and making sure women’s voices are heard.
I’d like to end this blog by shouting out the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) for its current LinkedIn series of interviews featuring women from the aluminium industry – they are great resources and highlight the trailblazing work being done.
- Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
Keep in touch via email: [email protected] Twitter: @CanTechIntl or LinkedIn: CanTech International magazine.
