As Christiana Figueres said earlier this year, ‘this is the decade and we are the generation’.
In businesses like AB Sugar, we know that climate change is the most pressing issue of the day. And increasingly my female colleagues around the world are leading the way in devising the strategies to reach our ambitions.
In 2018, we launched our new 2030 commitments, a major milestone in our approach to sustainability and a first for our industry. With this brought new ways of thinking, a stream of innovative ideas and refreshed aspirations to achieve.
And its women such as these who are driving our business forward every day:
- Renata, a chemical engineer always on the look-out for driving value from our processes whilst being a passionate advocate for championing women in STEM careers and all the opportunities that the industry can offer
- Robyn, a former teacher turned agriculturalist who is now making waves with sugar cane growers in sub-Saharan Africa and sits on the business’ Millennial Board to ensure young professionals voices are heard
- Ada, an engineer who’s worked her way up through the ranks whilst being a self-confessed people person who just wants to help others up the ladder too through knowledge transfer and mentoring
- Neli, a strategy analyst with an eagle eye for detail who spearheaded the creation of data baselines to support the launch of our 2030 commitments and set a marker for which all related improvements and reductions will be measured
- Judith, a farmer who is also qualified as an accountant and keeps the Phata co-operative in Malawi on track for success
As a collective, we are taking bold decisions now. For the 2020s, will be a defining decade and the way we operate is going to fundamentally change.
Therefore this year’s International Women’s Day reminds us that we can’t do it alone, men continue to be part of the solution too – we must come together. We need to use 100% of our potential to fight for the best solutions for climate change alongside many other issues.
Women have a unique role to play – we are the generation who have top jobs in multiple disciplines, have the ability to really make change happen and the passion to collaborate on the big issues. We are willing to take risks to drive a new agenda just as we have in previous generations. Whether you are an engineer working in a factory or the accountant for the Phata co-operative in Malawi – your contribution will make a difference.
AB Sugar’s Head of Advocacy, Katharine Teague