The race is on for a gender equal workforce throughout the supply chain. Women now occupy 39% of the total supply chain workforce but only 11% of C-suite positions. Katherine Ward, Principal Consultant - Supply Chain & Operations at DSJ Global , discusses the unique position that recruiters play in furthering gender equality in end-to-end supply chain.
The 2020 International Women’s Day theme is that an equal world is an enabled world. What does that mean to you in end-to-end supply chain?
Historically, many areas of the Supply Chain have been largely male dominated, but this is changing, so in our industry, this means women have the confidence and the visibility to put their hand up for leadership roles and positions all across the Supply Chain.
Is gender equality a topic that often comes up in conversations with your clients?
Yes – very frequently. Our clients consult us daily seeking advice on the most effective ways to diversify their hiring strategies. Our recent webinar was around building a gender diverse Supply Chain because this is something our team has taken an interest in correlation to the ever-increasing dialogue around diversity strategies with our clients and candidates.
What role can recruiters play in creating an equal world?
It’s common for people to gravitate towards individuals similar to them, which can lead to diversity gaps within teams. Our job is to look for the best talent “on paper,” and remain entirely objective when helping our clients find their next hire.
What advice would you give to a company trying to create a diverse hiring strategy?
I think the first step to creating a diverse hiring strategy is acknowledging that there is in fact a diversity gap; then encouraging an open, honest dialogue to determine where exactly the gaps are and why they may have come about in the first place, then making the strategy accordingly.
Katherine Ward is a Principal Consultant at DSJ Global, specializing in the mission to solve the number one challenge in end-to-end supply chain: talent. For advice on how to create a diverse hiring strategy in end-to-end supply chain, get in touch with the DSJ Global team.
About us
At DSJ Global, we know that end-to-end supply chain is the critical driver in any business. We exist to take care of one of the market’s most significant challenges: talent acquisition. Today, we provide permanent, contract and multi-hire recruitment from our global hubs all over the world.
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