Women in Chemicals 2023 - Issue 1

Issue 1 | November 2023

Inside...

Women in Chemicals Conference 2024 Women’s Development Day 2023 Changing work culture McKinsey report

Celebrating our Woman of the Year Championing sustainability... This year’s winner is a visionary engineer, a dedicated coach, and mentor

With your talent we will unlock innovation Brenntag, the leading global distributor of chemicals and ingredients, firmly believes in the power of women. As an employer, we embrace diversity, recognizing its significant impact on our team’s strength and overall success. With a clear commitment towards gender equality we support women through mentorship and the establishment of women’s networks within Brenntag, creating an empowering environment to thrive and excel in their professional growth.

Embrace. Engage. Empower.

brenntag.com/en-us/career/

Contents

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6 News The latest news and updates 10 Women’s Development Day 2023 A program of presentations and networking 12 Woman of the Year award Showcasing an inspiring group of women 18 A changing work culture Different geographies, same challenges 22 McKinsey report Women still underrepresented in the workplace 26 New mentorship program Offering support and guidance 27 Case studies Seeing positive change 30 Sponsor’s commentary Wego Chemical Group’s Marc Jonathan Eshaghpour

Women in Chemicals Incorporated of 239 Great Neck Rd, Great Neck, NY 11021 USA www.womeninchemicals.com/ Editorial Andy Brice Scribe Creative andy@scribe-creative.com Design/Production Louise Murrell CLJ Creative louise.murrell@clj-creative.com

For advertising enquiries Claire O’Leary Tel: +44 (0) 7828 830438 c.oleary@venturebusiness.london Printed by Newman Thomson, UK © Copyright Women in Chemicals (WIC) 2023.

All rights reserved.

No reproduction without the prior written consent of Women in Chemicals.

November 2023

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At Azelis, we’re only as strong as our people. Their ideas shape our innovations.

Their diversity drives our culture. Their energy inspires our progress. Above all, it’s their expertise, ambition and experience that helps us to make the world a better place.

And in a world where equality is everything, we’re proud to celebrate the pioneering women helping to forge the future of Azelis.

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Women make up

53.4%

And this gender balance is something we are protecting as part of our Action 2025 Strategy

of our workforce

Female representation is increasing on our Board and in our Senior Management Team

59.5%

of new hires in 2022 were women

Welcome

The Director’s Cut

“H

ow old are you?”, “Who is the decision maker here?”, “You remind me of my daughter.” – just a few examples of questions or comments that we both received often early in our careers. As if being young and female disqualified us from doing our jobs well. We have realized that even though the industry has improved for women, we continue to get discounted in ways that our male colleagues never do. This can be defeating.

Luckily, we both have learned to see being discredited as an opportunity to prove to ourselves and other women that we are more than capable. Here are the three ways we’ve learned to persevere in these moments: Don’t take things personally: You cannot control someone else’s perception. If someone is willing to write you off or underestimate you, your feeling rejected isn’t going to change their mind. At a networking event earlier this year, we were asked how we were associated. We replied simply “we’re business partners”. The response was laughter and a distrusting retort. We were perplexed. What’s so unbelievable about us being business partners? We’ve spent the last couple years focused on bringing legitimacy and impact to our work at Women in Chemicals. In a short conversation, this individual discounted all our efforts. Luckily, we knew our own capabilities and potential better than they ever would. This was a turning

point in how we perceived ourselves as leaders. Realizing the only things within your control are your mindset, work ethic, and openness to others will give you space to distance yourself from other people’s perceptions. After all, their perceptions say more about them than they do about you.

It’s okay to accept help: When you are made to feel unqualified or small, it requires a lot of vulnerability to accept help. Building Women In Chemicals has required us to do many things that we’ve never had to do before. Create a budget? Build a leadership team? Produce events? While these activities are now part of our ongoing operations, these were challenges that we tackled for the first time in the not-so-distant past. As two people who are independent and excellence oriented, the only thing scarier than doing a poor job is having to ask for help. Luckily for us, so many incredible people have volunteered their time and energy to help us succeed. Accepting their help initially did not come naturally to either of us. As we continue to grow both as an organization and as leaders, we’ve learned there’s compounded growth that occurs when you have others lift you up and expand your collective potential.

Do things that make you uncomfortable: Do you think either of us ever thought that we’d… start a business? Talk one on one with industry executives? Speak in front of live audiences of hundreds? No! And if we knew, we may not have ever even started Women in Chemicals knowing that these seemingly daunting tasks would await us. Public speaking has always been difficult for both of us. Yet, we’re both often complimented for our public speaking skills. Recently we stood on stage at Women’s Development Day acting as emcees for the day. Three years ago, this would have been completely debilitating for either of us.

So, how did we get here? We acknowledged that it made us uncomfortable and then we refused to stop trying. Every time we public speak, we’re reminded of how capable we are, and it gets a little easier. Would you believe us if we said we now find it fun?

These three tips can’t assure you’ll never feel discredited or misunderstood, but we hope that they allow you to take your power back in these instances.

We’ve personally felt the uplifting and empowering effects of knowing that we’re not alone in these experiences.

And you’re not alone either. You always have a community with Women in Chemicals.

Amelia Greene (right) Executive Director Women in Chemicals Kylie Wittl Operations Director Women in Chemicals

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WIC announces changes to leadership team

W

omen in Chemicals (WIC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michele Piccaro as Conference Chair for the 2024 term.

She had previously held the role of Administrative Chair, joining the WIC Leadership Team in September 2022.

Piccaro is also joined by five new Leadership Team members.

• Vincci Wong from Mayzo Group has

become the new Administrative Chair

• Stefanie Jolliff from LyondellBasell is • • •

Sponsorship Chair J ordan Riddle from BASF is the new Programs Coordinator Alyssa Sweigart from Brenntag is Education Coordinator, and J ulie Cava from Stepan Company is now Marketing Coordinator.

Michele Piccaro Conference Chair Women in Chemicals

WIC would like to send a big thank you to our outgoing Advisory Board Members: Susan Brench, Lauren Conte, Austin Britts, and Josh Wartenberg.

Registration is now open for the inaugural Women in Chemicals Conference taking place September 9-11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Be sure to secure your place and join hundreds of women from across the chemical industry for two days of programming that promise to empower and inspire.

Attendees can expect insightful presentations from keynote speakers, lively roundtable discussions, professional and personal development workshops, and plenty of networking opportunities with our ever-growing community.

Stay tuned to the Women in Chemicals website for more updates.

Information...

To find out more information about the event and to book tickets, visit https://www. womeninchemicals. com/conference2024 or scan the QR code.

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November 2023

Alisa Baily Imagery

Tickets now available for the Women in Chemicals Conference 2024

News Do you have a nomination for the Woman of the Week Podcast?

The Women of the Week podcast and newsletter has become a popular platform that offers a voice to the women in our community and showcases their achievements.

Each episode is an informal conversation highlighting the many challenges and opportunities affecting women in the chemical industry, training, inspiration, ambitions, and the milestones in their careers.

Recent shows have included interviews with Jordan Riddle, Operations Engineer at BASF, who shared why it is so important to consider environmental impacts in industrial processes; Katarzyna Jankowska, Talent & Diversity Manager at Air Liquide who discussed her passion for promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I); Terri MacLachlan, Manager of The Skincare Team in Research & Development at Amway, explaining the importance of mentorship and personal growth; and Dr. Ferleshare Starks, Senior Manager of STEM Education at the Chemical Educational Foundation who is focused on stimulating interest in young girls and students of color about pursuing a career in STEM.

Information...

Anyone can be nominated for inclusion in the weekly podcasts. All you have to do it get in touch with Claire McGahan, Program Chair at Women in Chemicals at programs@womeninchemicals.com and answer a few questions about the person you would like featured.

Listen to recent episodes at https://www. womeninchemicals. com/woman-of-theweek.

Comment: Ally Advisory Board Member

Embracing and encouraging change Austin Britts, Ally Advisory Board Member, Women in Chemicals To say I was raised by strong women is to engage in reckless understatement.

“Strong”, perhaps, isn’t the most accurate word to describe the women in my family. It’s better to describe in the context of forces; forces for good, forces of will and determination, forces for change, or even downright forces of nature.

My maternal grandmother, Faith, was an orphan. A spiritually-charged woman, her life was characterized by tireless advocacy for the lost and disadvantaged souls of our society. Her impact continues to reverberate through our small mountain community almost three decades after her passing. My mother, Edith, was a psychiatric nurse by trade and spent her professional career at Placer County Mental Health, serving the soft white underbelly of our society that is often ignored. She’s gritty, hilarious, kind, and has a way of putting you in your place with a single sentence that can land like a poison dart. My favorite fact about my parent’s courtship is that she proposed to him! She’s licked cancer three separate, harrowing times and has now been in remission for over 25 years. My older sister is, undoubtedly, the most influential person in my life. Bryana managed and ran an NGO in the Bay Area that focused on deploying grants and scholarships to underprivileged minority groups focused in pursuing careers in STEM. She later obtained two Masters degrees and spent several years in the peace corps supporting communities in rural Thailand. It probably won’t surprise you that my wife, Lauren, fits right in at Thanksgiving. You get my point.

When I entered the chemical industry in 2003, it was, admittedly, a little jolting to see the lack of women in the metaphorical room. Not necessarily at the company I joined, but more so the industry as a whole. I’m pleased to say that I’ve seen an improvement in this trend over the past two decades, evidenced by the rise of incredibly talented women into positions of power throughout the industry. The challenge, however, is multi-faceted and we, as an industry, have a long way to go.

When I was asked to join Women In Chemicals as an Ally Advisory Board Member, I leapt at the opportunity. If I could contribute, in any way, to the removal of barriers similar to the ones faced by the women in my family, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

Advocating for the women in our industry and working to amplify their voices is not only the right thing to do, it’s downright necessary to ensure the growth and success of the chemical industry in the long term. Case study after case study validates the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Having people in the room with different perspectives, various modes of thinking, and that can bring to work their diverse life experiences better informs our discussions, decision making, and most importantly, our culture.

We are seeing the industry change in front of our eyes and it is inspiring. Change, in this form, does not happen easily or organically. Change takes hard, thoughtful, and intentional work by the hands of organizations like WIC to begin to turn the tide. And the thing about the tide, as the saying goes, is that it lifts all boats.

November 2023

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News Comment: Leadership Team Member

An insider’s perspective Christie Luna, Membership Chair, Women in Chemicals While the chemical industry continues to be heavily male-dominated, Women in Chemicals (WIC) advocates for women to shatter glass ceilings and teaches them the tools needed to have a seat at the table. The executive table that is.

As someone who fell into this industry by accident, WIC has given me a voice, a space to grow professionally and personally, and a community. Our community wants to learn with me, but also challenges me to lead with confidence. Our community doesn’t focus on the minutiae, like my accent or skin color, but embraces the aspects of my uniqueness.

I was invited to join WIC Co-Founders at our first in-person Lunch & Learn event. The emotions I felt during that experience were incomprehensible. Imposter syndrome took over and I couldn’t understand why they would trust me with such an important presentation. The audience laughed, nodded, engaged, and quite a few people come to us to thank us at the end. It was the best feeling.

The confidence I gained from this experience surpassed my expectations. WIC has granted me the opportunity to improve at such an important skill, while connecting with and teaching others about our incredible organization.

To give you some perspective, I started as a WIC member. I was honored to be selected as Woman of the Week shortly after joining. Months later, I was appointed as an Advisory Board Member. Currently, I’m proud to be the Membership Chair. Never in a million years did I envision myself here as part of an organization of this caliber. Now, I get to connect with women all over the world who share the same desire of succeeding in the chemical industry.

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Uniting for Women’s Development Day Alisa Baily Imagery

T

hank you to everyone who was able to join us for Women’s Development Day at The Woodlands, Texas this August.

The free event, co-hosted by Women in Chemicals (WIC) and the National Association of Chemical Distributors, brought together women from throughout the chemical sector for a day of presentations, roundtables, and networking opportunities.

Those in attendance enjoyed a keynote speech from Nicole Mennicke of Coalition, who offered her insight on how to seize opportunities and “uncover your professional North Star”.

The morning continued with a live Woman of the Week podcast (below), followed by a roundtable session featuring female chemical industry executives local to the Houston area. This provided the opportunity for participants to hear directly

from inspirational leaders on key topics including net zero emissions, vulnerability based leadership, and procurement best practices.

Human connection expert, Riaz Meghji, then discussed the importance of relationship building and how to reinvent yourself, re-energize your teams, and move your business forward.

The day concluded with a networking event and happy hour where attendees were able to reflect on a fantastic meeting and make plans to get together again for WIC’s inaugural conference taking place September 9-11, 2024.

Find out more at https:// www.womeninchemicals.com/ conference2024.

Woman of the Week goes live

T

he first ever live Woman of the Week at this year’s Women’s Development Day saw Vanessa Sutherland, EVP Government Affairs, GC & Corporate Secretary of Phillips 66, share her unique insights into the chemical industry and the path that helped her shatter the glass ceiling.

Her career began in corporate America as a lawyer before moving on to roles at telecoms business MCI Worldcom and tobacco producer Altria.

She seized an opportunity to work in federal government with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and then the Chemical Safety Board, where she served as Chair and CEO – helping to give it a voice that was listened to and respected by those on Capitol Hill.

This was followed by a move to Norfolk Southern, a national freight railroad, before her return to the energy sector with Phillips 66.

10 November 2023

Sutherland credits her family for instilling the values and ethics that steered her on her journey.

“We are all imprinted from where we came from. You cannot escape it,” she said. “There's so many different paths that we all take; there's no one formula for success or personality.”

“I realized that being the youngest of four, failure actually is an option. You’re supposed to fail to learn. I know my weaknesses and strengths equally well.

I think too many people, and women in general, are taught to not really talk

Interview...

Hear the entire interview by visiting https://www. womeninchemicals. com/woman-of-the-week/vanessasutherland or scanning the QR code.

about their strengths, but then that really only leaves your weaknesses. If you haven't identified your weaknesses, take out a notepad and chronicle them – because somewhere buried in there is a strength.”

During the session, she pointed to three tried and true ways that have helped her.

The first was realizing there are people out there who want you to succeed. She built a network of peers, colleagues, and friends – mostly women – from whom she took advice and guidance.

Second, is taking a moment to remind yourself of the things that make you great. Listening to, and embracing, praise is powerful.

Lastly, do things that make you uncomfortable. “Picking up something new and proving you can do it, also is a soothing reminder that I'm capable, and I’m more than just one or two voices or adjectives that are going on my head.”

Women’s Development Day

Uncovering your professional North Star

S

peaking at Women’s Development Day, an event Women in Chemicals co-hosted with the National Association of Chemical Distributors in August, I talked about supporting those in attendance in a journey of self-reflection, mapping personal experiences, and embracing the fluidity of their stories to support and define their guiding principles.

Their stories were rich and worth telling. We all have a unique path filled with ups and downs, victories and setbacks. By taking the time to look back and evaluate our experiences, we gain valuable insights into what truly matters to us. Reflection enables us to identify our strengths, weaknesses, and passions, laying the foundation for our professional aspirations. I enjoyed guiding them as they mapped out their highs and lows.

Once we'd unwrapped the chapters of our stories, we uncovered our guiding principles. These principles are the

Reflection enables us to identify our strengths, weaknesses, and passions, laying the foundation for our professional aspirations Nicole Mennicke Speaker and coach

bedrock of our professional identity, encompassing our core values and beliefs.

By clarifying these non-negotiables, we established clear boundaries and empowered ourselves to expect and demand what aligns with our authentic selves. These principles become our guiding stars, illuminating the path toward opportunities that resonate with our values and helping us make choices in line with who we truly are.

We then put pen to paper! Writing down our insights and reflections provides a powerful tool for growth.

Regularly reviewing and reflecting on our journey allows us to track our progress, celebrate our achievements, learn from our mistakes, and make adjustments as needed. This practice of self-accountability and intentional decision-making enables us to navigate our careers with purpose and align our choices with our goals.

Finally, there is such significance in giving our stories space to morph and change. Our professional journeys are not set in stone; they are dynamic and ever-evolving. Embracing the fluidity of our stories allows us to adapt, learn, and grow. It gives us the freedom to explore new passions, pivot when necessary, and redefine success on our own terms.

By giving ourselves permission to lean into our experiences, we empower ourselves to pursue meaningful and fulfilling careers.

As author Brene Brown said, "You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness."

We make the choice to walk in our stories. We all have the power to define our success and create a journey that aligns with our values and passions. By uncovering our professional North Star,

Alisa Baily Imagery

By developing guiding principles and putting them into action, you will be able to navigate your career journey with clarity and purpose, says speaker and coach Nicole Mennicke

we set ourselves on a path toward a purposeful and rewarding career.

I was grateful to the women present for allowing me to be a part of their choice to seek personal and professional growth. By coming together in power peer groups and exposing ourselves to new experiences, we can uplift and empower one another as women and professionals. I was genuinely honored to be joining them on this incredible journey.

Nicole Mennicke is a Fractional Integrator with Catalyst Integrators and has passionately operated on EOS® since 2015 as an Integrator. She sits on the leadership team of Mission Chemical & Elements Chemicals and offers coaching via podcasts and speaking opportunities – with a focus on leveraging tools and strategies to improve team and V/I health, accountability and results.

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Celebrating the successes of women has always been a key pillar of Women in Chemicals and now, the launch of its Woman of the Year Award aims to showcase some of their achievements

WINNER

Prerna Chatterjee Senior Sustainability Manager, BASF

Finalists are B an inspiration

B

y sharing the experiences and achievements of an evergrowing community, Women in Chemicals has created a powerful collaborative network that promotes diversity through inclusivity, and empowers women to thrive in the chemical sector.

Right from the very beginning, Women in Chemicals has produced its Woman of the Week podcasts to provide inspiration, awareness, and a sense of possibility. Now, it hopes to build on that momentum with the launch of its inaugural Woman of the Year Award.

The winner would be someone who had not only made an important contribution to their company but to the wider industry as well. Whether a new starter or an established leader – and no matter their role or responsibilities – everyone was eligible to enter.

“What's really amazing about the Woman of the Year Award is that it removes their title and seniority and looks instead at their impact.” says Claire McGahan – Programs Chair, Women in Chemicals.

“This industry is so lucky to have all these women involved in shaping the future for women in STEM. Many of the nominations were for women involved in non-profits focusing on getting young girls interested in science or working in underprivileged areas, which was really inspiring,” she adds.

“They’re not only fighting for their voice and accomplishments to be heard, but are advocating for others and trying to give them a seat at the table.”

The call for nominations opened in

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November 2023

June and the response was incredible, says McGahan, with peers and colleagues from across the Women in Chemicals community submitting entries.

These were then reviewed a month later by the Women in Chemicals Board of Directors and leadership team, and a shortlist of three finalists announced.

Congratulations to Prerna Chatterjee, Senior Manager of Sustainability at BASF; Marilyn Johnson, Chief Sustainability & Communication Leader at Arxada; and Clarice Phelps, Radiation Project Lead at Oak Ridge National Laboratory!

“Women in Chemicals is proud to celebrate these women who are doing such amazing things and inspiring others to drive that change as well,” adds McGahan.

“When you look at the women who have been nominated and what they have accomplished, they really have been the catalysts for driving change – whether it's within their companies, communities, or even globally.”

On August 1, the Women in Chemicals community was invited to cast their vote for this year’s winner who would receive a commemorative plaque, Women in Chemicals merchandise, as well as an invitation to speak at the Women in Chemicals 2024 Conference taking place in Houston, Texas, from September 9-11, 2024.

Here, we showcase the three fantastic finalists and the incredible impact they have made.

Andy Brice

orn and raised in India, Prerna Chatterjee has always had a passion for science. Even from an early age, and despite the concept of sustainability being fairly new and unexplored, she was focused on her path to become an environmental champion.

“One thing I was clear about,” says Chatterjee, “was I wanted to be in a ‘field of the future’. Environment and sustainability was something that resonated with me.”

After attending an all girls high school, Chatterjee then found herself as one of just three girls in a class of 300 studying Mechanical Engineering at the Vellore Institute of Technology.

It was indicative of the disadvantages faced by women and the obstacles they had to overcome from a young age.

About the same time, she remembers visiting a nearby orphanage whilst an undergraduate. It was home to 100 children, but 99 of them were girls.

Both experiences – and the inspiration of strong Indian women leaders and pioneers, such as NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla and former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi – only reinforced Chatterjee’s desire to encourage other young women to themselves become role models.

She soon applied to study a Masters degree in Sustainability Management at Columbia University in New York.

“It was the only school I applied to because I knew I just wanted to get in there,” she says. “The course gave me a holistic approach to sustainability; it was technical management, policy, science and gave me a good cocktail of understanding to different sides of sustainability that I was lacking.

Here is where I made my sustainability network, met with other wonderful leaders in industry, learning from peers and professors. It was like a fire hose of knowledge just coming at me and I was ready to take in everything with open arms.”

“While I was on this journey, I came to realize I wanted to make an actual

Woman of the Year physical impact to the industry, to the people, to someone somewhere in the supply chain.”

After graduating, the clock was ticking on her temporary 90-day immigrant visa and Chatterjee had only a small window of opportunity to find work. One of her professors saw her resume and suggested she apply for a job with German chemicals producer BASF. She researched the company and, by coincidence, discovered BASF was hosting a sustainability conference the following day.

“I attended the event and heard their Director of Sustainability speak. It was my first time in a corporate setting; I was fresh out of college and very intimidated, but I went over to her and handed out my resume. Seven days before I need to leave the country, I get an interview. The very next day I had an offer letter and that’s how my journey at BASF started.”

Named as ‘one to watch’ in the 2016 Greenbiz 30 under 30 listing, Chatterjee has cemented her reputation as a leading sustainability professional and extended her influence by networking with other experts in the field.

With an ability to break down and explain the complexities of sustainability concepts to others, she decided to share her ideas and knowledge with a wider audience, particularly younger people.

Outside of work, she has successfully turned her hand to creating digestible and relatable social media content both to inform and raise awareness through her popular YouTube and Instagram channels, Mind Your Planet.

“I think we maybe undervalue ourselves a little bit. We always think ‘can I do that?’, ‘should I do that?’, or ‘will I do that?’. The question is not ‘who’s going to let you do it?’; the question should be ‘who’s going to stop you from doing it?’. The narrative needs to change and we need to make sure that women look at their problem differently: ‘let’s do it. Who’s going to stop me?’. We need to get this attitude into girls in every field and encourage them into STEM education.”

Beyond her industry contributions, Chatterjee also actively engages with women professionals in the industry, serving as a mentor and coach for aspiring female chemical engineering students in India. As a guest lecturer at various universities, she shares her knowledge and expertise, hoping to inspire the next generation of leaders.

“I feel I’ve always been very women focused,” she says. “There have been a few points in my life where there’s been a realization that I need to do everything in my capacity to uplift women.”

Among her proudest achievements at BASF has been her involvement in the development of an innovative digital tool to help formulators create more sustainable beauty products.

In 2019, ‘Clean Beauty’ was a new trend and every retailer was compiling a list of ingredients and chemicals that were not to be used in personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, and anti-aging creams. With the market being flooded with different lists from different manufacturers, Chatterjee conceptualized a tool called Ingredient Insider to make the process far simpler and more manageable. After six months in development, its launch proved extremely popular – allowing formulators to click on those lists and be recommended various BASF ingredients that were in compliance with what they had selected. The ‘Clean Beauty Tool’ has been embraced by the industry.

“One of the reasons I wanted to work with BASF was because their vision and mission aligned with mine. They were one of the biggest players in the chemical industry, have a very sustainability-oriented mindset, and are very driven. I know a lot of my industry peers struggle to convince people to get on board with sustainability projects, whereas at BASF it’s

very leadership driven and I feel very empowered to say ‘let’s do this’.”

Chatterjee has also been described as the voice of the sustainable palm oil market in North America, advocating for responsible practices and highlighting the importance of sustainable sourcing. She has led BASF’s transition to 100% sustainable palm for all its personal care products, and in turn advocated for others in the industry to also make the switch.

Similarly, she helped set up the world’s first sustainable Castor oil program.

“What I really like about my role here at BASF is I’m in a position where I can drive change and talk to people about it, which then has this ripple effect. To be part of this movement has been very fulfilling and this is the kind of impact that I wanted to have.”

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FINALIST

Clarice Phelps Research and Development Associate Staff Member, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

F

rom an early age, Clarice Phelps wanted to pursue a career in chemistry. Her inspiration came from her 7th and 10th grade science teachers. Both fueled her love of the subject by helping make sense of the complexities of chemistry and ensuring lessons were relatable and fun.

“They had a way of making it relevant and interactive, so that we’re not just looking at them teach and write on a chalkboard. They brought us into the concepts and the experiments applied by realistic examples.”

She remembers one specific lesson about entropy, where a giant glass jar filled with marbles was placed upside down on her teacher’s desk. Lifting it up, hundreds of marbles flew across the classroom, and he explained how this demonstrated the state of disorder. It was fun and exciting, and really struck a chord.

Phelps was fortunate to have equally

14 November 2023

engaging professors during her time at Tennessee State University in Nashville and went on to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry.

Yet even then, after all those positive experiences in education, she was conscious of some of the challenges she would face – not only because of her gender but her race as well.

“Those things that you hear women saying, and think it doesn’t happen, it really does,” she admits.

“Some people don’t believe you are capable of understanding – of knowing the material, knowing what you’re talking about, or knowing what questions to ask.”

“It not only makes you feel like you don’t belong, but you start questioning whether you feel you belong. The only thing I could do was to shut them up with what I did know. They had to realize that the world and the landscape of chemistry was changing, and we were going to be there.”

“At first, it was a little daunting. You have feelings of being alone, of not being heard, of being disregarded, that your opinions and ideas are being taken by others and assumed as their own.

You don’t really have an advocate that understands where you’re coming from.

Those trailblazing women definitely had it the worst.”

From school, Phelps joined the United States Navy and its nuclear power program.

“At the time, it was one of the hardest schools in the nation; we were learning the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree worth of information in nuclear power and nuclear engineering in about 10 months.

They made it make sense, just like my old chemistry teacher did. I was learning all of these nuclear engineering concepts and how chemistry plays a role in how nuclear reactors operate.”

After the Navy, she briefly took a role at scientific instrument company, Cole Parmer, before applying for a position at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It was here that she would be eventually be recognized as the first AfricanAmerican woman involved in the discovery of chemical element 117, tennessine.

As part of a team, she worked long hours for several months to purify berkelium-249, the target material used for the discovery.

It was not until some time later, after extensive independent

testing and with Phelps having moved on to her next project, that the discovery of the new element was confirmed.

“They had a big celebratory luncheon – and I didn’t even know about it,” she remembers. Her team insisted she join them but on her arrival, she was initially not allowed into the venue.

There were more than 50 other people involved in the project and they all had a seat inside except her. “My first foray into celebrating this discovery was unfortunately a negative experience,” she says.

Undeterred, she advocated for recognition and eventually received an acknowledgement of her efforts on a plaque on the wall alongside everyone else.

“It ignited a spark in me to bring more awareness to the fact that there are a limited number of people of color involved in the nuclear industry,” says Phelps.

“The experience of having my name left off really fired me up. How could I bring more awareness and get more young women of color or disadvantaged youth involved in nuclear? I wanted to somehow find a way to empower them.”

Phelps is also known for her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. As a Board Member and Vice President of Yo-Stem, a non-profit organization, she works tirelessly to bring STEM education to underserved communities. She has been honored with awards such as the Women of Color in STEM Technology All-Star Award and has been recognized as one of Ebony magazine’s Power 100.

“Whenever I talked to students and asked ‘what does a scientist look like?’, they always used to describe the same monolithic person – and it was never who they saw in the mirror. I wanted them to see that scientists can look like them. Now, I ask little kids to draw a scientist and they’re drawing themselves – it feels good to see that.”

“If it’s a career in science that you want, never give up. There will be a lot of people a lot of situations that will hinder your success your progress and try to deter you from your dream. If you think you can do it, never dim your flame. If you love science and someone says that you can do it, it should make your flame burn harder.”

Woman of the Year

FINALIST

Marilyn Johnson Chief Sustainability and Communications Leader, Arxada

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amed as one of the Top 500 most admired sustainability thought leaders by the American Energy Association and Honeywell in 2021, Marilyn Johnson’s career has seen her spearhead and support key sustainability programs and strategies across multiple companies.

Championing change, she encourages a more holistic approach to environmental practices and is committed to building a better future.

Health has always been a theme throughout her life – a thread that has linked everything, whether personal pursuits, work, or studies.

Johnson earned a Masters degree in Health Science from the University of Toronto, Canada, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education, from Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada.

Although the concept of sustainability was not yet in the mainstream as she began her studies, her first internship with Nova Chemicals,

introduced her to the Responsible Care program, the chemical industry’s continuous improvement initiative.

Another internship at the Calgary head office of Shell Chemicals exposed her to many different processes and facilities, giving her a solid grounding in the chemical industry.

When she moved to her first job at Weyerhaeuser, an integrated forest products company, she remembers being one of only two-three women in a room of 40 who attended the management meetings each morning.

“It was obvious that this was a largely male workforce and made me question why so many of these positions were filled by men. That is why getting younger girls excited about chemistry is so important to me,” she says.

It was also while she worked there that she further developed her understanding of the nuances of the field of environment, health, and safety.

Based at a pulp mill, she established the company’s chemical management program – which led to her first opportunities at corporate level. She created a handbook to offer guidance on the handling and disposal of chemicals, along with the implementation of a chemicals management system across the company, complimenting her industrial hygiene monitoring, environmental health and safety auditing, and regulatory affairs management work with the American Forest Products Association.

Her experience with the Seattle University Executive Leadership Program proved transformational, she says, igniting her passion to promote a more sustainable future and make a meaningful difference.

“It was a course for executives about how to go from success to significance, and to find real purpose in your work – for me, that meant enabling companies and the people who make up those companies, help to advance a more sustainable world.”

Her next job at a technology company led to her co-founding the “green product selector”, a unique software solution to help buyers evaluate the suitability of products, identify potential problems, and determine whether there were viable green alternatives.

The business later got acquired

by IHS Markit, which presented Johnson an opportunity to develop and implement sustainable business practices

within a larger global, corporate setting.

Although the language was still young and new, the sustainability messaging and engagement was starting to gain traction and climb to the top of the corporate agenda.

“It’s about people, it’s about planet, and it’s also about making a profit,” she says. “I’ve always been focused on the role a company plays. Companies hire people; they’re the engines of society and so we need to embrace them for good. If you can help steer that ship, you can really make a difference. I’ve always been inspired and motivated to try and see what companies can do – and there’s no one solution, so it’s very interesting and challenging for me.”

Johnson joined Arxada, a privately held chemicals company, and is again leading its sustainability strategy. She oversaw the publishing of the business’ first sustainability report in 2023 and is driving efforts to become net zero by 2050. Amongst its other targets is to increase female representation in senior leadership to 40% by 2030.

“One of the challenges of the chemical industry is historically, for lots of different reasons, it primarily attracts men,” she says. “We have challenges to find and attract women for these very specialized, technical roles. At Arxada, we currently are around 20-25% females and want to have better representation, so we set the 2030 goal.”

Johnson has been instrumental in the newly formed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and has been pivotal in establishing several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), including Pride & Allies, the Women@Arxada, ABLE, and Racial Equity groups, and serving as an ERG leader coach. Furthermore, plans are underway to build a mentorship program, and revise policies regarding hiring and interviewing.

Besides being a role model in the business world, Johnson has also dedicated much of her time to volunteering and works with young people in the National Charity League and National League of Young Men. She is also a member of the Global Leadership Council for the Global Mentorship Initiative to help students and refugees find their first job.

Her efforts have earned her the U.S. Presidential Volunteering Award and a letter of commendation.

November 2023 15

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A changing work culture Are things really improving for women working in the chemical industry – and how do their experiences differ in different geographies?

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ttracted by the opportunity to apply knowledge from her BTEC in Mechanical Engineering and Marketing degree, Charu Tripathi joined an American specialty chemical company just over three years ago. She worked out of Mumbai as Marketing Manager for India, selling the company’s automotive and industrial additives for finished lubricants.

The sector is not the usual choice for a woman in India, and initially Tripathi was one of just a few women in her department. However, the organization’s focus on diversity has since doubled the department’s number of female staff.

The company’s appointment of a woman as President and CEO also provided encouragement and motivation for Tripathi to stay and continue working there. “I feel very inspired and want to work for a company that nurtures women,” she says, noting women currently account for 27% of her

Charu Tripathi

18 November 2023

employer’s executive leadership.

Her manager has proactively supported her too, “guiding in an open and informative journey” that has enabled Tripathi to gain promotion to regional marketing manager for India, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Tripathi says the number of female employees has grown significantly during her time with the company, and those that have joined, like herself, have stayed.

She attributes this to the fact that the company is “doing a good job in giving opportunities to learn and grow, making me feel satisfied and happy in my role”.

While around 43% of girls in India take science, technology and math (STEM) education, only about 10-11% work in manufacturing, so the number of young women opting for core fields such as chemical, mechanical, or civil engineering remains a challenge.

However, Tripathi feels the situation is starting to change slowly and she is

Emmanuelle Yvon

seeing more women choosing to work in such roles, which have traditionally been dominated by men.

At the same time, Tripathi believes the image people have of an “ageing” chemical industry with a demographic that is “not particularly young” can deter new entrants. But, she says things are drastically changing due to the emergence of social media. “The young generation, and especially ladies like me, are ambassadors and spokespersons, who can share and be vocal about best practices and the culture of companies that have started attracting talent.”

Like Tripathi, Emmanuelle Yvon and Priscilla Garibay also work for an American chemical company, but are based in Switzerland. Yvon is a Sourcing

Careers

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Megan Gluth-Bohan

Specialist, while Garibay is a Senior Sourcing Manager, also handling logistics purchasing for road and intermodal. Both have worked for the multinational group for 20 years or more, which in itself speaks volumes for the way the company treats its female staff.

A chemical engineer by profession, Yvon has always loved the world of chemistry and was firmly set on working in the industry from early on. Perhaps surprisingly, there were more women than men in her chemical engineering school. “In France, women like chemistry,” she says.

Yvon’s first job was in the plastics industry, which is notoriously maledominated. However, instead of this being a problem, Yvon found the

opposite to be true. It was an advantage being a woman because the company was looking to bring more parity within the organization, she says.

Garibay, meanwhile, ended up working in chemicals completely by chance. A trained lawyer, she was offered an alternative role with the company while in Switzerland – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Both Yvon and Garibay have found their employer to be very supportive, understanding of various family and personal pressures that life often brings, and keen to develop and promote women throughout the business. That said, there are areas they feel could be improved.

For Yvon, who returned to work full-time after the birth of her son, the company was less than accommodating when she decided a few years later she would like to work 80% or 90% time, allowing more time with her young child.

The consensus by her managers was that her particular job could not be done on a part-time basis.

That refusal to countenance part-time work for more senior roles is also a bone of contention for Garibay, along with the long hours required to get her job done.

“It is a challenge to have a good work/life balance as the company will encourage you, but will not give you the flexibility you may want,” she says. Consequently, Garibay elected to stay at her current level because she knew if she wanted to move up the ladder, she would have even less time to spend with her family.

“They will never accept a woman working part-time as a leader,” adds Yvon. “But companies need to think more cleverly. It’s not just about working longer hours and having no time for

Priscilla Garibay

family. The cultural mindset of having leaders working part-time needs to be part of the mindset.”

Added to that is another cultural barrier – one of age. In the company that Yvon and Garibay work for, once you hit 55, your chance of becoming a leader hits zero. So, you have to make the choice when still young to put in the work time – often at the expense of having a family – or you wait until the children have grown up and you can commit 150%. By then, it may be too late.

Megan Gluth-Bohan, owner and CEO of a US-based distributor of raw materials and ingredients and custom chemical manufacturer, credits her spouse with a lot of her success – something she says men have been doing for years, even if they don’t always make a point of mentioning them.

Gluth-Bohan, who is also Vice Chair of the National Association of Chemical Distributors and soon to be the first female Chair, adds that young women need to be educated about the person they choose to spend their life with.

“We’re not educating young women at the moment to marry somebody you can work a career with together. That super honest conversation is the most important business decision a woman will ever make,” she says.

Like Garibay, Gluth-Bohan trained as a lawyer and ended up working in chemical distribution by default, after a chance meeting with the firm’s founder led him to offer her a job as general counsel. She fell in love with the business and now some 12 years later, Gluth-Bohan has taken over the company.

Very often the only female in the room at the start of her role, she now sees

November 2023 19

The women of LBB Specialties are valued leaders, innovators, and critical contributors across our five industry verticals and throughout all core business functions. www.LBBSpecialties.com

Careers more women working in what is once again a very male-dominated industry.

But while she believes the distribution industry offers “multiple points of entry and multiple points of opportunity” for women, she says it still lacks women in executive leadership positions.

“We have to give women entry points.

If we don’t do a better job of capturing women at the base of the ladder, then there will be no women to climb it,” she comments. “We are starting to realize that we’re not limited by old gender roles, but women still have a fight on their hands.”

Another chemical engineer is Zoraida Garcia Lagunas, who is based in Mexico City where she works as Business Manager, Latin America, for a U.S. specialty chemical producer. Her goal was always to work in the chemical industry and she says her employer has allowed her to develop her skills in an 11-year “incredible adventure” that has given her a fantastic opportunity to learn about different markets and products, working with people all around the world.

Challenged to develop the new Latin America business for her company, she has grown the department from just one (herself) to seven people now. In 2018, the company selected Garcia Lagunas to take part in its Global Leadership program, and more recently supported her participation in the Senior Management program at Mexico’s IPADE Business School, which she finished in June 2023.

In 2022, her employer also launched its Women’s Network – a voluntary, employee-led group. Garcia Lagunas is one of the group’s leaders. She is also a member of the Board of Directors at Mexican trade body Asociacion Nacional de la Industria Quimica (ANIQ).

Undoubtedly, there have been challenges along Garcia Lagunas’ path.

She finds there are still people who do not believe in a woman’s capacity to work in the chemical industry. “They do not accept that we can be key decision makers or leaders who can give guidance to the organization,” she says, adding that harassment is still present and “we must be brave in speaking up when it happens”.

For the future, Garcia Lagunas adds that she continues “looking for opportunities to grow and to leave a legacy for women”.

Agatha Maduwaye works for a German multinational chemical company in Lagos, Nigeria, as an

Zoraida Garcia Lagunas

Agatha Maduwaye

Account Manager for the home care, industrial and institutional applications and industrial formulator sectors.

Having graduated as a microbiologist – and with a passion for science – she says a sales job had not figured in her career plans. However, persuaded by an acquaintance to apply for a sales role – and with the company impressed by both her science background and personal potential – Maduwaye’s career in the chemical industry took off.

When she started, she was the first female sales employee and just the second employed in the company for that region, although female employee numbers have grown since.

Maduwaye says her main challenge was believing in herself to do the job efficiently. As she developed ways to make her sales approach “easy-going and more comfortable”, her confidence grew.

“As women, we can excel in whatever we put our hearts to. We should focus and continue to push until we excel,” she says.

She is full of praise for her employer’s support for its female staff. When the company offered the job to Maduwaye, she started with much enthusiasm and zeal only to find out a month later that she was expecting her fourth child.

She found her new managers and directors to be incredibly supportive and understanding about family life, in contrast with other companies that would want to terminate an employee’s contract.

Her advice is to look for companies that support family life and will support your goals. “Women want a progressive and rewarding career without sacrificing their families,” she says.

Her employer’s goal is to have 30% of women in leadership roles by 2030. It had achieved 27.2% by the end of 2022. In addition, the company has established a formal mentorship program in Africa that identifies young women in the organization with exceptional capabilities and matches them with female leaders for appropriate coaching and career guidance. A company-specific women coalition is also in place that seeks to shed light on topics relating to women in the workplace, Maduwaye says.

These women’s stories paint a generally positive picture of their experiences and should provide a beacon of hope for young women joining the chemical industry. But there is still much that needs to improve – both at companies and by women themselves.

As Maduwaye says, companies should understand that women are wired differently, prioritize gender equity and offer empowerment, support, equal wages for equal work, and flexible work schedules. “Learn from those organizations that have already set good examples,” she adds.

Garcia Lagunas notes too the importance of having a support group or a mentor to share ideas and experiences about the challenges women face every day.

Above all, women also need to have faith in themselves and what they can offer. “Sometimes a woman’s first battle is with herself,” says Garcia Lagunas.

“People around you will always give you doubts, and maybe I will fail, but I will try again.”

Elaine Burridge

November 2023 21

Stakes still high for women in work A survey by McKinsey & Company highlights the ongoing hurdles for achieving gender equality

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orking women remain massively underrepresented in both leadership positions and technical roles, and are still facing obstacles in progressing their careers.

That is the conclusion of a report by global management consultancy McKinsey, based on research conducted during 2022 at 333 companies across North America. In addition, 40,000 employees from 55 companies were asked about their workplace experiences.

The results make sobering reading.

Women leaders are switching jobs at the highest-ever rate and companies are struggling to hold onto the few they do have – which could have significant implications on companies in the future.

“If these women leave their organizations, it puts representation across the board at risk,” says Christine Johnson, Associate Partner at McKinsey, and a leader in the company’s chemicals practice. “Younger women lose role models, mentors and sponsors, and companies lose a diverse set of voices at the top.”

So, why are women leaving in greater numbers? McKinsey says they are just as ambitious as men, but face headwinds that make it harder for them to advance.

According to its research, women account for just one out of every four C-suite leaders, and only 1 in 20 is a woman of color.

These headwinds include microaggressions in the workplace, for example women having their authority undermined and judgement questioned.

Female leaders are also more likely to report that personal characteristics such

22 November 2023

as their gender and being a parent have played a part in them being denied or passed over for a pay rise or promotion.

Another is that women leaders do more than men to support diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, but their efforts are largely unrecognized – and are certainly not rewarded in most companies.

In fact, 40% of female leaders say in the survey that their DEI work is not acknowledged in their annual performance reviews. Plus, 43% of women are burned out compared with just 31% of men at their level.

A third headwind relates to women seeking a better work culture, in other words more flexibility plus a stronger commitment to DEI. Nearly half (49%) of female leaders report that flexibility is one of the top three things they consider when deciding whether to join or leave a company. This compares with 34% of male leaders.

These factors, which are prompting a faster exodus of women leaders, also pose a significant risk to companies in

The path to making meaningful progress towards gender equality is a long one, there are no short cuts and leadership must be completely bought in Christine Johnson Associate Partner McKinsey

terms of their young female workers – those aged under 30. McKinsey’s research reveals that more than twothirds of women younger than 30 would be interested in advancing to a senior role if they saw leaders with the worklife balance they want.

Fixing the broken rung To become a leader in the first place is, however, a major stumbling block for women. This, says McKinsey, is because of the “broken rung” at the bottom, namely the lack of a first step up to manager. The report’s statistics show that for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, there are only 87 women – and only 82 women of color. And women never catch up as there are too few to promote into senior leadership positions.

“Fixing the broken rung is a critical step in creating a more gender equal workplace,” Johnson says. “The first step is to identify where the largest gap in promotions is for women in the pipeline. For most companies, this will be the first step up to manager, but it could be elsewhere.”

She adds that companies then need to ensure women are put up for promotions at the same rate as men and finally, they need to root out bias to truly reach equality.

For black, Asian, and Latina women, the experience at work is often worse than their white counterparts – this also holds true for LBGTQ+ and disabled women. All of these traditionally marginalized identities are more likely to experience demeaning and other microaggressions, as well as more barriers to advancement.

Women also continue to be severely underrepresented in technical and engineering roles, which has “troubling implications” for gender equality.

Indeed, McKinsey finds that women’s relative representation in these fields is lower than it was in 2018. Their work experience is often negative – women say they are twice as likely to be the

McKinsey report Women remain deeply underrepresented in technical roles Women remain deeply underrepresented in technical roles Women’s relative representation in Technical roles declined between 2018 and 2022 Women’s relative representation in Technical roles declined between 2018 and 2022 % of women and men who self-report that they are in an engineering or technical department % of women and men who self-report that they are in an engineering or technical department 40% Men Men

40%

34% 34%

2.5x difference 2.5x difference

Women Women

18%

16%

18%

16%

2022

2018

Source: 2022 McKinsey, LeanIn.org

2018

McKinsey & Company

Women leaders are leaving their companies at the highest rates Women leaders are leaving their companies at the highest rates

McKinsey & Company

1 1

Women leaders are leaving their companies at the highest rates in years Women leaders are leaving their companies at the highest rates in years % of voluntary attrition for women vs. men leaders from 2017 to 2021 % of voluntary attrition for women vs. men leaders from 2017 to 2021 12% 12%

Women Women Men

8%

Men

8% Last year, Women leaders left their companies at leaders the highest Last year, Women left rates in years—and thehighest gap their companies at the between women andthe men rates in years—and gap leaving was the largest it’s between women and men been

4% 4%

leaving was the largest it’s been

0% 2017 0% 2017

2018

2019

2020

2018

2019

2020 2021 Source: McKinsey, LeanIn.org

only one in the room – which may partly explain why they face higher levels of bias in terms of their judgement and promotion chances.

Johnson says companies can address the issue by providing de-bias training, allyship training, and offering specific programs for mentorship and sponsorship to women at their organizations.

Engineering and technical roles are among corporate America’s fastestgrowing and highest-paid job categories, says McKinsey, adding: “If women in these roles have negative day-to-day experiences and don’t see an equal path to advancement, it could lead to larger gaps in both representation and earnings between women and men overall.”

Remote working a game-changer One positive impact from the COVID-19 pandemic has been the shift to a more flexible working pattern. Many companies now offer remote and hybrid working, which has proven particularly beneficial to female staff. On a personal level, working remotely means that women suffer fewer microaggressions in the workplace and on a corporate level, HR leaders

2021

McKinsey & Company

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McKinsey & Company

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say offering flexible work options has helped companies diversify their talent pipelines and retain more employees from underrepresented groups.

But this model also presents some challenges. There is a worry that remote staff – who more often than not are women – will get fewer opportunities for recognition and progression. Also, most firms are concerned that staff working remotely feel less connected to their teams, with managers facing more demands. Managers are key to retaining women, but the research highlights they need more support. McKinsey finds there is a growing gap between what is expected of managers and how they are being trained and rewarded. The crux of the issue is that very few companies recognize people management and DEI efforts in managers’ performance reviews – treating them as a “nice to have” rather than a core part of their job. Less than half of women surveyed report that their manager shows interest in their career and helps them manage their workload.

McKinsey recommends that companies should train their managers on concrete topics, such us ensuring

equitable promotions and minimizing burnout rather than taking a general approach. Also, they should hold managers accountable and reward where appropriate on people management and DEI metrics.

Results from the survey clearly show that when managers play an active and consistent part in workers’ roles, for instance taking an interest in their wellbeing and career path, and ensuring credit where due, both women and companies benefit. For women, it means they have a better work life and are less likely to leave their job.

“The path to making meaningful progress towards gender equality is a long one, there are no short cuts and leadership must be completely bought in,” says Johnson. “The companies that have better representation of women are going beyond the norms of setting goals or holding leaders accountable for progress.”

She explains that some tactical ways of making progress are through offering more actionable training for managers to support their teams, better allyship training, creating dedicated programs for women mentorship and sponsorship, and offering “top-notch” benefits that improve women’s work experiences, such as flexibility and mental health support.

Companies must also ensure they implement high-quality training programs, which should be reinforced over time, while also tracking participation and results. McKinsey warns that in some areas, a low-quality program can be more harmful than doing nothing at all. Similarly, a “oneand-done” approach will not work – it is not about just “checking the box”.

While it is discouraging the data shows women are still dramatically underrepresented in leadership, there is hope, says Johnson. “We see many companies outperforming others in this area and providing a roadmap ahead.

The norms of workplace equality no longer cut it, companies need to go a step further in providing women more opportunities and better experiences to have sustainable careers.”

Only time will tell whether or not companies are doing enough to ramp up their DEI efforts where women are concerned. If they fail to take the necessary action, they will only have themselves to blame when they are unable to win the war for female talent.

Elaine Burridge

November 2023 23

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can more women drive innovation in our industry?

Women continue to be underrepresented in fields such as science, technology, engineering and math.

This reality inspired a series of initiatives designed to accelerate women’s professional development within our operations. This approach has produced an outcome which signals a more promising future; Aramco’s growing cohort of female researchers have been named as inventors on 352 granted U.S. patents and counting.

Discover how our female talent is pushing the energy industry forward at aramco.com/poweredbyhow

Mentoring program

Growing stronger through mentorship Women in Chemicals is launching a mentorship program in 2024 where female professionals can support each other through guidance and shared experience

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hether you are just entering the chemical sector or are an experienced professional about to embark on a new career challenge, having a mentor can help you set the right goals and provide invaluable support while on the path to achieving them.

Mentorship can be particularly beneficial for women in a male-dominated workspace who are likely to experience a variety of issues that are not always raised on a company level. Examples of these include struggling to achieve a healthy work-life balance after starting a family or lacking the confidence to seek a pay rise or promotion.

While many companies in the chemical industry offer mentorship initiatives, plenty of women in the sector have not had access to such a program thus far. This is now about to change with Women in Chemicals launching a mentorship program open to all females in the industry, no matter their role or seniority.

Sense of community While the new program will follow the traditional pattern of one-to-one mentorship, it will also allow participants to feel part of a larger supportive network.

“This initiative is great, particularly for the women who do not have a sense of community in their own organizations – if, for example, they are one of the very few women in the company,” says Christine Grybos, Chair of the Women in Chemicals Mentorship Program.

To reinforce that community feeling, the organizers envision holding group sessions and in-person events throughout the duration of the program.

Building a network of female professionals can help women on the program discover new opportunities

26 November 2023

Our objective with this program is to build a community that connects and develops women and enables the industry to retain and attract more women Christine Grybos Chair Women in Chemicals Mentorship Program

for personal growth and career development, notes Grybos.

Although the chemical sector has made considerable progress towards increasing its diversity, women still make for a much smaller percentage of the workforce. They may also often need an additional nudge when it comes to moving up the ladder within their organizations.

“While the chemical industry has made great strides since the 1980s, when I joined, it is still a male dominated space, particularly at the higher organizational levels,” says Jean Zappia, a member of the Mentorship Program Committee. “Young women need to see that those roles are in fact available to them, and can learn from those who have come before them.”

The Mentorship Program is set to launch in the first quarter of 2024 with around 25-30 mentor-mentee pairings.

To ensure they are fully prepared, a small pilot program with just 10-12 pairs will initially be launched in the last

quarter of 2023.

“As the initiative is new we want to start small, learn, refine, and optimize, so that we build the best program that we possibly can,” says Grybos.

Considerable effort has been put into surveying the Women in Chemicals community via questionnaires and individual interviews to better understand their needs and motivation to join a mentorship program.

“We’ve asked our members to define success as they see it and share both positive and negative success stories they have on their own mentoring journey,” explains Zappia. “We’ve also asked them to give us some topic areas they would like to see covered – for example, career development, networking, and balancing work and personal lives.”

The program will run for nine months and then start again to allow other participants to join. The application process will start in the last quarter of 2023 and will allow those interested in taking part as either mentors or mentees to fill in detailed questionnaires.

The results will help the Committee find the perfect match for each program participant.

The initiative will be open to everyone in the Women in Chemicals global community, with distance and time zones also considered during the pairing phase.

“I’ve been the only woman in the room, the only woman on the team.

Gladly we’ve seen a lot of advancement in our industry, but our objective with this program is to build a community that connects and develops women and enables the industry to retain and attract more women,” says Grybos.

Yana Palagacheva

Case studies

Overcoming bias All too often, women in the chemical industry must face countless obstacles to continue their professional journey. Here, we ask a few to share their experiences opportunities for career advancement and promotion, inadequate childcare support, and countless other challenges. However, the chemical industry finally appears to be making the necessary advances to improve diversity and offer equal opportunities.

This article showcases a selection of women in varied roles who have managed to forge a successful career in chemicals, thanks to their own hard work, talent, and their progressive employers and mentors.

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eing a woman in such a male-dominated industry comes with its fair share of challenges, whether that is a notable pay gap or slower career progression.

Thankfully, an increasing number of women in the chemical sector are seeing positive change and establishing themselves on an equal, or more even, footing with their male counterparts. Their path has not always been easy.

Many have, and indeed still do, have to confront unconscious bias, fewer

Yana Palagacheva

Dr. Kimberly Wise White Dr. Kimberly Wise White has over a decade of experience in the chemical industry, focusing on science-related regulation and legislation. In her current role at the American Chemical Council (ACC), she oversees and advises on industry activities around science, research, and policy. Her passion for science was nurtured in her childhood, which led to her completing a Masters in Biology and Doctorate in Environmental Toxicology.

Although confident in her choice to pursue science, White admits she has experienced discrimination along the way.

“Throughout my career, I’ve worked in a number of male-dominated industries and being a black woman, I have – on more than one occasion – been underestimated and undervalued,” she admits.

“Over the years, I have often been asked if I belong in a specific meeting, when I am the person leading the discussion, or questioned about my experience level or expertise given I

don’t align with the current demographic of the other people in a similar role.”

Being underappreciated despite being perfectly qualified is one of the main issues facing female professionals, according to White. She is determined to help reverse these attitudes – not only by setting a personal example, but by investing her time in initiatives focused on driving meaningful change.

One such program is the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI),

Dr. Kimberly Wise White Vice President Regulatory & Scientific Affairs American Chemistry Council

which seeks to raise the number of underrepresented professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions and diversify the chemical industry’s workforce. The initiative was founded in 2020 by ACC, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, The Chemours Company, and the HBCU Week Foundation and has more than 70 corporate sponsors.

“It’s been incredible to see the diversity of students applying for the scholarship. In fact, we just welcomed the 2023 cohort – 132 students studying STEM at nearly 30 historically black colleges and universities across the country – and approximately 55% of those students are female,” notes White.

“Our industry has made incredible progress. But, we know there is more to be done. Our goal is to fund 1,000 scholarships through FOSSI and we are over halfway there. I‘m excited to see the program continue to make an meaningful impact,” White adds.

November 2023 27

Mariane Maximous Mariane Maximous has been in the sector for more than two decades and currently leads the Americas team responsible for establishing the Circularity feedstock and recycling infrastructure at LyondellBasell.

She has held various roles during her career, including in manufacturing, sales and marketing, product management, finance, strategy and planning, and investor relations.

Starting out as an engineer, Maximous often found herself as one of the few women in the field.

“I’m fortunate that my family was always supportive of my career, even in times when I was the only female engineer working a night shift during a plant outage or turnaround,” she says.

Achieving a work-life balance was not always easy, she adds, especially when becoming a parent.

“Early in my career and when I became a mom, I recall signing up for every night shift when we had a manufacturing plant upset, because I was always anxious that someone would doubt my commitment,” she remembers.

This is a pattern that women in business

Mariane Maximous Vice President Americas, Feedstock and Mechanical Recycling LyondellBasell

tend to fall into, she says. Not putting yourself up for promotions even when adequately qualified is another example.

“I do sense that we females are quite hard on ourselves and may experience impostor syndrome, which at times hinders us from stepping out of our comfort zone and taking on a bigger role,” she admits.

This often happens because women are likely comparing themselves to their peers and colleagues rather than focusing on their own qualifications, suggests Maximous.

“Our career is a journey through a trail,” she says. “Some may walk, others may jog, or run. What I’ve learned is to stay focused on what I need to accomplish and set the bar high for myself, not based on others’ benchmarks.”

Dr. Akemi Ooka Akemi Ooka has over 20 years of experience in the consumer goods industry and is currently heading Supply chain and Sustainability Resources at the Independent Beauty Association (IBA), a non-profit trade association focused on the indie beauty sector.

Ooka started her career as Ph.D. chemist in product development at the Clorox Company, expanding into roles in innovation and procurement.

She left Clorox to work at method®, building the direct sourcing group, and then leading formulation and fragrance, before returning to her original product development field as VP Product at J.R. Watkins Working for progressive employers on the West Coast where female scientists are more common reduced the instances of extreme workplace bias in the early days of Ooka’s career.

Yet, she noted situations in which her leadership role perplexed others.

“I recall being at trade shows for the chlorine and caustic industry, which included a lot of oil and gas companies, and often people didn’t know what to make of me,” she says. “They thought

28 November 2023

I was someone’s spouse or an assistant, not the Head of Chemical Procurement for Clorox.”

“I’ve had my share of male chauvinism.

Some of it was cultural, but more often it was encountering unconscious bias, where male counterparts were given more credit or credibility,” she adds.

“In many cultures, business practices are very male – there is a lot of posturing and a struggle for dominance rather than an emphasis on care and collaboration,” she says.

“Women often communicate differently – they listen, observe, and share thoughts

Dr. Akemi Ooka Head of Global Supply Chain and Sustainability Resources Independent Beauty Association

differently from men. This diversity of thought and style isn’t always understood or appreciated, and may leave the impression that women are less decisive or capable than their male counterparts.”

Juggling childcare and household duties also makes it difficult for many women to progress up the career ladder.

“The U.S. is far behind societally in providing adequate resources for working mothers, including time-off for maternity leave and child bonding, or affordable quality childcare services and early childhood education. Women often carry that extra familial load, making it difficult to advance in the workforce. I also think this makes it difficult for women to demand what they are worth,” notes Ooka.

There is still a long way to go before many of these issues are properly addressed. Ooka also points to the worrying trend of “backlash” against diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Yet she does see progress being made, especially in the independent beauty field, where there are an increasing number of female business owners.

Case studies Chantal Badre Chantal Badre’s career in chemicals spans almost two decades and involves various international roles in business, sales, strategy, and research and innovation. Her most recent position was Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Solvay.

Badre has successfully completed a PhD and an MBA degree, and has worked in a number of geographies – from the Middle East to Europe and the U.S. She has developed a lifelong learner mindset, taking charge of her career, remaining open to new challenges, and committing to excel in each role.

“The process might have been different for a male counterpart going through the same career steps,” she admits, “but I focused on what I can control, like showcasing my skills and expertise, continuously upskilling and actively engaging, and helping key decision-makers see the value I bring to any role.”

“Surrounding yourself with positive support and building trusting

relationships is crucial” she adds.

Badre concedes women in the chemical industry are still facing innumerable challenges, such as a lack of representation in leadership positions, pay gaps, and hiring/promotion-related bias.

Poor maternity support, particularly in the U.S., is another key factor affecting the ongoing professional lag felt by more female professionals in the field, notes Badre.

“Those taking leave could be

Chantal Badre Strategy and Operations Executive in the chemical industry

impacted by losing their jobs after maternity, delaying a promotion, or even suffering a disproportionate drop in their salary.”

She adds that studies hae shown the number one reason women are having to leave the workforce is to care for their family, unlike men who would typically quit their job only to seek a career change and fresh challenge.

However, Badre acknowledges the efforts many companies are making, such as adopting environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), diversity and inclusion (D&I) targets, as well as a leadership quota for female representatives.

“Women are underrepresented in STEM fields. If we aim for a change in the industry, it’s important we are proactive early in the process by educating young students, STEM graduates, and our communities on the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment in the industry and it is where I am spending time recently,” she concludes.

Saskia Phemba Saskia Phemba has worked in the chemicals industry for nearly 25 years – most of them with her current employer, Ashland. She started out as an Operations Manager, then moved to Global Product Management and Global Marketing Management. Although she started working in the chemicals sector by chance, she has been motivated to continue her path in this industry and has never been discouraged by the fact the chemicals industry is still very maledominated.

“To be honest, because of my mixedraced background, I’ve always been part of a minority, so the fact that this is a male-dominated industry has not held me back,” she says. “On the contrary, it’s always encouraged me to go out and find my own spot.”

Despite finding her place in the sector, Phemba understands many women may feel intimidated and discouraged to join the industry, even in the recruitment stage.

“Often, you’ll see that postings contain very masculine wording, such as ‘competitive personality’ or ‘fearless, courageous leader’, which may hold women back from even applying,” she says.

Pay gaps, maternity leave, and limited career opportunities are just some of the issues Phemba has personally experienced in her pre-Ashland career path.

Despite her personal struggles after

Saskia Phemba General Manager business line Intermediates Ashland

becoming a young parent of a child born with multiple disabilities, she was determined to continue her career growth, which led her to proactively seek employment with a different employer.

“That journey ended with Ashland: a respectful organization that strives to create an open culture with a very strong focus on diversity and inclusion,” she notes.

Phemba is positive the industry is moving in the right direction and changing for the better.

“I love the current environment of change,” she says. “Not only are we living it within Ashland, but there are so many opportunities nowadays to connect with other women and with other minority groups. I also seek connections outside of my professional environment and thanks to Women in Chemicals, I now have a growing network that are becoming friends.”

November 2023 29

Sponsorship – Wego Chemical Group

Empowering business success

S

ince joining Wego Chemical Group in 2015, I was struck by what I perceived to be an “if you know, you know” culture within the chemical industry. I had an innate hunger to learn more about the industry – its companies, business models, specializations, functions, skill sets, market dynamics, career trajectories, and more. I learned quickly that the industry contains seemingly infinite number of interesting people and perspectives – professionals with decades of experience, knowledge, and expertise.

But understandably, they were often only willing to share after forming a personal connection. As a newcomer looking to find a foothold, it was not obvious how to forge these connections. I found myself regularly searching for new avenues in my work, at events, and online. Finding and forging valuable connections was and remains a central challenge – and opportunity.

I was introduced to Women in Chemicals prior to its inception. My coworker at Wego, Amelia, shared that she and an industry peer, Kylie, wanted to found a non-profit to empower women within the industry. The mission sounded important, but I had no clue how two ambitious, successful – yet early-career – professionals were planning to make a meaningful impact in driving gender parity within the industry. Seeing this as an opportunity to expand my network within the industry, I decided to take a leap. I advocated for Wego to be a founding sponsor for WIC, and later

30 November 2023

joined the Ally Advisory Board. If I could help the organization make a real impact on its mission, that would be an added benefit.

I soon learned of its broader impact – both on me, and on the industry. WIC’s platform has shown a unique capability of combining a pursuit of two related but distinct objectives – facilitating meaningful business interactions, and creating mission-driven value by empowering women in the industry. The organization embodies the belief that the way in which we pursue gender balance must also be good for the industry as a whole, that such an alignment is possible and attainable. This was and continues to be something that resonates with me deeply.

WIC’s commitment to action and measurable impact is what has made the experience so rewarding. In both its mission- and business-driven objectives, WIC is focused on driving outcomes.

This is not an organization satisfied with helping companies “pink-wash” their public image. The organization, through its leadership, programs, and interactions with the community demonstrates a commitment to results. It creates avenues for invaluable personal and professional development to women at all levels in all corners of the industry, including at Wego, and helps companies invest in the professional development of staff.

In its infancy, WIC has brought together both women and men from diverse backgrounds with varying priorities, but who fundamentally share a sense of purpose in making a positive impact in our industry. Through this experience, I’ve realized how powerful participating in mission-driven activities can be at generating meaningful connections and business outcomes. This organization opens doors, fuels innovation, fosters a competitive edge, and empowers business success – all while pursuing a noble mission of elevating women in the industry. I feel privileged to be able to play a small part in that story.

Marc Jonathan Eshaghpour Ally Advisory Board Member, Women in Chemicals Chief Operating Officer Wego Chemical Group

Celebrate Women in Chemicals at Barentz!

At Barentz, we’re in the business of creating better solutions for success. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate the women who make a difference in the chemicals industry. From innovators and problem-solvers to leaders and mentors, our female colleagues inspire us every day.

We are committed to a culture of diversity, inclusion and empowerment, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Come join us, and see how we can create “Always a better solution” together.

www.barentz-na

Always a better solution.

Picture yourself here Kemira is a global chemical company with a shared purpose to have a positive impact on people, business, society and the environment. This is chemistry with a purpose, better every day.

Whether you’re starting out in your career or a seasoned professional, picture yourself as part of our exceptional team in the chemical industry. We are an equal opportunity employer offering a wide array of positions in corporate, R&D, and manufacturing. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Check out our careers page to learn more.