Joanna Stephenson
MD of PHD Marketing & Strategy and
Co-Founder of Women in Packaging
The Women in Packaging Initiative was set-up by myself and co-founder Debbie Waldron-Hoines, executive director at EFIA, because we recognised that there was a need for women to be supported by representatives who truly understood the industry inside out. Today, we connect with a large number of inspirational ladies throughout the industry and, excitingly, we’re making connections across a number of other sectors too. PHD was recently awarded Start-up Business of the Year at the Forward Ladies Women in Business Awards 2017.
As with many sectors, technical and operational roles have been traditionally carried out by men. Trying to enter this kind of environment can be intimidating for a female employee. So, women may have felt the need to lean towards more traditional female-oriented roles instead. Women in Packaging helps to raise awareness and celebrate the important contribution that women make to the industry by encouraging employers to recognise and retain talented female packaging industry specialists in all disciplines.
What more can we do?
We would encourage anyone who is unsure about entering the industry to reach out to us, or join us at an event and we guarantee that they will walk away feeling more empowered as a result.
What needs to change?
We still see something of a glass ceiling in the industry, but things are slowly changing. Recognition can be a challenge for all employees, male and female alike. Women in Packaging champions the retention of female talent within the workplace. Again, I would recommend that women need to build a network that allows them to learn, grow and celebrate their success.
Any Advice for Women in Male Dominated Industries?
Connect! Even if you’re working in a male-dominated business, don’t feel alone. There are plenty of opportunities to engage with other women in the industry and feel supported by training, networking and educational events. Connecting with employees across various material substrates, process and packaging applications is sometimes all it takes to feel re-energised and help you to feel reconnected with the wider industry.