WE Lead Food
Mentoring women in the food industry
Only 9% of women in the food industry work in higher level positions. It’s just not right, is it? EIT Food certainly don’t think so.
EIT Food is the leading food innovation initiative in Europe, and I’ve worked with them on a number of projects including their engagement plan for Ireland. But EIT Food doesn’t just turn to Twine for strategic thinking; this time, they wanted my help as a facilitator and mentor on their WE Lead programme. As a passionate believer in the power of women in the workplace (and someone who has personally benefited from the programme), I leapt at the chance to get involved.
WE Lead is one of EIT’s educational programmes for women leaders, designed to drive change, innovation and sustainability in the food sector. And it’s clearly much-needed; a study by McKinsey showed that while 49% of women in the food sector are in entry level roles, a mere 9% are in higher positions.
Having gone through the WE Lead programme myself in November 2019, I know just the sorts of barriers women face in their climb to the top: lack of manager support; little commitment to gender and diversity equality; stereotyping; being undermined; and a general feeling that entrepreneurial leadership ‘isn’t for me’. I also understood exactly how the WE Lead programme could help. After all — it helped me.
As a co-facilitator, I guided a group of eight leading women in the food industry through the 2020 We Lead programme, supporting them through interactive sessions, a leadership development plan, and the mentoring programme — and I’m still mentoring to this day.
Empowering and supporting women is a cause close to my heart, and the sessions helped my mentees to make connections, believe in themselves, and put their best foot forward as leaders in the food industry.
My work with EIT Food is ongoing, and I’m proudly continuing to mentor many of those women leaders as they grow. What a treat it is to work on something you truly believe in.
EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
If you find yourself at a stumbling block, feel you’re lacking confidence, or simply want to work on your personal growth, then talk to me. I could be just the mentor you need.