Diversity brings strength to an organisation, but only when supported by a fully inclusive environment where everyone feels able to contribute and achieve their full potential. At Sibelco, we are making good progress against the gender diversity targets we have set ourselves however we are determined to ensure that diversity and inclusivity go beyond numbers and become firmly embedded within our culture. To ensure this happens, we have established a new Diversity & Inclusion Council to develop and implement our approach.
One of the Council’s first initiatives was the creation of the Sibelco Women’s Network, bringing colleagues together from different countries and functions to share ‘ideas, dreams, plans and possibilities.’ The Network’s online presence, the Women’s Platform, has already attracted over 170 members who are actively exchanging information and inspiration through questions and posts.
Members of the Sibelco Women’s Network have been instrumental in formulating the company’s plans for International Women’s Day and beyond, starting with a series of interviews in which female colleagues share their thoughts and insights on diversity and reflect on their own careers with Sibelco.
Whilst gender diversity has been Sibelco’s primary focus to date, addressing other areas of diversity and inclusivity is increasingly coming into focus. In Italy, for example, our team entered into a collaboration with Coopwork, a non-profit social cooperative dedicated to finding employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Initiatives such as these help ensure that diversity and inclusion at Sibelco go beyond mere legal compliance. We are already seeing the benefits that a diverse and inclusive workplace is bringing to our organisation and our Sibelco 2025 strategy.
