Continuing with International Women’s Day and the theme of ‘Break The Bias’ we are featuring women across the Kersia Group who are contributing to breaking the bias every day and asking their thoughts on recruiting women to work in the hygiene sector and opportunities they have across the group. Recent developments on breaking the bias from a company perspective on a global level include the appointment of Anne Charlotte Quercia as General Secretary, Karine Le Grand as Chief Innovation Officer and Marianne Lagree as Corporate Projects Director.
Across the hygiene sector the work is ongoing and there are still many steps to be taken until all bias is broken.
Sharon Knight is the Office Manager at Merlin Chemicals Ltd, part of the Kersia Group. Sharon was employed as an Accounts Administrator in November 2014 and, due to changes in the business in May 2015, she was offered the position of Office Manager. This role has also grown over the years, and she now prepares the month end accounts, processes staff salaries and assists with HR. She comments:“I have worked in the company for just over seven years. In my experience I believe that women in the hygiene sector are treated and supported equally within the business with regards to job opportunities.
In terms of recruiting women to the sector Sharon points out that there are five women currently employed at Merlin and have all worked in the business for some time. Unfortunately, when job vacancies become available sometimes women do not always take the plunge and apply.
Sharon added “I believe the bias is slowly being broken across the working environment. I personally would put myself forward for any position I felt I was capable of and I would hope my suitability for the role would be based on ability and not gender.”
Charlotte Morrison, who works at Kilco, said the situation there is slightly different:
“The team in Lockerbie has many female managers and members of staff, we all work exceptionally well together and with the wider team within Kersia. Throughout the Lockerbie site there are many women, both in the office and in production, with many of them working here for several years.”
The work that International Women’s Day does in raising awareness of women in the work place and breaking the bias is invaluable and one that the entire Kersia group fully supports. We look forward to reporting back next year on progress within our company and the hygiene sector as a whole.
