Colloids is a renowned award-winning masterbatch manufacturer in the UK with a global distribution network and head offices in England and China.
A main focus for Colloids in 2020 is recognising women’s achievements and taking action for equality. In reality, the biggest obstacle that woman face is the very first steps to become a manager. We want to honour International Women’s Day by changing the “glass ceiling” that prevents women from reaching senior positions, especially in the manufacturing industry.
Here at Colloids, we are advocates of all employees feeling respected and given fair and equal opportunities for personal development and growth within the workplace. We’re working towards a fair and inclusive culture, allowing women and underrepresented groups to thrive and be recognised.
Colloids’ HR Department is dedicated to introducing improvements throughout the company, enabling women to have a platform to become strong managers in the manufacturing industry. From 8th March, four of our female employees will be working in three of our predominantly male departments: Engineering, Warehousing and Production. This will allow them to gain experience in historically male dominated fields, while also raising their profiles in the industry.
Managers support, sponsorship, impartial hiring and promotional practices are key elements in creating a desired workplace. Combining these elements will allow us to deliver opportunity and fairness to all employees, as well as giving people who are wanting to progress the support to do so.
Nikki Thompson, Head of HR at Colloids, states “I want us to be transparent about wanting to make this change. This can only happen by looking at how many women we employ, how many of those women are in senior positions and are women in equivalent roles to men paid equally. If we want to be serious about promoting female equality in the workplace, we will have to be clear about our desire to address these questions, following up with shared experiences and action points. I want to encourage women to make the leap and have the confidence to thrive in a male dominated environment. What we teach young girls and women about who they are and how they can contribute starts early, with the vision of taking this initiative to schools within the local area”.