The race is on for a gender equal workforce throughout the supply chain. Women now occupy 39% of the total supply chain workforce but only 11% of C-suite positions. Andrew Arcuri, Vice President - Engineering and Manufacturing at DSJ Global , discusses the unique position that recruiters play in furthering gender equality in end-to-end supply chain.
The 2020 International Women’s Day theme is that an equal world is an enabled world. What does that mean to you in end-to-end supply chain?
I believe there is a stereotype that there is a lack of women in the manufacturing space. Whether that is because there is a lack of open opportunity or a lack of interest, I firmly believe women should be given the exact same chance to get hired for Engineering positions, regardless of gender. I do believe we are headed in the right direction, but I know there is a ton of room for improvement.
Is gender equality a topic that often comes up in conversations with your clients?
Many of our clients face the challenge of building more diverse team, but often struggle with the lack of female engineering talent in the field. One client in particular spoke to me about how she was doing different studies and data analysis to help create an equal playing field when it comes to both gender equality and racial equality within the organization. It was refreshing to hear a real life example of this happening, especially in a global organization that had as much influence. I think more companies can follow suit and make clear efforts to help diversify the talent pipeline.
What role can recruiters play in creating an equal world?
it is best practice for recruiters to to take the names off of a resume when introducing a candidate to a to a client. This will ensure clients do not have a bias when deciding if they want to interview a candidate, and will consider all candidates equally. Additionally, recruiters can push clients to consider strong leaders who will add value to their business, regardless of gender.
What advice would you give to a company trying to create a diverse hiring strategy?
I think it's important for companies to advertise their diversity initiatives and programs to demonstrate their commitment to potential female candidates. Showing female leaders in the organization and highlighting programs to help improve create a more inclusive culture, will be more appealing to female candidates who may consider applying to the open positions at the company.
Andrew Arcuri is a Vice President - Engineering and Manufacturing at DSJ Global, specializing in the mission to solve the number one challenge in end-to-end supply chain: talent. For advice on how to create a diverse hiring strategy in end-to-end supply chain, get in touch with the DSJ Global team.
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At DSJ Global, we know that end-to-end supply chain is the critical driver in any business. We exist to take care of one of the market’s most significant challenges: talent acquisition. Today, we provide permanent, contract and multi-hire recruitment from our global hubs all over the world.
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