This International Women’s Day, Let’s Inspire Inclusion

“International Women’s Day has long ignited inspiration across the globe through the many achievements of aspirational women.  From its origins as a means to promote women’s rights to work and vote, the purpose of the day has evolved over the last century.  Today, the emphasis is on developing a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination – a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where difference is valued and celebrated.  What this means is that International Women’s Day is for everyone’s benefit – not just women.  With that being said, I would like to take a moment to celebrate all the strong, successful, and influential women in our workforce, who are integral to the success of our business, and who are the ‘‘engine of growth’’ for the Prax Group.  I wish you all a Happy International Women’s Day!”

• Arani Kumar Soosaipillai, Chief Human Resources & Corporate Officer

Friday, 8^th March marks International Women’s Day (IWD) and the theme for this year is “Inspire Inclusion.”  IWD is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women around the world, but in our traditionally male-dominated industry, there has been a growing recognition of the need for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) developments.

Across the Prax Group, we are working to break our industry stigmas and increase our focus on EDI.  Work is well underway across the Group, underpinning our commitment to inclusion, as we strive to provide equal opportunities for women at all levels.  To support this commitment, we are actively seeking out diverse talent and ensuring fair recruitment processes are in place.  We are promoting a culture that embraces EDI and ensuring women are in leadership positions, as we recognise this as a crucial step for creating a more inclusive environment.

We also recognise the important role networking has in developing relationships, sharing experiences and overcoming barriers.

At Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery, the team is working across the region to break science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) barriers, to encourage more girls into our industry.  The team will soon be supporting the Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) event in Grimsby town centre. Engineering and manufacturing businesses across the Humber region are joining forces to showcase the industry and provide an opportunity for women and girls to meet other women who are already working in industry and learn more about the opportunities available. The team already actively works with schools and colleges in the region, and will soon be visiting schools to highlight the non-traditional career paths to Year 8 and 9 girls, aiming to ignite an interest prior to subject option selection.

There is, sadly, more that needs to be done within the industry to encourage true gender equality. Pam Sahota, Head of Axis Logistics, shares her experiences of working in logistics:

“Logistics and Transport is a very male-dominated industry and I have been presented with many personal and professional challenges in my 25 year career; I have had to harden my resolve and be resilient, which motivated me to progress. I have had fantastic opportunities at Prax and at other companies, with the privilege of supportive mentors and managers.”

Lorna Rendall, Technical Authority Environment at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery, shares her insight on EDI through her career:

“I never saw my gender as a blocker to my career development and equally I do not feel I have been subject to any career-limiting discrimination, as I have been lucky to have worked in three very EDI-focused organisations. If there was any area where I struggled in my younger days, it was standing up in front of a room full of male operators (as there were no female operators on that site in the late 80s) to deliver health & safety training, such as noise awareness. In my mind, they were all thinking “who is this young lass (I am from Yorkshire) trying to tell me how to wear my hearing protection?!”. My boss at the time told me it was “character building” and he was, in a lot of ways, the best mentor I have ever had. Eventually my confidence grew, and I told myself I am the expert here so there is no reason to be frightened – and as a consequence, I realised that a lot of the blockers were all in my head.”

Collectively, let’s Inspire Inclusion for women and girls everywhere this IWD 2024.  For more information visit: www.internationalwomensday.com. Or, have a watch of this video of A Class That Turned Around Kids’ Assumptions of Gender Roles!