Clearview National March 2019 - Issue 208 | Page 25

INDUSTRYNEWS
better suited to men, so then
fewer women enter into
it, and therefore the ‘boys
club’ becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy.
The only problem I have
come across since entering the
fenestration industry (not at
VEKA, but at industry events)
- is one of disrespect. And it
seems, unfortunately, that in
industries like construction and
fenestration, casual bad manners
and unacceptable behaviour
are often considered harmless
‘laddish’ behaviour and largely
ignored.
‘If we can ensure
that we create
as welcoming
a workplace as
possible, then
the industry will
gradually attract
a more and more
diverse range
of people’
Luckily I have a thick skin
and am usually uncowed by any
attempt to intimidate me based
on my gender, but at a recent
event when asking someone I’d
never met to move from the
dining room to the bar I was
told “I’ll move if you get your
t*ts out.”
I couldn’t help but think how
this appalling behaviour might
have affected a younger, more
sensitive or more impressionable
person just starting out in their
career or considering a move
into our industry.
If we want to encourage a
more diverse mix of people
into fenestration, then we
need to stamp out this type of
behaviour.
Companies need diversity
of all kinds to stay relevant,
to represent ‘real life’ and to
reflect the target market. Sales
and marketing messages are at
their most effective when there
is shared experience between
advertiser and consumer.
To create the best
opportunities in any group,
whether it’s a works committee
or a Board of Directors,
you need a diverse range of
experiences, visions and views
in the melting pot, to produce a
well thought out and ultimately
successful solution.
Jo Wallace, Creative Director
of J. Walter Thompson, London,
points out that only 13% of
Creative Directors are women,
and yet a massive 85% of
consumer-based decisions are
from a female perspective.
The disparity between these
figures isn’t just bad for diversity,
it’s bad for business.
And the fenestration industry
is no exception.
It makes good business sense
to encourage more women to
join the fenestration industry,
but I also understand that it
would be wrong for us to go
out and try to attract only
women. As an industry, we need
to continue making sure that
the best person is appointed
for every job, whoever that
may be, but we must all do
our utmost to ensure that the
largest possible mixture of
people know there are some
great opportunities for all in this
sector.
I’m a firm believer that if a
company looks after employees,
makes sure they feel valued and
encourages them to feel ‘part of
the organisation’ then they will
become your most powerful
spokespeople and can be the
all-important difference in how
your company is perceived.
If we can ensure that we
create as welcoming a workplace
as possible, then the industry
will gradually attract a more and
more diverse range of people
and begin to push the boundaries
of what we can achieve.
A NOD AT THE
NORTHERN POWER
WOMEN’S AWARDS
» » VEKA GROUP IS
proud to have been named on
the shortlist for one of the most
prestigious awards in the North
of England. The awards showcase
role models and celebrate the
many different ways women and
men contribute to a thriving
Northern Powerhouse. Now
in its fourth year, the NPW
awards attracted more than 900
nominations across 10 award
categories and VEKA Group has
been shortlisted in the ‘Medium
Organisation’ category.
‘it was an
extremely tough
job for our judges’
The nominations were
shortlisted and assessed by 60
judges ranging from independent
business owners to senior
executives from large multi-
national organisations. Judge Sam
Walker, Broadcaster and MD
of What Goes On Media, said:
“It’s a privilege to be a judge for
the Northern Power Women
Awards for the third year
running. The level of passion,
talent and commitment across
the nominees is wonderfully
inspiring. Learning about
projects and businesses across
the north that are quietly
changing the future is brilliant
and eye opening.”
Simone Roche MBE, founder
of Northern Power Women said:
“The number of nominations we
received this year demonstrates
the outstanding talent we have
in the North of England. It was
an extremely tough job for our
judges and I didn’t envy them
having to make the decisions.”
As part of the award
submission, Marketing Director
Dawn Stockell explained
how VEKA Group works to
accelerate gender balance:
“VEKA Group is a major
Burnley employer and was
crowned ‘Employer of the
Year’ in this year’s Red Rose
Awards and ‘Employer of the
Year’ at Burnley’s biennial
Business Awards in 2017.
Our commitment to all our
employees is paramount and our
recent flexible working approach
has facilitated greater work/life
balance, of benefit to both male
and female employees alike.
“As the VEKA Marketing
Director, I was the first female
appointed to sit on the VEKA
plc board and together with
our Head of HR we are active
in driving female business
leadership; from working
with Lancashire’s Chamber
of Commerce and its Unique
Women networking group, to
supporting Northern Power
Women and looking to host
podcasts into 2019, among other
things. I am proud to have seen
VEKA Group make the shortlist
and I’m looking forward to
celebrating with - and learning
more about - other empowering
North West businesses at the
NPW Awards in March.”
www.vekauk.com
northernpowerwomen.com/
awards
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