Bias Breaker: This plant leader is not ‘one of the boys’

Seema Menon —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

At Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines, women empowerment is not just an annual exercise, a yearly ritual to join the global campaign to shine the spotlight on the need to grant women equality and recognition as full members of society.

P&G Philippines has launched the #BiasBreakers campaign to highlight how the company breaks biases through its people, policies and advertisement messaging. Through #BiasBreakers, P&G helps fight societal gender biases and empowers its people, consumers and partner communities to do the same.

The initiative also aims to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

At the forefront of this campaign is engineer Seema Menon, P&G plant leader in the Philippines. The single mother from Mumbai, India, is highly suited to be the public face of #BiasBreakers.

Menon was the first woman manufacturing plant leader in P&G India, Middle East and Africa. In the almost two decades she has been with P&G, she has worked in supply chain management, purchasing, manufacturing and engineering.

But just like every woman who aspired to break the glass ceiling, the journey was not without its challenges.

Menon says, “The most common bias about women in manufacturing is that they are technically less capable or they have less technical mastery than men. The next common bias is that manufacturing or some roles in supply chain are physically tough and, hence, may not be suitable for women especially at different life stages. We also encounter the stereotype that women are less aggressive than men and, hence, will not be as demanding of their teams/counterparts.”

At first, Menon says she tried to behave like a man and be part of the “boys club” to overcome traditional biases. But after spending a few years in manufacturing, she says she “realized that I can be successful with my unique self.”

Wanting to make a difference and a positive impact, Menon appreciates being in manufacturing in one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. “As a woman, I feel I’m able to connect with the hearts of my people better, which helps me unleash their potential. That drives my passion in this industry,” she says.

More reforms needed

While P&G is supportive of gender equality and the elimination of gender biases, Menon says the industry in general should make jobs physically easier for both men and women, leveraging simplification, automation and digitalization. She would also like to see more infrastructure support for women.

“As the industry is male-dominated today, we need to pay special attention to ensure that the infrastructure is inclusive for women —like comfort rooms, mother’s room, day care or creche, health care and policy support on maternity leave,” she explains.

Women should also have equal representation at all levels in the industry. This would unleash the full potential of the talent pool available in the market.

Working toward that goal would have to start early by encouraging and inspiring girls to take up STEM courses. “Women leaders can break the myths about STEM and the industry, which should pave the path for more women leaders in this industry,” she stresses.

Girls would need role models and mentors to show and prove that women are not the weaker sex, and are just as capable of achieving what men can. Menon says, “My mentors have played a huge role right from my second year in P&G till now. I’ve been blessed with multiple mentors at different stages of my life and career who have been there to hear me out, guide me, help me decide and just support me when things are tough.”

She has had multiple mentors for different aspects of her career and life, like when she moved from engineering to purchasing. Her mentor, Menon says, helped her gain faster the skills needed for her new job.

Now that she is in a position to do the same for others, Menon says, “I also use training as an opportunity to expose myself to younger generations so that they can feel free to approach me. I feel it my duty to pass on the baton and nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing a mentee and my team member grow or achieve his/her life and/or career goals.”

Being able to prepare the younger generation for their future roles is very fulfilling and a major reason, Menon says, why she has stayed with P&G. “As P&G is a largely promote-from-within company, you can see the fruits of the seeds you have sown during your mentorship/reportee relationships, very closely.”

Menon continues to break biases and challenge the norms as a leader at P&G. With her experience, she continues to inspire women in the manufacturing field through mentorships and training to prepare the next generation for their future roles. —CONTRIBUTED