Colloids launches in-house female development programme

Colloids Limited is marking International Women’s Day by launching an in-house programme of change designed to enable female staff to fulfil their potential. 

The masterbatch manufacturer, which is Headquartered in Knowsley, says a main focus for 2020 is to “recognise women’s achievements and take action for equality.” 

It particularly wants to enable female staff to gain the experience needed to reach management positions. “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,” said Nikki Thompson, Head of HR at Colloids. 

Starting on International Women’s Day 2020 (March 8), four of Colloids’ female employees will be working in three of its predominantly male departments: Engineering, Warehousing and Production. 

This, the company says, will allow them to gain experience in historically male-dominated fields, while also raising their profiles in the industry.

“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,”

The firm says the move is part of a wider initiative towards achieving a fair and inclusive culture, allowing women and underrepresented groups to thrive and be recognised.

“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,” continued Thompson.

“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.”