L-R : Temitope Adedayo-Ojo, Chief People Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited); Eelco Weber, Managing Director, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited); Temi Dalley, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Sterling Financial Holdings Company; Bola Arotiowa, Chief Commercial Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) and Omowunmi Akinnifesi, Chief Executive Officer, BuildValley Consulting and Founder of Global Woman Africa at the Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) International Women’s Day event held in Lagos recently.
Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), one of the top five Fast Moving Consumer Goods Players in Nigeria recently held the 2nd edition of its International Womens Day (IWD) celebration, themed Inspire Inclusion: Celebrating Diversity and Accelerating Gender Equality. This special occasion was commemorated with the unveiling of the GREAT Rubies Steering Committee.
Created in 2023 to support and honor women’s accomplishments, the GREAT Rubies is a knit community of the Women at Chivita|Hollandia. Eleven women and two men make up the thirteen members of the new committee. The networks primary goal is to drive diversity, inclusion, & equity within the organization by
leveraging the Women’s Network to provide fulfilled & well-rounded female professionals at all levels while also focusing on intellectual capacity building, social engagement, and overall wellness to effectively prepare Chivita|Hollandias female employees for leadership roles.
The event which was held on the 7th of March 2024 at the companys premises started with a compelling keynote address by Temi Dalley, Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Sterling Financial Holdings. She highlighted that women face a lot of challenges, balancing work, life, and family but today, those challenges are just a stepping-stone in preparation for greater responsibilities. For inclusivity, it is important to provide mentorship and sponsorship opportunities as an empowerment tool while advocating for a functional system where decisions are made for the benefit of all including women she noted.
Emphasizing the essence of driving female inclusion, Eelco Weber, Chief Executive Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), stated the GREAT Rubies’ launch in 2023 was a great decision that promoted a stronger sense of community to celebrate women’s accomplishments and support gender-neutral policies. He encouraged the steering committee to continue advocating for gender equality and inclusivity to create an environment where everyone may thrive. By being a member of this committee, you have become an ambassador for inspiring Inclusion. The future of the GREAT Rubies is dependent on the foundation you lay during your tenure.”
The event further unfolded with the Chief Executive Officer, BuildValley Consulting, Omowunmi Akinnifesi who stressed the significance of personal branding in fostering inclusion and encouraged individuals to assess their executive presence and be in charge of their professional and personal spaces.
According to Temitope Adedayo-Ojo, Chief People Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), Women play a crucial role in enhancing balanced decision-making in organizations and have had a beneficial impact on our company. We have women in leadership roles who, since being appointed, have demonstrated unwavering dedication, perseverance, and outstanding accomplishments.
The work environment at Chivita|Hollandia is welcoming to all genders. In 2023, 30% of our new hires were women, exceeding our original goal of 25%, proving that women can make an impact when given the right opportunities. The GREAT Rubies is one of several initiatives we set up to foster well-rounded individuals and ensure our people have a comfortable and inclusive work environment, both physically and mentally” she added.
Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and understands the indispensable contributions of women to societal progress and economic empowerment.