The world needs more women leaders -during COVID-19 and beyond
Mondelez acknowledges the importance of women leadership to aid economic recovery
Mondelez South Africa in celebration of Women’s month hosted a Webinar on 17 August focused on celebrating the success of women in leadership positions across Africa. The platform served to share insights on challenges faced by women in business and the corporate world during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on creating flexibility and inclusion in the workplace to enable women to thrive in their respective roles.
According to the Institution of Women’s leadership, globally, women hold just 24% of senior leadership positions. The Brookings Institute believes that more than 70% of women across the African continent now face economic insecurity. From job losses to increases in unpaid labour, a rise in domestic violence, and disruptions to education, African women have shouldered great mental, physical, and economic stress. Yet despite the pandemic’s outsized impact on African women, their voices are seldom included in recovery efforts, especially at the highest levels.
Nadia Mohamed, Mondelez Marketing Director, Sub Sahara Africa, said, “At Mondelez, we have positioned ourselves as an employer of choice to an empowered workforce and during Women’s month, we are acknowledging the potential and ability of women leaders to create economic change, needed by our country and the African continent, when they are provided with enabling environments to succeed”.
The panel discussion highlighted the role of female leaders and the power of flexibility in the workplace. The engagement provided insights on how leveraging female leadership traits can enable the career growth of others. The dialogue further indicated how women can help build a better South Africa and African economies in a time of economic distress, using the Covid-19 pandemic as a reference.
Yimika Adeboye, Mondelez Managing Director for West Africa said, “It is important to prioritise gender diversity in leadership positions and address gender disparity in the workplace in order to usher in an economic era of growth that is needed after this health crisis”.
In June 2021, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said it would donate $2.1-billion towards eradicating gender inequality and accelerating women’s leadership. The Foundation believes putting women and girls at the centre of the Covid-19 response is crucial to rebuilding from the crisis and creating more productive and inclusive economies.
Mondelez leaders are aligned to global game changers, who want to create a shift in leadership that is needed for the successful African economies of tomorrow.
About Mondelēz South Africa
Mondelēz South Africa is the largest confectionery business in South Africa, enjoying market leadership in the chocolate, chewing gum and bubble-gum categories. We are custodian of iconic and well-loved local brands such as Chappie’s bubble gum, Chomp, Lunch Bar and Dentyne chewing gum.
For more information, please visit: South Africa | Mondelēz International, Inc. (mondelezinternational.com)
