At Sonoco, we believe that ‘people build businesses by doing the right thing.’ One way we’re working to do the right thing is by helping to inspire, train and attract the next generation of STEM workers through community engagement, hands-on apprenticeships and our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) efforts.
According to the National Science Foundation, diversity and representation are largely responsible for the 20% increase in women STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professionals from 2011 to 2021.
Sonoco is working to accelerate this progress. To help, we’re elevating four female Sonoco team members from across our businesses in various stages of their careers:
What does being a woman in a STEM industry mean to you?
For me, being a woman in a STEM-related industry means being able to bring a different perspective to an industry that has had little representation in past generations.
As a mechanical engineer in manufacturing, I feel challenged and, at the same time, motivated to bring my ideas to the table when it comes to problem solving and continuous improvement. I’m thankful to work in a place where I feel comfortable sharing my ideas.
How are you working to inspire and pave the way for the future generation of women in STEM?
I work to inspire other women pursuing a STEM career by creating an inclusive and supportive environment at work where they feel empowered to share their minds. I want to break down barriers of inclusion so that the next generation of women in STEM are heard.
What does being a woman in a STEM industry mean to you?
From my point of view, it means sitting at the table and not underestimating your skills in a technical field. By being yourself, leading with empathy and working smart and hard, you can show that success is possible regardless of gender.
How are you working to inspire and pave the way for the future generation of women in STEM?
I try to encourage female employees by being an example and by participating in coaching activities with female engineers.
What does being a woman in a STEM industry mean to you?
Being a woman in STEM means braving some subject matters perceived as being hard. It’s looking some fearful careers in the eye and daring to figure out ways to reconcile them with the poise and grace that women so naturally have.
How are you working to inspire and pave the way for the future generation of women in STEM?
I’m working to take on challenges and make a playbook for the women to come. The KISS—keep it simple silly—method is in full effect!
I want to challenge women to brave what seems hard in hopes of making the future a more gender-neutral place. I know that diversity of thought makes way for some things that seem impossible to become possible
What does being a woman in a STEM industry mean to you?
Simply put, opportunities. While I don’t work directly in a STEM field as a member of HR, it still influences and guides my personal growth and development. Throughout my career at Sonoco, I’ve had the chance to do things like earn my Six Sigma Green Belt, take part in continuous improvement and Safety initiatives, and participate in many packaging and environmental science trainings.
By developing my STEM-based knowledge and skills, I’ve noticed I have widened career options for myself and, more importantly, grown in confidence that I can tackle any challenges set before me.
How are you working to inspire and pave the way for the future generation of women in STEM?
As a member of Sonoco’s Talent Management team, I have the great privilege of partnering with many brilliant employees across our organization and developing critical pieces of our workforce development strategy. Our goal is to provide our already talented and intelligent team with the skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to grow their careers and influence throughout Sonoco, but also within STEM industries at large.
Across our global team of approximately 23,000, we’re working to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. From our hiring process to talent development, we’re committed to doing the right thing by our team members across our 300+ operations worldwide.