This insight comes from Berenice Vettore, Global Quality Director at The Estee Lauder Companies, who shared it in a recent interview. According to Vettore, new technologies necessitate different operational processes and models, leading to a demand for new skills. She views this as a "great opportunity" for women to assert their role and advance their careers in supply chain, a field traditionally considered male-dominated.

Berenice Vettore, quality director at Estee Lauder Group. Photo: Supply Chain Dive

Berenice Vettore, quality director at Estee Lauder Group. Photo: Supply Chain Dive

Vettore currently oversees all global quality operations for Estee Lauder, frequently collaborating with factories in numerous countries. Previously, she held leadership positions in quality and supply chain safety at Danone and Unilever.

According to internal statistics, women constitute 50% of Estee Lauder's global supply chain workforce, 65% of its quality personnel, and 60% of positions from vice president upwards. Vettore asserts that gender diversity extends beyond equality, providing businesses with diverse perspectives, approaches, and problem-solving capabilities.

As a proponent of women's roles in the industry, Vettore sponsors Estee Lauder's "Women in Supply Chain" employee network. This group has been active for over 10 years, growing from an initial 10 members to over 1,000, spanning 31 offices and 13 manufacturing and distribution sites globally.

Trained as an engineer, Vettore stated she chose supply chain due to her desire to work closely with products and manufacturing plants. At 25 years old, she managed a factory in Brazil with over 1,000 employees.

While acknowledging that previous training environments were male-biased, she believes the situation is gradually changing as increasing numbers of women pursue engineering and management fields. "When there are more women in universities, career opportunities also expand", she said.

According to Vettore, AI and digital technology will continue to create profound transformations in supply chains, compelling all workers, male or female, to continuously learn and enhance their capabilities. This rapid change makes supply chain an attractive field, rich in opportunities, and suitable for women seeking long-term career development.

By The Dan (according to Supply Chain Dive)