On the occasion of International Women’s Day, newspaper LAS PROVINCIAS has interviewed our directors. Currently, the Stoller Europe Management Committee consists of five directors, two of whom are women. They are:
Sara López, People Director at Stoller Europe and member of the Stoller Group Global People Committee. Graduated in Psychology, Master’s in Strategic Management of Human Resources and in possession of several certifications in project management and agile methodologies. University collaborator, giving sessions in master’s degrees, postgraduate degrees and specialized seminars in people management and development.
Sara leads the People area team at Stoller Europe and coordinates HR policy alignment in the EMEA Region. Her main function is to align the company’s strategy with the people management model.
Senti Bernabeu, Communications Director at Stoller Europe and member of the Stoller Group Global Communication Committee. Degree in Business Administration and Management, Master’s in Marketing Management and Business Communication, Master’s in Advertising Management and Public Relations.
Senti leads a team of six people and is responsible for the design, implementation and control of the company’s Comprehensive Communication Strategic Plan, addressing the following areas: corporate, external, internal communication, CSR, PR and crisis management and is a University Expert in Protocol and Ceremonial.
In addition, Senti is vice-president of the Circle of Directors of Alicante and treasurer of the Association of Communication Directors, Dircom, Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia.
What does it mean to you to be an empowered woman?
SL: Being a woman who makes decisions, takes over the rudder of her life, makes mistakes and redefines her path, fights and, although she sometimes feels afraid, looks forward with the security that comes from being a good person and professional who has not regret of her past and feels in control of her present and her future.
SB: For me, an empowered woman is one who is clear about her purpose in life, pursues it and fulfills it, in such a way that she feels fully fulfilled both personally and professionally. I have achieved my current position based on discipline, perseverance, effort and a lot of work. Although it is true that, at some point, we all need a person who gives us the opportunity to use our skills and abilities at the service of a project and that these are recognized for the results achieved or for the value provided.
What has being a woman contributed to your vision of the company?
SL: I find it hard to put a gender label on vision. Beyond women and men, I believe that in companies there are good professionals, with integrity, who in their day-to-day work to understand in order to be understood and with the appropriate skills and knowledge to guide the company.
SB: I believe that it is enriching and necessary to share different points of view between men and women, experts in different subjects, to have a more complete vision of reality. This allows us to generate a collective intelligence that leads us to make the most appropriate decisions and enables us to give a better response to complex and new problems that an increasingly changing environment poses.
In your company, what equality policies are applied?
Stoller has had an Equality Committee for more than a year, before we had the legal obligation to establish it, since our commitment to equality resides in our DNA and in our People and Integrity values. We are currently working on the following main lines: recruitment, hiring, remuneration, training and professional development policies free of discrimination, tools that facilitate conciliation such as the possibility of choosing between different types of permits or continuous shifts with flexible hours, and the possibility of reporting any type of situation that our people may identify as harassment or discrimination with the guarantee that it will be anonymous and will lead to an exhaustive investigation.
What does female talent bring to your company?
SL: Bearing in mind that 40% of our team are women and 60% men, in a masculinized sector such as agriculture, in which it is rare to find female proportions above 30%, and that Stoller Europe is growing sustained for the last 8 years, what we can conclude is that they are part of the brain and the muscle that makes us bigger and better every year.
SB: Female talent, just like male talent, adds value to the company and is essential to continue growing and evolving as a company.
Now that is showing signs of recovery, what can women contribute to this post-pandemic world?
SL: If there is an adjective that can be associated with a woman, it is perseverance and for this reason, since the 19th century when we began to work outside the home environment, we have adopted positions of high strategic impact in the business network. During the pandemic, we followed that path and I think that post-pandemic we will continue that direction towards the moment when we can talk about competition and talent without it bearing a gender surname.
SB: In a world that needs to get out of a health, economic and social crisis, women can bring skills such as active listening, communication, creativity, organization, empathy, collaboration, critical thinking and resilience. Key skills to manage teams, motivate them and involve them in the business project, because let’s not forget that organizations are formed by people and they are the true heart, soul and muscle of any company.