IWD 2024: Bakkavor kick-starts local projects across its sites

As the nation takes a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, Bakkavor is kick-starting a number of projects across its sites for International Women’s Day which will continue throughout March.

Some of the local site initiatives include:

Holbeach
Bakkavor places huge importance on women in STEM, supporting and encouraging female colleagues to push their boundaries and get involved in learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Bakkavor Pizza in Holbeach is launching its Apprenticeship Programme, hosting networking days with apprentices, Bakkavor alumni and graduates to inspire female talent to pursue careers in the field.

Hollie, engineering apprentice at Bakkavor added: “Everyone is extremely supportive. I have been given a lot of opportunities, and the amount of knew knowledge I’m learning at work and college is vast. I would highly recommend an Apprenticeship with Bakkavor, whether it’s in Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance or any other programme we offer. In my experience, Bakkavor supports and looks after its apprentices. You only need to ask for help and the Early Careers team will do all they can. If you’re a woman who wants to become an engineer, but you’re concerned about the industry being male dominated – just go for it! More and more women are coming into the role, and if you join us, you’ll be able to help us show everyone that women can do it too.”

Bo’ness
As the site celebrates Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Bakkavor in Bo’ness is encouraging women to apply to their award-winning Apprenticeship Programme, celebrating female talent and highlighting the vast expanse of opportunities available within the workforce.

The Bo’ness site has also recently opened its menopause café, for women experiencing symptoms to take breaks and provide a quiet, comfortable space.

Spalding
Bakkavor Meals at Spalding has joined The Grocer (grocery industry publication) in celebrate its top 10 women in own-label food. Sadie Woodhouse from Spalding is the only representative from the food manufacturing sector to make the list. Sadie is the general manager at Bakkavor Spalding and has previously worked for Bakkavor In various leadership roles In the UK and the USA.

Bourne
The team at Bourne Salads have struck up a partnership with local GPs to ensure all colleagues know they have access to NHS healthcare. A number of women’s health and wellbeing events will the run in the month ahead, with a special focus on a menopause awareness project and the support that is available to all female colleagues.

During the month, the site will also celebrate the remarkable community work of one of Bakkavor’s community heroes, Carla Collick, who has achieved 35-years of long service with the company and lead’s the local team’s work with food donations in the community and support for food banks and schools.

Crewe
The staff at Bakkavor Bread in Crewe are taking part in a site-wide ‘Knowledge Bingo’ game. Throughout the month of March, colleagues will play women’s history month bingo to learn more about their female colleagues – the roles they play in the community, their work with charities, their qualifications, and personal achievements.

The aim of this project is to bring to the fore and celebrate the success of female colleagues as role models – and there will be a giant #InspiredBy wall on site, where the many successes and leadership skills of female team members can be celebrated and used as a platform to inspire others.

Donna-Maria Lee, chief people officer at Bakkavor comments: “On behalf of the management team, Bakkavor is delighted to see such a range of grass-roots activities launching across our sites to celebrate International Women’s Day. Inclusion, equity and diversity is such an important issue for us, we will be running women’s events all month across our sites. We are serious about supporting female wellbeing, career opportunities and investing in people development. As the UK’s leading food manufacturer, we are making great progress to improve the gender balance at Bakkavor and there is still more we want to achieve. Our events for this coming month will support our aims to be a best-in-class, inclusive employer.”

Colleagues are wearing purple on 8 March as part of the Day’s celebrations, and throughout the month Bakkavor is focusing on this year’s International Women’s Day theme of #InspireInclusion, sharing career stories and supporting female wellbeing.

Bakkavor has also made an intentional and long-term commitment to improve female representation in its leadership roles and graduate and apprenticeship roles, encouraging more women to venture into the industry.

It also has a female mentoring programme whereby women have access to role models and individual support from a more senior female or male colleague making breakthrough changes within Bakkavor. By creating a connection with a more senior colleagues within the organisation, Bakkavor aims to shed light on the possibilities that exist in ways that training courses or management development programmes cannot do.

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