Artificial intelligence and other developing technologies are introducing new processes and operating models, creating opportunities for women to advance within the supply chain sphere, according to Berenice Vettore, global chief quality officer at The Estée Lauder Cos.
Vettore currently oversees quality operations at The Estée Lauder Cos., including traveling to manufacturing sites across the globe, building on her years of global supply chain experience in quality and safety leadership roles at Danone and Unilever.
Vettore is passionate about supporting women in the supply chain, noting that Estée Lauder ‘s Women in Supply Chain employee resource group, for which she is a sponsor, has been active for more than a decade.
The group, which initially started with 10 women working in manufacturing and distribution gathering for weekly meetings to share their challenges and experiences, has grown considerably. Now, more than 1,000 members are a part of the community, spanning 31 company offices and 13 manufacturing and distribution sites around the globe.
Vettore said that sometimes efforts that may start small can still have a huge impact to motivate and inspire, providing a critical resource for career building.
Finding more career options
Vettore, who is an engineer by training, was attracted to the supply chain industry because she wanted to be close to products and the factories where they are made, she told Supply Chain Dive.
“I started my career being a trainee, and I worked at basically four companies in different roles, but always in supply chain,” Vettore said. “So, my ambition to be in the factory — to be close to where the things are made — was already from the beginning.”
Vettore began working in manufacturing early in her professional career, even leading a factory in Brazil with more than 1,000 employees at age 25.
However, while at university, she found a lot of the courses were geared toward men — in fact, a majority of her friends in the field were men. However, this reality is changing and evolving, especially as more women attend university, she said.
“So, [the] more women you have in universities, then you have more options,” she said.
While she will always hire the “best one in the field,” Vettore emphasized that representation is important. She further noted that increasing gender diversity can provide a company with different ways of thinking and problem solving.
Technology builds opportunities
As the playing field further evens across genders, the rise of artificial intelligence is also bringing a deep transformation to the supply chain sector, Vettore said.
“So this combination of technology and AI is going to bring new processes, new operating models that will require different skills and every employee — man or woman, every professional — will need to learn, need to advance,” she said, labeling this “a huge opportunity for women” eager to grow in the field.
The wide and diverse opportunities of the current supply chain management field is a major reason Vettore believes more women should pursue a career in the sector.
She further noted that a supply chain career can feature varied job functions, such as manufacturing and demand planning. Frequent and fast-paced changes in the industry also provide a unique learning environment.
“Every time there is something happening in the world, there is something that the supply chain needs to adjust and adapt to,” she said.
