Evolving industries: what keeps business leaders awake at night?

How does the procurement industry fare in gender equality and diversity? Katie Kenward from Michael Page Procurement and Supply Chain, spoke to a number of women working in procurement to discuss their careers and whether or not being a woman had any impact on their progression. 

How did you get into procurement?

I ask this question to everyone I speak to. More often than not, the answer resonates something like ‘I fell into it’, ‘purely by accident’, or depending on the sense of humour at the time – ‘I ask myself that question’. However, one woman I spoke to had a different message, highlighting how she was inspired by a female relative who worked in procurement which led her to explore a career path that she may not have otherwise. She felt that by having a role model and an insight into the industry, she was perhaps more willing to dive into procurement than those who aren’t exposed to the opportunity.
We have been seeing significant increases of women in junior procurement positions following on from graduate schemes. These programmes allow recent graduates to explore not just one discipline but get exposure to a range of sectors before committing to one they feel best suit their skill sets. This is a positive step to increasing the demographic of women within the industry, however where the big disparity lies is in the more senior levels.

Where have you felt being a woman has impacted your profession?

The feedback from this question was overwhelmingly positive! The majority of participants saw their gender as something that has had, if anything, a positive impact on their ability to perform in roles within procurement. Whether it be interpersonally at a management level or liaising with suppliers, the majority didn’t believe that being a woman has in any way been detrimental to their career, and may have actually enhanced it. Although this was amazing to hear, and really highlighted procurement as a progressive industry, there were still some cases which tainted the perception. 
Some women expressed concern about the lack of development for women after management level and that it is at this point where we begin to see a disparity in statistics. In a report released by SCM, a poll of universities found that 37% of those studying supply chain courses are women, however at CPO career level this static falls to around just 15%. More than 50% of the women I spoke to mentioned their experiences at conferences where amongst over 100 speakers, less than 10% of those were women.  

In what way is the representation of women in procurement impacting the future drive?

One woman spoke of how she struggled in the first few years of her career as there weren’t any successful women in positions above her that she could strive to be like. Within the industry there is a correlation between the demographic of women at operational level to the amount of women in leadership roles. This means that there are already companies with a high demographic of women in procurement, including senior leadership roles, which is as a result encouraging younger women to get into procurement earlier in their career. However it also means that there are some companies which haven’t yet reached a position where there is a role model for women within their procurement department and this is having a negative impact downwards. What was made clear through the interviews was that each industry is different and everyone has had unique experiences which are dependent on more than just the company but also the people inside them. 
Specialising in private sector recruitment we see a significant proportion of female leadership in aviation and leisure, whereas in construction and healthcare represent a much lower percentage. Equally there is an emerging trend in the market whereby men in senior positions are looking to diversify their teams by recruiting at the buyer level. As with any structure, the foundations are key to establishing stability and this is also fitting within the procurement industry. The need to diversify teams should be something that is more than just an HR recruitment guideline, but should instead be a fundamental goal amongst the organisation’s senior management. 

If you could give any advice to women entering the profession what would it be?

The answer to this question was unanimous – go for it! Drive for the next level, don’t be overly cautious, take risks, and most importantly always ensure that you are working to the best of your ability. This advice is not specifically for procurement, but something to be considered across any industry where there is still a significant fight to be had for gender equality. 
Through these discussions, it has become clear that for women in procurement there is a strong drive to continue progression at all levels. Although there is still some disparity at the higher end of the hierarchy, this is in no way an impossible goal and we can only look forward to seeing more women building their careers within procurement.
If you are interested in exploring your options in procurement and supply chain or would like to discuss any of the opportunities we have available please get in touch today. 
Katie Kenward
T: +44 207 269 2374