Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia has become a founding member of the Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) Alliance, which aims to increase women’s participation in skilled trades from three to 30 per cent by 2030.
EWIT is a not-for-profit organisation, empowering women with the knowledge and skills needed to join manufacturing, construction and renewable energy industries.
EWIT founder and CEO, Hacia Atherton, said having one of the country’s largest beverage manufacturers join as a founding member was excellent.
“CCEP joins a select group of organisations demonstrating their support of a more diverse and inclusive skilled trade workplace, while helping to address the skills shortages that have plagued the manufacturing, construction and renewable energy industries,” Atherton said.
Atherton established the EWIT Alliance to provide organisations, small and large, with the opportunity to support EWIT’s targets.
Bolor Erdenekhuu. (Image: CCEP)
Alliance members will contribute to EWIT initiatives that promote the benefits of a skilled trade to women and girls. These include tool skills days, talent attraction programs, school programs, involvement at expos and conferences, and advocacy activities.
CCEP Australia vice president Customer Service and Supply Chain, Linda Leo, said the company was focused on improving its overall gender composition, particularly in male dominated professions within the business; and to support improved gender composition across the manufacturing sector more broadly.
“Becoming a founding member of the EWIT Alliance builds on our existing relationship with EWIT, whose targets closely align with our own goals, and we look forward to partnering together to champion diversity initiatives that contribute to the advancement of women in skilled trades,” Leo said.
CCEP Quality Assurance team member, Bolor Erdenekhuu, is an example of the work being undertaken by EWIT to promote the benefits of a skilled trade to women.
“I am a tangible example of how programs like EWIT can effectively support women entering skilled trades, particularly in male dominated industries like manufacturing. EWIT not only provide technical skills but also build confidence and open pathways for women in industries where they are traditionally underrepresented.
“My transition from the production line to a key role within CCEP’s Quality Assurance team demonstrates that women, when given the right tools and support, can thrive in skilled trades and contribute significantly to business operations.
“Programs like EWIT not only benefit individual participants but help businesses address skills shortages and improve workforce diversity.”
Leo said within CCEP’s ‘This is Forward’ global sustainability plan is a key pillar to champion inclusion, challenge inequality and support economic mobility. Focus areas include continuing to improve the company’s overall gender composition and supporting the development of women in the business.
CCEP has 2030 targets for one third of its workforce to be women and 45 per cent of management positions to be held by women.
