Sustainability ambitions need diverse talent

As sustainable transformation continues to shape the manufacturing world, more organizations than ever are acknowledging the need to attract diverse talent.    

 One organization leading the sustainable change is steel manufacturer, Tata Steel. Steel plays a vital role in supporting our society to continue to grow and flourish. In fact, so much of it is produced that ensuring production processes are as sustainable as possible is a huge part of the industry’s efforts to reducing its impact on the environment. 

 It is an imperative that Tata Steel are keen to champion. The company’s Netherlands-based steelmaking plant was recently hailed as a ‘factory of the future’ by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The company’s IJmuiden plant was dubbed a ‘Manufacturing Lighthouse’, showing the Tata Steel’s commitment to aiding the learning and adoption of technologies by other companies.    

 In the second of our Manufacturing the Future video series, Emma McKay, Director of IT Enterprise Architecture at Tata Steel talks about how her company has driven change in the industry – and embraced diverse talent to power that transformation.   

 Attracting new talent during a transformative time 

 Emma, who has worked at Tata Steel for almost 14 years and for several years before that at other manufacturers, strongly believes diversity is vital for organizations to grow and evolve. Having witnessed a lack of diversity in manufacturing for years, she believes we now stand on the brink of exciting changes – and that there couldn’t be a better time to consider adding new talent to the industry.    

 Tata Steel is currently focusing on fully eliminating its CO2 emissions, in keeping with a philosophy to minimize its environmental impact. The company wants to radically change the way it manufactures its products, aiming to eliminate its CO2 emissions by 2050.   

  Creating radical change within the industry requires a new generation of talent to come forward to shake things up and chart a new path towards a green, clean, circular future. “To do that, we need a different perspective. We need a new breed of women solution makers,” says Emma.  

 Entering an era of change offers new possibilities to solve interesting problems, something Emma feels has been one of her highlights from working in the industry. But solving those problems requires strong partnerships and the use of modern technology. In Microsoft, they have a partner who can deliver both, supporting the steel company in its commitment to bring about sustainable transformation.   

“We need a different perspective.  We need a new breed of women solution makers.”  

Diversity means change  

For Emma, creating a green future is also connected to bringing in diverse talent. And as Tata Steel attempts to transform the steel making process in a sustainable way, talented individuals of all ages and genders are invited to be part of that change. “I’m just really excited to be part of that journey,” Emma concludes. “It’s an exciting place to be at this moment in time.”