Across the business world, there’s a growing sense of unease about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Recent political developments, such as Donald Trump’s orders to shut down or backtrack on DEI programmes, are reverberating around the globe and making their mark – including in our own food industry.
Meat Business Women has just run a sentiment survey on gender representation to better understand the views of individuals working in the meat and food supply chain across the UK, Ireland and Australia.
The findings suggest many women are watching developments in the US with unease and worry about the impact on their own career.
Some 58% told us they are concerned about the future of gender balance in the food industry, while 41% worry that momentum on current gender balance commitments could be lost. Others have also started to question their own employers’ commitment to diversity and inclusion, with 25% saying they don’t feel confident that their organisation’s gender inclusion efforts are backed by real action.
Equality in the UK
This should be a wakeup call for UK food industry leaders. It may be tempting to think of Trump’s orders as a US-specific issue, but that’s not how many women in our industry see it. Although UK equality law makes it harder for employers to roll back on DEI policies, women are seeing a rapidly shifting landscape across the pond and feeling very nervous indeed.
And with good reason. Even before the current backlash against DEI, progress on gender balance in the food industry was at risk of stalling. According to Meat Business Women’s latest global gender representation report, women now make up 33.5% of the meat industry workforce, down from 36% in 2020, with only 8% of c-suite roles held by women.
We know this gap in female representation, particularly at leadership levels, comes at a high price. Companies that lack diverse teams miss out on stronger financial performance, broader perspectives, and the opportunity to better reflect and serve their customer base.
They also find it harder to attract and retain the best talent. In the face of economic challenge and ongoing labour shortages, the industry needs people to feel excited about their opportunities in food. Yet nearly 40% of women feel like their career prospects have stalled.
Supporting women
Turning the tide won’t be easy – especially with DEI so publicly under attack – but there are practical steps companies can take.
To do this, think pragmatism over PR. Our research suggests women want to see progress in the areas that matter to them: investment in leadership development specifically for women (mentioned by 53% of our respondents), increasing representation of women at senior levels (48%), improving flexible working and practical support (46%), and being more transparent about gender data and progress (38%).
These aren’t radical asks. And, indeed, many organisations in our sector are already making real progress in these areas by becoming signatories on the newly launched Food Business Charter, which commits businesses to take measurable actions to attract, retain and support female talent whilst reporting on their progress publicly.
Allyship is also crucial. While women have often led the way in driving inclusion and equality, lasting change depends on everyone playing their part. That means women and men working together to build more inclusive workplaces. Encouragingly, we’re already seeing strong examples of this in action. But there’s still more to do. Being an effective ally means taking everyday, practical steps such as challenging bias, supporting inclusive behaviours, and sponsoring and mentoring women to help them progress.
Above all, leaders need to show they remain committed to inclusion. Now is the time to let women in our industry know that gender balance is a priority, regardless of political pressures on either side of the pond.
Laura Ryan, global chair at Meat Business Women
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