In 2021, BPW Lake Geneva embarked upon its first corporate partnership agreement, with PPG and in 2022, ADM joined the partnership fold. Both companies have a global footprint but with offices on our doorstep in Rolle. Together, we all share a strong commitment to a female-focused agenda and actions aimed at advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. There are many mutual benefits in forging these new corporate partnerships in the community, including a joint dedication to female leader development and the growth of professional women.
Founded in 1883 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, today, PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials with 47,000 employees worldwide. PPG’s purpose is to protect and beautify the world, viewing each day as an opportunity to make a difference in communities, partner with our customers and drive growth for their business. One of PPG's greatest strengths is the diversity of the people in the organization.
Launched in 2001 as the Women’s Leadership Council, the WLN is PPG’s longest-standing ERN. For over 20 years, the WLN has supported a vision in which PPG is recognized as a workplace where women can achieve their full potential. Claire Sherwood, who leads the Swiss PPG WLN collaboration with BPW Lake Geneva says, "As we look to the next 20 years, with increased organizational support and resources, we are now daring to dream bigger as we imagine what’s possible for women at PPG. The Swiss PPG WLN is proud to partner with BPW Lake Geneva in our shared objectives to inspire, equip and advance women.
Here are some PPG highlights 2021:
15,000+ global participants in employee resource network (ERN) events in 2021
46,000+ people managers and employees trained on unconscious bias across the organization since 2020
20MM committed by 2025 to advance racial equity
ADM is a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. The organization has as its purpose to unlock the power of nature and transform crops into ingredients and solutions for foods, beverages and supplements for people and for animal nutrition, all around the world. ADM’s office in Rolle acts as the regional headquarters for Europe, Middle East and Africa. The 215+ colleagues from over 30 countries cover ADM’s extensive business from commodity trading and global freight services, to providing sustainable solutions to both human and animal nutrition customers, in addition to the corporate functions for the region. ADM’s efforts to empower and enable women’s leadership is well aligned with the objectives of the BPW Lake Geneva.
Mayka Van Acht, VP HR EMEA, will spearhead the collaboration with BPW Lake Geneva on behalf of ADM. Mayka reports “ADM is proud to be a partner of BPW Lake Geneva and we hope to further advance the participation of women in the workplace and other spheres of society together.”
Here are some of the most recent DE&I highlights from ADM:
For PPG - Claire Sherwoood: Claire is joined by four of her PPG colleagues and all five will be Individual Corporate Members of our Club. Claire is also a Member of the BPW lake Geneva Board.
For ADM – Mayka van Acht: Mayka is joined by five of her ADM colleagues and these five will be Individual Corporate Members of our Club. Mayka retains her individual membership of BPW Lake Geneva.
For BPW Lake Geneva - Board Member, Maria de la Hera, works closely with Claire and Mayka to ensure we can make the most of this wonderful opportunity.