Sponsor spotlight Interview
An interview with:
Nicole Zube, Senior Director, HR – European Talent & Diversity
Kellogg
Can you tell us a bit about your organisation and your role?
Kellogg is a fabulous company and I’m honoured to be an HR leader in the number one most trusted food and drink brand in the UK and the 2nd most reputable food and drink brand in Europe.
Many people don’t know that we’re more than just a cereal company, we are transforming our European business to be a more dynamic, agenda setting European food company. These are exciting times for us!
We operate in more than 180 countries, across six continents, with more than 30,000 employees and we are extremely proud. Our portfolio of over 1,600 food products include iconic brands such as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Kellogg’s Special K, Pringles, and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut.
I joined Kellogg in 2012 and have held a progression of HR Director assignments across Sales, Finance, and Corporate Affairs focused both regionally and globally within the business. I am from the US and on an expat assignment in the UK and my current role is to lead and execute our Talent and Diversity & Inclusion practices across Europe. Across our European region, my role is vital in ensuring we have the right people in the right place with the right skills to support our future strategy.
In September, I will be transitioning to a new role leading HR for the European Supply Chain across 14 manufacturing and distribution centres and over 6000 employees, which will be an exciting step in gaining additional career experiences and expand my leadership influence.
Why is diversity, and specifically the advancement of women, so important to your organisation?
As a mom of three young children, I am passionate about helping all women reach their full potential. I want to help them understand it’s possible to realise their career goals at Kellogg and to support them along the way.
We believe that diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing and a competitive advantage for our business. In my role, I have the unique opportunity to foster an inclusive, diverse and dynamic workplace where all of our people are inspired to be their best selves.
Women of Kellogg (WOK), our global female focused employee resource group, has a mission – to empower our female employees, through education, conversation and opportunity, and engage men to advocate for gender equity. While I was based in the US, I was on the WOK leadership team for North America and am excited to be part of making it more vibrant and active in Europe.
I also had the pleasure of being involved in another external network called the Network of Executive women (NEW) whose mission is to advance women, grow business and transform our workplaces through the power of our community. I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to life with the support of the LEAD network to our European business.
Which diversity initiatives do you have in your organisation?
Our key diversity initiatives in Europe revolve around building and developing a more diverse organisation and ensuring our workplace has an inclusive environment.
Another key initiative we have committed to as an organization to have 50/50 gender parity by 2025. We are already making progress with over 43% of female leaders at management & executive levels in Europe.
All our People Leaders have a specific performance goal focused on developing talent and driving engagement within their teams. Part of this is to develop diverse talent as successors to their roles. They are also held accountable for fostering inclusive teams, this is a key component of our Talent Philosophy.
We also have unconscious bias training embedded in our leadership training programmes to promote and develop inclusive leadership behaviours.
What role does LEAD Network play in reaching your organisation’s diversity goals?
LEAD’s mission to attract, retain and advance women in the retail and consumer goods industry in Europe is a perfect match with our gender diversity ambition. Through the network’ education, leadership, and business development focus, it will help us retain our key talent so our workforce is truly reflective of the consumers we serve.
As an influential external network, LEAD allows us to benchmark our practices with other industry leaders, share best practices and learn from each other.
What would you like your employees to take away from the LEAD Network?
In my own experience, networks such as LEAD are pivotal for developing female talent. Firstly, they give women access to truly inspirational females who have rocked their careers whilst also balancing family/home life. Secondly, they provide an all-important “external perspective” and the opportunity for LEAD members to keep up with industry trends, which is becoming increasingly important in driving excellence. Finally, the reach of the network makes it possible to enjoy making new contacts and gain the confidence that comes with putting yourself out there externally.
Our relationship with LEAD is a confirmation of our commitment to develop our workforce diversity and I encourage our employees to take part in this fantastic network.
