This October SLS was delighted to welcome the 2022 cohort of the Sims Limited Women Leading @Sims program to the Nashville Circular Center. Women Leading @Sims is a key initiative to support emerging female leaders from all the Sims business units, including Sims Limited, Sims Metal and Sims Resource Renewal.
Commitment to Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) is a strategic priority for Sims. One of the foundations for being a sustainable company is providing an inclusive work environment. Sims recognizes that employees are our greatest asset, we want to keep them empowered and engaged, thus ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to contribute, advance on merit and realize their full potential.
SLS Global President Ingrid Sinclair co-created the program and acts as the executive sponsor, along with Brad Baker, Global chief human resources officer. It provides participants with peer learning experiences and support based on core development themes identified by participants.
A fundamental part of the Women Leading @Sims program is creating opportunities to cross train leaders across different divisions. SLS welcomed the 2022 cohort to the Nashville Circular Centers to discover more about our data center and IT asset disposition business.
After a strategy discovery session with the SLS Executive Leadership Team the group toured the SLS Circular Centers. Previous program participant, Crystal Pernell, global strategic operations director for SLS, led a tour of our most advanced data center repurposing facility and demonstrated recent advances in robotics and automation.
Women Leading @Sims also provides participants with opportunities for conversation and networking with Sims business leaders. In Nashville participants spent time with Group Chief Financial Officer, Stephen Mickelson, in an open Q&A discussion. Later, the group spent the evening with the Sims Limited and SLS executive leadership teams, visiting a local site for informal networking.
Developing Women Leading @Sims contributes to our employees’ success and to the success of the business. Research shows that women leaders have unique development needs and this program was created to address them. Companies with women in at least 50% of senior operating roles, on average, show a 19% higher return on equity. And the most gender diverse companies are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their industry peers.
“I am proud to be part of a company that appreciates the importance of a diversity of perspectives. This core value drives our success and strengthens our relationship with our employees, communities, customers and shareholders.” Ingrid Sinclair, global president SLS