Best people will leave first without workplace inclusivity, diversity – Solvay CEO

LONDON (ICIS)–Ilham Kadri’s background as a chemist is obvious. Even when thinking about the role of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the chemicals industry, the Solvay CEO is looking at how to create the right conditions and strengthen bonds for the desired reaction.

Image credit Solvay

Kadri has spoken often about putting inclusion ahead of diversity as she says, “if you don’t have inclusivity then diversity will leave you and the best people will leave you first.”

While this is a subject close to her heart, Kadri is not motivated by purely altruistic goals, but because it is better for society and business.

The commercial benefits of D&I are increasingly cited as a reason to encourage and motivate companies to take active steps to create a more blended workforce.

“It adds a richness rather than anything, and I want to bring this to my role. I am not running a charity or an NGO, Solvay is a publicly listed company,” said Kadri.

Similarly, Kadri was not chosen to run the Belgian major because she is a woman, but because she is the best person for the job.

With this in mind it may be a surprise that, as part of the Solvay One Planet Project, the only key performance indicator (KPI) with a deadline beyond 2030 is to achieve gender parity at mid and senior-level management.

“I wish that because you have a woman at the top of the company that the problem is resolved. No, it is not resolved, we are still anecdotes out there, especially in the chemicals industry.”

The fix for this imbalance also has a suitably appropriate solution for the chemicals sector: building a pipeline to enable more women to come through into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Kadri is quick to point out that diversity does not stop at gender, highlighting the importance of intersectionality (the interconnected nature of categorisations such as race, class, and gender) to encourage unity, not uniformity.

The value of having people of different nationalities, ethnicities, sexual orientation, abilities as well as fluid gender identities encourages a wider array of opinions and opens conversations.

“I have seen different management teams with diversity or not who are just thinking alike, and that is not diversity in the room, you need diversity of thought as well.”

Interview article by Morgan Condon

Read a longer interview with Ilham Kadri in this week’s ICIS Chemical Business