You are currently viewing Women Hold 34% of Global Food Manufacturing Jobs

Women Hold 34% of Global Food Manufacturing Jobs

Prime Highlights

  • Women represent 34% of the global food manufacturing workforce, while the meat and poultry sector stands at 32%.
  • Female representation drops significantly at senior levels, with women holding only 6% of CEO roles.

Key Facts

  • Meat Business Women is a global network supporting women across the meat sector.
  • The industry targets 40% female representation by 2035 and requires a yearly increase of 0.6% to meet the goal.

Background

There are currently 34% female workers in the food manufacturing industry, with the meat and poultry industry being the lowest at 32%, according to a new industry report. The research noted improvements in gender parity in the industry, but cautioned for possible future workforce issues as the growth has not been even, with some companies and regions growing more slowly than others.

The report further indicated that there is a lot of disparity among the regions. In the food manufacturing sector and in the meat industry in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 35% and 33% of workers are women, respectively. The numbers were quite low in Australia and New Zealand, too, where women accounted for 31% of workers in the food manufacturing and meat industry.

It further became evident that women still had problems advancing into higher positions. As far as employment in the food manufacturing sector is concerned, 36% of entry-level employees and 35% middle managers are women. However, in senior positions, only 27% of board directors and 6% of CEOs are women.

It was found that disparities persist within organisations. The rate of women in the workforce is 46% at the leading food manufacturing companies, against 26% in the slower organisations. This is also evident in the leadership roles.

Flexibility in the workplace was also highlighted as a significant issue, especially for women between 26 and 45. It said it may impact leadership development and have a long-term impact on talent gaps if there is limited flexibility in the crucial career phases.

The industry is on track to be 40% female by 2035, and would require approximately 0.6% more female employees to join and remain in the workforce annually to attain this target.