Women at SABIC

In line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, countries and organizations around the world have pledged to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.” These goals recognize that science and gender equality are vital for the achievement of international development. However, many industries, including the global chemicals industry, have a lot of work to do when it comes to reaching gender parity. 

In March 2022, International Women’s Day highlighted the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” – in recognition of women as powerful leaders and change-makers on key issues such as climate change and other sustainability challenges.

SABIC is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining the very best talent to help us realize our  vision of being the world’s preferred supplier of chemicals. As we look to the future, we know that the world is more inclusive than ever, and that change starts with our actions.

THE FUTURE OF WORK 

Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) – both as a subject area and career fields - are fiercely underrepresented, and the chemical industry is not exempt from this. A vital preliminary point for diversity in the chemical industry is education, and, while the numbers of women enrolled in STEM subjects are increasing, there is great room for growth. United Nations 2 data reveals that global women enrolment in the STEM fields is particularly low, with just three per cent of students joining information and communication technology (ICT) courses across the globe identifying as women. These figures improve slightly, with a five per cent enrolment in mathematics and statistics courses and eight per cent in engineering, manufacturing, and construction. Now, more than ever, there's a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity.

SABIC is working to address this education inequality. In 2021, for example, SABIC announced its participation in the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), the chemical industry’s collaborative diversity, equity and inclusion initiative aimed at creating pathways for underrepresented groups to succeed in STEM careers. With an investment of $500,000, SABIC aims to sponsor 10 young scholars over the next two years.

In 2019, SABIC also launched its Scholarship Program for Saudi to include women high school graduates, who now make up 30 per cent of the program’s recipients. This commitment to education is critical to ensuring that future women graduates are empowered to pursue higher education and career opportunities in their chosen fields. 

Meanwhile, through our SABIC Young Professionals program, we offer an internal communications platform to understand the aspirations and experiences of our young employees, and to guide them to career-development programs that best meet their needs and goals. Continuous learning is a key to success at SABIC as we constantly expand our knowledge, ideas, and capabilities; as individuals and as a business, we can only continue to learn as long as we continue to grow. 

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY 

In the United States, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production (STEP) Women’s Initiative is a marquee program created by the Manufacturing Institute to close the gender gap in manufacturing. The initiative works to build networks and opportunities for skills development for women, in addition to identifying and elevating role models who can inspire the next generation of leaders. In 2020, three SABIC employees were recognized as STEP Ahead Honourees for their exemplary leadership in manufacturing. We are immensely proud of these women who embody inspiration for a younger generation. 

SABIC actively supports women throughout the entirety of their careers, from offering the SABIC Scholarship Program to Saudi women high school graduates, to fostering young leaders through the SABIC Young Leadership Council (SYLC) – an initiative created to harness the diverse skills, expertise, and perspectives in our workforce. Now in its fourth year, the SABIC Young Leadership Council continues to help talented and passionate employees accelerate their own development by joining critical projects or new initiatives. Participants work with the CEO and Executive Leadership team to develop fresh new ideas that help shape the future of the workplace and cultivate an inclusive forward-looking company.

Another initiative that supports women at SABIC is the SABIC Women’s Network (SWN), which relaunched in 2021 as “SHE”. Its vision is to make SABIC the preferred brand for women working in the chemicals industry. SHE empowers women as leaders and helps them achieve their aspirations by building visibility, capability, and a sense of community. The initiative facilitates women’s career development in every region we operate in, providing chances for women to engage with senior colleagues and enhance their professional exposure. 

VISION 2030 

In 2020, The World Bank report “Women, Business, and the Law 2020” recognized Saudi Arabia as the top reformer globally for its commitment to realizing Saudi Vision 2030. As part of a key NUSANED™ pillar, more than 11,340 jobs were created in 2023. Of these, more than 3,955 jobs were for women. 

As part of SABIC’s commitment to Vision 2030, we continue to be a strong contributor to national growth and economic vitality and are working to develop the national workforce—with a particular focus on women and young people—through education and skills initiatives that grow the talent pipeline and prepare Saudis for exciting job opportunities at SABIC.

Also aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to increase women’s participation in the labor market is our partnership in the Qiyadat Global-Georgetown Women’s Leadership Program, which aims to empower Saudi women in the labor market. In collaboration with leading international experts, the program seeks to enhance skills and competencies, helping women occupy more leadership roles across various sectors. In 2021, over 200 graduates of the program’s first batch, 20 which were from SABIC, attended an honoring ceremony in Riyadh.

At SABIC, we have built an environment where employees have equal opportunity to learn, advance, and benefit from a challenging career. As we challenge our industry to change, we must continue to deliver opportunities to engage and empower a diverse workforce, and create a more inclusive future.

 

_{1 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9}

_{2 United Nations. International Day of Women and Girls in Science. https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day/}