JLG sends all-female delegation to IPAF Summit and IAPA

JLG Industries Inc is sending an all-female delegation to the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) Summit and IAPA on 19-20 April to highlight its support of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) in the workplace.

Led by Tjitske Van Hellemond (managing director commercial EMEAI, the Netherlands), the eight-strong multinational delegation includes a keynote speaker for the event, Jay Iyengar (executive vice president and chief technology and strategic sourcing officer, USA).

They are joined by Emma McTague (global chief human resources officer, USA), Neha Mittal (Sr manager GPSC EMEAI, the Netherlands), Susanne Landstorfer (event planning and marketing at Hinowa SPA, Italy), Ute Schnalzger (senior sales manager rental, Germany), Claire Pearson (sales director UK & Ireland) and Francesca Gorini (service manager, Italy).

“We believe that sending an all-female delegation is a powerful way to draw attention to the important themes of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” says Tjitske Van Hellemond. “We wanted to send a message that we’re not only celebrating the growing number of women in the access industry, but also sharing our goal to create a more inclusive workplace.”

JLG EMEAI has made significant strides towards a more inclusive workplace. Its leadership team has a male-female ratio of 55-45% – thanks to the influence of general manager Karel Huijser, a strong DEI&B advocate. The company now aims to achieve a similar ratio in the commercial parts of the organisation.

“We intend to build a more diverse workforce through recruitment, supporting the development of diverse talent, and promoting a people first culture, where all employees feel empowered to take on new challenges and opportunities,” says Huijser.

As a result of these efforts, women now account for 27% of senior regional positions within JLG EMEAI. “Although there is still some way to go, we are motivated by our progress so far and will continue to lead by example. By sending an all-female delegation to the IAPA in Berlin, we also hope to inspire other companies in the industry” adds Van Hellemond.