05 Dec Creating positive role models is an important step in achieving gender equality

Glenn Griggs, Ricoh UK’s CEO & Sponsor for Gender Diversity introduces our Women in Sales Awards nominees ahead of the final awards ceremony and discusses how events like these help raise awareness of inclusivity in the workplace.

Ricoh UK was delighted to have five of our female salespeople shortlisted at the Women in Sales Awards, together with 15 nominees from Ricoh Europe. Nominating our people for WISA awards helps us do two important things: 1) Recognise and congratulate a job well done 2) Challenge the idea of what success looks like in an industry that may have previously displayed inequalities.

Events like WISA are crucial to bringing more women into the industry, giving a platform to women succeeding in roles that have traditionally been favoured by men. It brings a greater awareness of the need for gender diversity in sales and across all areas of business, as well as help grow the pipeline of sales talent. 

Creating role models

In the world of work, ‘you have to be able to see it, to be it’. We take part in WISA to show women searching for a career that technology isn’t just reserved for one type of person, background or personality. Success doesn’t have to look a certain way.

Internally, it also helps us identify and nurture ambassadors for gender diversity that can champion the progression of women and other minority groups within our organisation. Having buy-in from everyone is critical to achieving an inclusive working environment. And for us, gender diversity isn’t about fulfilling a quota. Having these conversations makes good moral sense and good business sense – we can only meet our customers’ complex needs by employing diverse people with diverse skills and experiences. 

Our 2021 WISA finalists

In the interest of giving a platform to our brilliant nominees, I wanted to share some of their thoughts, feelings and insights on their award nominations. If you’re inspired by their words and want to hear more about a career with Ricoh, get in touch with us. 

Our goal is to enable our people to feel fulfilled, achieve their ambitions and bring their whole selves to the workplace. We’ll be releasing more details of the inclusivity and diversity programmes we’re leading with in 2022, soon. 

Katie Huggon – International Account Manager & 2021 Finalist – Digital Sales 

‘’To be recognised by senior management for the Women In Sales Awards in Europe this year, is to me, a great achievement in itself. I am humbled and honoured to have made the finals in the digital sales category. 

I came into Ricoh UK as an International Business Graduate nearing 7 years ago and I feel my confidence and knowledge in the sales field has continued to grow. I believe my recognition within the awards is just the start of my journey within Ricoh and I am very excited to see where my hard work can take me in the next couple of years within the International Team.’’

Wendy Bendix – Inside Sales Team Leader (Office Service)  & 2021 Finalist – Inside Sales

“I was elated to hear that I had been nominated amongst my female peers, let alone making it to the next step by being selected as a finalist within my category. I have always been grateful for the internal recognition Ricoh UK Ltd has given me over the past six years, but this is a massive milestone that has without a shadow of a doubt confirmed to me that the more I have put into others the more rewarding the experience is for me. I wanted to create a personal brand that my customers, team, peers, colleagues and management could trust and depend on and knowing that they will all celebrate this success with me makes me extremely proud.

Working in sales has taught me that I can overcome any challenge and be a powerful force in this extremely demanding industry. My focus has always been on coaching my team to peak performance but in a nurturing and positive way, we play to our strengths and support and care for each other during these difficult and challenging times.

The key to my success has been to watch and learn and grow as a person and take my team members on their own journeys of self-discovery. I am competitive but recognise that my potential can only be reached if I compete with integrity, compassion and a positive attitude towards everything I do. I am human and there have been moments when I have wanted to throw the towel in but the women in my leadership team are always there to catch me. They show their faith in me, allow me to vent, make me laugh, put me back on track and that towel is soon back on its hook where it belongs.

I am truly thankful to the women leading the way in Ricoh and I’m honoured to be representing them and my company.”

Helen Biggins – SCA Client Director & 2021 Finalist – Field Sales 

“I am truly honoured to even be nominated, it is amazing to be recognised for all the hard work we do but to be selected and move through to the finals is mind-blowing, especially when you see the ladies you are up against from major corporations across Europe. I would like to wish all the finalists the very best of luck (not that they need it) and look forward to celebrating getting this far at the presentation evening.”

Other Ricoh UK finalists include Sally Minikin nominated in ‘Technology Sales’ and Louise Pook in ‘Sales Operations Manager’ categories. 

The winners and finalists will be recognised at the WISA awards ceremony on December 7th in London.