Championing Gender Diversity: Bioiberica’s Role in Supporting Women In Nutraceuticals
At Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN), we are proud to have Barcelona-based Bioiberica,] as one of our newest esteemed sponsors, committed to fostering a more balanced and equitable industry. Their dedication to gender diversity aligns perfectly with our mission, helping to create meaningful change across the nutraceuticals sector.
Bioiberica’s Commitment to Gender Diversity
By supporting WIN, they extend their efforts beyond corporate walls to drive industry-wide progress. Their inclusive workplace culture ensures that all genders are welcome and respected, strengthening both innovation and company values.
“Ingenuity, scientific curiosity, empathy, integrity and resilience – all core facets to the Bioiberica brand, all impossible without a diversity of thought and experience. Through our recruitment, training, HR and management structures, we do all we can to create an environment in which all genders are welcome and respected. Not only is this simply the right thing to do, but it is invaluable for the development of our capabilities, portfolio and company culture,” said Vanessa Villarreal, Strategic Marketing & Product Manager.
Initiatives That Drive Change
Bioiberica’s commitment to ethical and sustainable operations aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including gender equality. In 2021, they launched their Equality Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at developing, monitoring, and evaluating equal treatment policies. Key actions include:
Implementing parity measures in candidate selection and internal promotions
Offering equality training programs
Providing family reconciliation support
These initiatives have led to tangible improvements, making inclusivity a central pillar of their workplace culture.
“Though it’s often motivated by the best intentions, tokenism ultimately hurts the cause of gender diversity more than it helps. In my view, the best way to avoid slipping into box-checking is to make concrete commitments. Through our Equality Plan, recruitment parity goals and wider ESG efforts, Bioiberica has set clear, measurable goals that keep us accountable for driving progress, not performative action,” said Maria Bril, Key Account Manager Healthcare & Business Development.
Engaging Male Employees in the Conversation
Promoting gender diversity is a collective effort. Bioiberica recognizes that many male team members want to contribute but may not fully understand the challenges women face in the workplace.
“Our philosophy on employee engagement is, ‘It’s all about empathy.’ Often, the issue is not a lack of concern among male team members. In fact, many would very much like to promote greater equality but find it difficult to understand the barriers women and people of other genders face, and therefore, how to best offer their help,” said Vanessa. “We’re tackling this hurdle through our ‘In your shoes’ project – a scheme that aims to promote closer team relationships by encouraging staff to imagine issues and situations from their colleagues’ perspectives. This helps foster empathy and better interdepartmental collaboration while offering individuals an opportunity to express their opinions in a safe, open and non-judgemental environment,” she added.
To bridge this gap, they introduced the 'In Your Shoes' Project, encouraging employees to see workplace experiences from their colleagues' perspectives. This initiative fosters empathy, collaboration, and open dialogue, empowering their team to actively support gender diversity efforts.
Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead
Like many companies in the life sciences field, Bioiberica has faced challenges in achieving gender parity in a historically male-dominated industry. They tackle this by prioritizing internal promotions and affirmative action in recruitment while ensuring that hiring decisions are based on merit.
To ensure gender diversity remains a core value rather than a checkbox exercise, Bioiberica has set measurable goals through their Equality Plan and recruitment parity strategies. This accountability drives real progress rather than performative action.
A Vision for the Future
Bioiberica’s partnership with WIN will continue to foster a more inclusive industry. Their goals include achieving internal gender equality milestones and completing sensitization training for all employees. On a broader scale, they aspire to see increased representation of women and all genders at the C-suite level, paving the way for a more diverse and dynamic nutraceuticals sector.
“Looking ahead, we see a raft of positive effects stemming from our support of WIN. On a corporate level, it will help us achieve our internal gender equality goals and the completion of sensitization training for all employees. Taking a wider perspective, we would love to see an increase in gender diversity at the c-suite level across the nutraceuticals segment, with greater representation of women and people of all genders,” said Mónica Gómez Navarro, Marketing Manager – Branded Ingredients.
Advice for Industry Leaders
For CEOs and business leaders looking to foster inclusivity, Bioiberica emphasizes the importance of company-wide engagement. While leadership commitment is crucial, true change happens when diversity is embraced at all levels—from recruitment and product development to marketing and logistics. Holistic change starts with awareness, and they are committed to empowering individuals to see that life sciences is a career path for everyone.
A Shared Commitment to Equality
Bioiberica stands firm in its commitment to gender equality, welcoming and respecting all genders, identities, and expressions. As a valued WIN partner, they actively work to combat discrimination and drive meaningful change. Together, we are building a more inclusive future for the nutraceuticals industry.
“Through our partnership with WIN, we wear our commitments proudly, expanding our efforts beyond just our corporate boundaries to drive change at an industry-wide level,” said Mónica.
About Bioiberica
Bioiberica SAU is a global leader in life sciences, dedicated to improving human, animal, and plant health. Learn more about their commitment to sustainability and diversity at www.bioiberica.com.
Women in Nutraceuticals extends our heartfelt gratitude to Bioiberica for their invaluable support. Your commitment to advancing gender equity in the nutraceuticals industry empowers our mission to inspire, connect, and elevate women in this space. Through your sponsorship, we can continue providing impactful programs, fostering mentorship, and driving meaningful change. Thank you for standing with WIN as we shape a more inclusive and thriving future for all.
Together, we rise!
