Female talent, a value gaining traction in large companies

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are no longer values that are a mere declaration of good intentions and are now part of the strategy of large organisations. This is borne out by Cellnex’s commitment to these concepts, endorsed by its Management Committee, which recognises them as a policy lever that will contribute to making this sector a more professionally diverse area.

In the words of Imen Toumi, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion expert at Cellnex, “We aim to become a benchmark with our culture of diverse and inclusive leadership in which every person feels celebrated and welcome within our differences.”

The company has ambitious aims in terms of gender diversity, such as promoting equal opportunities, increasing the presence of women in leadership positions, reducing the wage gap and promoting work-life balance for all employees. “These objectives are realised through specific programmes with measurable results,” says Toumi. “We understand that EDI policies enable us to generate an environment in which we all contribute our maximum value.”

Programs that consolidate female talent

Progresa is an individual development plan for emerging leaders seeking to bolster their technical and leadership skills to gain access to positions of greater responsibility through personal and professional growth.

On the other hand, the Promociona project is aimed at women who are already in management positions and aims to help them develop their skills further to increase their impact on the company and on their teams.

The figures of mentor and coach are key to talent development programmes. Each one provides their “apprentice” with different, complementary tools. Coaches point towards skills development pathways while in-house mentors offer their experience and knowledge from within the company. José Ángel Carmona, Director of Operations at Cellnex and a coach on this programme, tells us that the coach can learn as much from the experience as the mentee. “It opened my eyes to the inequalities and negative situations that women face in the workplace. As this is something so distant from the way I do things, I was not entirely aware.” José Ángel is satisfied with this experience in which he helped his mentee to recognise her own values as a way of dealing with an unfavourable work situation. “We helped her to value what she was doing because she was capable. With this reaffirmation she was able to break a glass ceiling.”
Aligned with already recognised initiatives  

Gender biases state that women lack some skills and are well prepared for others. This belief stands in the way of female talent accessing management and responsibility positions. The Women ADP programme specifically sets out to address the skills that could be a brake on professional development. Two editions of this programme have already been held, with 96 employees, including mentors, mentees and managers.

The various actions that Cellnex is rolling out for female talent include participation in the Cross Mentoring programme organised by the Spanish Association of Managers. This initiative brings managers with some degree of leadership and an outstanding professional career into contact with young people with great potential. “This is a pioneering programme that focuses on the leaders of tomorrow and aims to increase the presence of female managers within large companies”, Imen Toumi tells us.

Eva Vázquez, head of engineering at Cellnex, has been managing teams for many years. She currently has 16 people under her supervision and has participated in this programme as a mentee. “The cross mentoring programme has given me self-assurance and confidence, which are so necessary in the professional environment. My mentor, a KPMG manager, helped me to see that if you want to develop professionally you must show it; you have to identify the right interlocutors, who need to know that you are working to achieve professional growth. Now I am aware that my line manager relies on me more and that, although I manage a team, I must also dedicate time and energy to my own development.”

Since 2021, Cellnex has participated in the Gender Equality programme of the United Nations Global Impact. Un 2023, there will already be 5 countries in which Cellnex operates participating in this programme.

Creating your own space for growth 

A human gesture such as a meeting among equals, sharing knowledge or asking for advice is what drives the Connecting Circles programme, a digital safe environment for diverse groups. At Cellnex, a circle has been created to talk about equality in the workplace and female empowerment, following the example of the one dedicated to emotional-sexual diversity, which has now been running for two years.

Anna Betlem Villà is an expert in Cellnex’s Overall Quality area and is firmly committed to diversity policies. As a Champion figure, she is responsible for leading the circle focused on equality in the workplace. “It is a safe space in which to raise concerns, share experiences and thereby help and empower each other. We are not a group in which complaints can be voiced. Rather, we are focused on solving problems or concerns, and not only in the workplace. The matters discussed at these meetings are valid both in the company and in private life.”

In 2023, Cellnex participates in the Google I am remarkable initiative which Gemma Dolcet, an analyst in Cellnex’s Engagement area, says “allows us to create a community with a common aim in just one session; to become aware of our work and personal achievements and to acknowledge and value them.”

This reflection on everyone’s own worth is an effective tool in professional development processes. Together with specific empowerment policies, it can open the way to female and diverse talent that enriches the business and social experience.