Today we raise a cuppa to all the wonderful women of Ringtons – from the women who make your tea possible from harvest to home, and to those of you who greet us on your doorstep week after week with a smile on their face.
This year’s International Women’s Day is particularly meaningful as we celebrate the milestone achievement of having 3 female directors, with Brigitte Keatings and Nadia Johnson joining the family business.
We’ve been chatting to associate directors Nadia and Brigitte, both working mothers, who discussed the importance of highlighting the women within Ringtons.
Brigitte said: “Having leaders who are empathetic and understanding of the challenges that women may face in the workplace such as having children, being a mother, and female-led health issues can help create a more supportive and inclusive work environment. It can also lead to higher employee engagement, satisfaction and retention.”
Echoing this sentiment Nadia added: “Personally, I’m a big believer in working smarter, not harder, and adapting conditions to enable more women to continue working once they’ve had children. There’s a huge talent pool of women who aren’t able to get back to work due to barriers like non-flexible working conditions and I plan on breaking down those barriers, step by step. We have already taken crucial measures like upgrading our maternity and paternity benefits and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.”
We believe seeing three women in key leadership positions is crucial for other women progressing in the businesses, as well as how it resonates with our own customer base, who are at the heart of decision making for their households.
For many people, Ringtons has been passed down through the generations as gifts from grandparents to their children and grandchildren, sparking memories of family occasions and happiness. This generational transfer also echoes our own company structure, and, as we expand our own horizons with women helping to steer the way, we also want to make ourselves relevant to a younger and more diverse audience who will further associate tea with significant moments in their life.
Nadia continues: “We’re going to make some good decisions and some we’ll learn from – that’s just the nature of change, and we’re going to be transparent along the way. Honest communication across the business and beyond will ensure that passion within our female leadership roles will continue to build solid foundations of trust with our employees and customers far into the future.”
Left: Brigitte Keatings. Right: Nadia Johnson. 5th generation family members and associate directors at Ringtons.