Luz Silva, Global Talent Management at Safran Cabin

What is it about working in the aviation industry that appeals to you?

At a personal level, I LOVE to travel to not only see the world but to experience other cultures.  I know the feeling I get when I travel and it makes me equally excited to work in an industry that brings that to everyone. It motivates me on a daily basis.

What is your site/company doing to promote equality?

Safran sees the value of a diverse workforce and has a focus for diversity and inclusion especially the development of female talent. We are evaluating hiring methodologies, promotion schemes, and unintended anti-inclusion strategies that can leave female talent stuck in their careers. We benefit from a more mixed-gender workplace. This includes looking at how many female leaders are currently identified and enrolled in our leadership programs and how many female candidates, internally and externally, have been interviewed for our most recent senior leadership roles.

What would you say is a strength/advantage to having/being a female leader?

I feel women are already wired for the future. Women have the ability to see multiple perspectives at once, creatively collaborate and inspire people into action.

How do you promote equality (either personally and/or professionally)?

I see it the same in both cases – I like to welcome all voices that includes having a wide range of opinions which do not necessarily reflect my own.  That means being aware of unconscious bias that is present in everyone. To support that, offer education and training to promote awareness and offer an understanding of the matters across an extensive variety of topics.

Applications of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace lead to stronger working relationships. People will feel respected by you and as part of the organization. Keeping in mind, workplace equality is not just about implementing procedures to stop workplace discrimination. We all have to actively promote equality and inclusion, ensuring people are free to focus on what matters most – making a company and our communities the best it can be.

What professional advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

There will be hurdles along the way which are part of the journey – embrace it and grow from it. My personal hurdles have been around the necessity to be more agile to respond quickly to new and changing demands that are imperative to meeting the evolving needs of our business. My advice is to continue to push yourself to take on more challenges and ask for that seat at the table – you have an important voice, so please use it. Companies will benefit from it.