International Women’s Day: Spotlight On Nikwax

As International Women’s Day (IWD) approaches (8 March) we are encouraged to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality. In business, the IWD has a clear mission: to forge inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive and their achievements are celebrated. With this in mind, we put the spotlight on values-oriented waterproofing and aftercare specialist Nikwax which recently became an employee-owned business, run through an Employee-Ownership Trust, whereby all employees get an equal stake in the companies’ future.

Located in Wadhurst, East Sussex the brand provides employment to 124 employees in 5 countries. In 2021, of those who identify as women 20% are directors and an impressive 40% are senior leaders. Flexible work arrangements across all levels of the business are firmly in place, along with a free childcare provision. Nikwax continuously strives for more equality and the recent transition to an employee-owned business will help to widen the support and opportunities offered to all employees.

Claire Berry, Nikwax’s Director of Human Resources, commented “Our figure of 40% of Senior Leaders identifying as women is especially important as these are Directors of the future – we hope with Nikwax but if not then elsewhere. These are women who we are mentoring, coaching and training, both formally and informally, to undertake and fulfil exciting and pivotal roles now and in the future.

In order to encourage and enable this we provide benefits, such as free childcare and holiday clubs from ages 1-11 at a local educational setting in Wadhurst; and other benefits such as all parents being able to add children to our cashback health plan free of charge. We give paid days off each year for all kinds of unforeseen issues, including emergency childcare issues, to all our Partners.

As we’ve recently transitioned to being an Employee-Owned Trust this quote from Heidi Roizen really resonates with me: “The glass ceiling doesn’t apply when you’re building your own house.” To paraphrase Sheryl Sandberg, I am confident that in the future at Nikwax there will be no female leaders, there will just be leaders; and I am excited and proud to be part of that future.”