Women’s History Month gives us a chance to look at the many ways women have contributed to food and food safety and forever transformed the ways producers operate and consumers shop. Mary Engle Pennington was once such trailblazer who in the 19th century pioneered food preservation and storage techniques that are still used today. Pennington developed revolutionary standards for the safe processing of chicken; safety procedures to avoid bacterial contamination of milk; and spoilage-free methods of shipping and storing poultry, eggs and other perishable foods.
Pennington’s contributions continue to inspire new generations of lab researchers and farmers and paved the way for more women to lead throughout the food safety industry. That includes PSSI, where women are represented at all workforce levels – from leaders on plant floors to executives at headquarters. PSSI Chief Human Resources Officer Jeanette Bruni has made female hiring and retention among her hallmarks – just as I am surrounded by amazing women who help amplify PSSI’s commitment to food safety and compliance. At the same time, I also relish the opportunity to learn from other women who work throughout our industry, including those I met at the Women’s Leadership Conference hosted by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association last August. Together, we are fostering and supporting the next generation of female food safety workers.
As someone with over 25 years of experience in advertising, communications, branding and event planning, there are three core tenets that have guided my growth and that I share them with all women — particularly those in the food sanitization industry:
- Don’t wait to be asked. Take the initiative and use it as an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership and management capability.
- Educate yourself. Continuous education in your field, whether it’s a traditional setting like college or simply an informal Learning & Development lunch at work, will help you advance along your career path.
- Learn from the best. A mentor within your company can offer key advice about work and career decisions.
Finally, if you are a female PSSI colleague looking for a mentor here at the company, do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to support you. Together, we can make a positive impact on our industry and each other.
Gina Swenson
PSSI VP of Enterprise Marketing