Intervju med Nadine Crauwels, VD på Sandvik Coromant

What does something like Female Leader Engineer mean for your (Sandvik's) work for Gender Diversity?

Sandvik believes in having the right mix of highly competent and motivated people on board and great modern leaders focused on developing and empowering teams. These strong premises will enable us to build a performance culture where employees feel included and developed to their full potential.

Female Leader Engineer is one of several engagements we do globally as a company to encourage female engineers and show our strong believe that diversity is an essential key for success today and in the future.

How would you describe your work with gender diversity/equality at Sandvik?

For Sandvik, diversity is an important tool in creating favourable business results. With global operations and customers in more than 150 countries, seizing all sorts of perspectives and experiences is a necessity for continued success. Being a market leader pushes us towards creating an environment that triggers and supports innovation which can only be done with combining different ways of thinking, challenging and acting where diversity is again an essential enabler.

Sandvik works on several levels to increase diversity in its operations and to create an inclusive culture. It starts with creating recruiting opportunities which are appealing to all independent age, gender, nationality. Once in Sandvik, we offer knowledge and training in diversity and inclusion through a toolbox that includes e-learning, workshops and exercises. There is a program focusing on leading across boundaries and a global core leadership program providing an introduction on how to work with diversity and inclusion as a manager. In 2017, the share of women in managerial positions increased from 16.5% to 17.1%.

Would you say the call for #METOO has affected your work with gender diversity in any way? If that is the case, how?

Sandvik's Code of Conduct is very clear on the fact that sexual harassment under no circumstances is acceptable in our company. The international #metoo campaign has shed light on the fact that many people around the global have neglected to report, and even to talk about, breach of the rules in several industries. For us as managers it is important to always inform about our whistle blower system and always report any breech against our Code of Conduct.

In what way could you, as a leader for your organisation, and as a role model in
business influence how “the power balance” becomes more equal between men and women? Influence how structural inequality decreases?

Parts of my studies in engineering I chose to have in the psychology department. The reason for that was that I am very interested in people and building teams. I know that a company needs diverse teams and different opinions in everything we do. I make sure to lead by example by showing that everyone’s voice is equally important and to take time to listen to colleagues wherever I go. Diversity for me is not only about gender, but it is also about age, cultural, ethnicity, language etc.

I am the first non-Swede and female president of Sandvik Coromant. I don’t live in Sweden and I don’t speak Swedish. I started as a sales representative in Belgium and now I am the president of the product area Sandvik Coromant with around 8.000 employees. I think I am a good example that Sandvik walks the talk when it comes to focusing on competence and giving everyone equal opportunities to grow.

What does Sandvik do to identify and promote good leaders in the company?

Sustainable Talent & Succession Management is critical to secure profitable growth and enable internal sourcing at Sandvik. I am sure that investing in this process will strengthen us as an employer giving an attractive career and development offer to our employees. Talent & succession is a process closely linked to Performance management. It includes identifying future leaders in our organization and developing them to make them ready to take the next step. It also includes making sure that we have potential successors for our key positions. Giving opportunities is about opening doors for eager, motivated and inspiring leaders to take on broader initiatives and grow.

For example, Top Achievers is Sandvik Coromant's recognition of outstanding performance and a role model behaviour to employees. To get this award you need to be a good colleague, a role model in engaging others and live our core values. I was once a Top Achiever and know how valuable and important it is to get recognition and build your network to grow in an organisation. Another great recognition is the once a year award we only give to one person in the whole company, one leader of the year. This person again needs to be a high performing truly role model in a leading position. The honour receiving this award is something that all strives for as the ultimate recognition of great leadership.

Looking at your own leadership – what is your leadership philosophy or leading stars in your leadership? 

I believe my leadership style is modern, open and accessible. I have great trusts in people and expects everyone to take responsibility. The most important thing for me is to walk the talk, demonstrating that I want people to take initiatives, dare to make mistakes and try new things. I think stimulating entrepreneurial behaviour is important, trying new things and learning from them and always be forward looking. My door is always open, even though the door is often virtual, as I am often travelling. I like working in an open atmosphere with a direct dialogue in which trust and commitment are some of my strongest values.

What have been important for your career and to be able to reach your present position?

Working for a large company as Sandvik gives a lot of opportunities. I have had the pleasure and privilege to work throughout my whole career with great managers and leaders. I felt supported and challenged. One of my first managers told me:”you can get as far in this company as you want yourself, you set your own opportunities and limitations”. That worked inspiring to me and gave me the energy and drive to open doors and grow into different functions step by step. Continuously broaden my experience and network. I have been given the opportunities to grow and I took them with both hands and went for it. So now I realize myself as well that I have to open doors for others and give them the chance to develop and grow as I could. This would also be my recommendation to all young engineers out there. Take it into your own hands, find the interesting open doors and go for it. There are great leaders out there who want to guide you and see you grow!

Is there anything else you would want to bring up as important in the area of diversity and gender balance?

For us diversity is about our personal and cultural differences, as well as our different work and life experiences. We are all different in terms of gender, age, cultural and national backgrounds, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, functional ability and religious beliefs.

Diversity is the enabler, inclusion the hard work that need to be added to harvest on the benefits. Inclusion means that we appreciate, respect and value each other’s differences and that we share information and knowledge. It is a great way to increase your own self awareness and we all know that that is the start of a successful individual and company future.

Why do you think young University females should apply for Female Leader Engineer?

I think this is a great opportunity to get to know several of Sweden’s most innovative engineering companies. I am sure you will get a great look into the heart and soul of these companies that plays important roles in Sweden but also are important global players. Applying could be a great start to your career and I would love for you to become my colleague and to welcome you to Sandvik.