In commemoration of this year’s women’s month, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting women in all areas of life with the unveiling of a documentary that spotlights the empowered voices of women within its value chain.
Aligning with the theme for the year, ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’, the video captures the success stories of some female distributors who have been integral to the brand’s success in the last seven decades in Nigeria. It tells the story of growth and empowerment of not just the women, but the impact on their families and communities.
Featuring five female depot owners who share their perspectives on how they have been empowered, it also highlights the power of opportunity, challenges and resilience.
Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Oluwasoromidayo George, said empowering women is fundamental for any society’s advancement. She added that by doing this, they have opened the door to greater economic diversification, productivity, and income equality.
“Equipping women and girls with life skills is critical for their well-being as it fosters resilience, creates access to social protection and shapes a better future for them,” she said.
Reiterating the brand’s commitment to the prosperity of women, she said the significance of women for Nigeria’s future growth is apparent and central to their strategic direction as an organisation.
Sharing details of the initiatives for women, she said they include the 5by20 initiative aimed at providing women with opportunities to kickstart and manage their businesses through the linkage to its distribution system; partnership with the Lady Mechanic Initiative to empower vulnerable young women with vocational, entrepreneurial and life skills, to become certified professional automobile mechanics, partnership with the Lagos State Government Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to train thousands of women on financial literacy and communications skills among others.
The initiative, she said, has impacted over 12,000 mothers and babies, 51,600 families and individuals as well as 500 health workers across the country.
Beyond these initiatives, she said, they also implemented practices ensuring 50:50 gender parity and over 40 per cent of senior executive roles within the company are held by women in line with its commitment to foster a more inclusive workplace.
