‘Spotlight On’ with Saiqa Aslam

In this new video Saiqa talks about her passion for the role and how the representation of women at senior level management in the meat industry is slowly starting to change for the better. Saiqa walks viewers through her typical working week, which includes supplier meetings, factory tours and audits and reflects on the importance of supplier relationships and people management in her role. Her role gives her flexibility to spend valuable time with her family, as well as being able to set her own agenda the majority of the time.

The video, which goes live today, is part of the ‘Spotlight On’ series created by membership organisation Meat Business Women. It builds on Meat Business Women’s ‘She Looks Like Me’ campaign, which launched in May 2021 to raise awareness of career opportunities in the meat industry and highlight female role models.

Meat Business Women founder Laura Ryan says: “Public perceptions of jobs in the meat industry are outdated, which is holding the sector back – particularly when it comes to recruiting female talent. A lack of visibility is a big part of the challenge. There are so many great jobs to be had in the meat industry, but people don’t see them. We’re thrilled that Saiqa is working with us to change perceptions by supporting our campaign and providing a glimpse into her work at Cranswick.”

Saiqa says: “The best possible outcome for me is if this has inspired any other ladies to come and work in the meat industry. A lot of the senior management teams are predominantly men so I welcome more ladies climbing the ladder. I don’t think many people appreciate there are challenging and academic careers in the meat industry. I’ve always wanted to work in the technical departments and would highly recommend it.”

Saiqa’s video is also available to view on YouTube here.

Meat Business Women’s ‘She Looks Like Me’ and ‘Spotlight On’ initiatives aim to challenge stereotypes about working in meat and put a human face to the sector at a time when it faces increased public scrutiny and pressure to become more diverse. Last year, a report commissioned by Meat Business Women revealed women make up just 36% of the meat industry’s global workforce and hold just 5% of chief executive roles.

Meat Business Women has created a digital toolkit, including social media visuals, to help meat businesses and individuals upload their own #shelookslikeme content, humanise the jobs they do and more widely promote career opportunities in their sector. The toolkit is free of charge and available here.

Meat Business Women members can access enhanced resources here.