Enhancing Business with Diversity of Thought

Today is International Women’s Day and it’s a great opportunity to reflect. I was honored to be asked for my thoughts on the role of women in agriculture by Seed World, thoughts I’d like to echo here.

Just as nature is enhanced by diversity, so is business. Most of us are trying to solve big problems – climate change, a global pandemic, food security, data privacy... the list goes on. These are not problems that are going to be solved by one person, one company or one government. It’s going to take massive, collaborative efforts in order to have a real impact. And it’s going to require big, bold ideas to challenge the status quo and forge new paths in order to fine new solutions. I’m not saying that this can’t be done by men. I’m saying it can’t be done by any singular group. It requires diversity of thought, experience and training.

This is one of the things I love the most about Inari. We aren’t just bringing together the best minds in agriculture. We are working to bring together the best minds. We are working to build a more sustainable food system by designing seeds to unlock their full potential so they can grow more food, better food, using fewer resources. This is a rather audacious goal. But it’s also an important one. With only one lifetime to address the problems of today, we bring in people from across the globe with experiences that span industries. As I look across our executive leadership team, I am proud to see half of the seats filled by women – and that is diversity that you see throughout the organization. We know that diversity is driving our breakthrough technology. That’s why it’s one of our core values.

What I find inspiring about today particularly is the opportunity for girls and women to see representation in all walks of life. My mom often jokes that when she graduated from high school, women really only had a few choices for career paths: hairdresser, teacher, nurse or secretary. She thought it would be fun to be a hairdresser, but my grandpa wasn’t going to pay for that, so she went to school to become a nurse instead. Long story short, she went from nurse, to stay at home mom, to part-time data entry consultant, to full-time tech support traveling the world. To say she inspires me is an understatement. But she never dreamed this career was possible as a girl because she never saw women in these roles back then. When girls see women leading companies, governing nation and changing the world, they know it’s possible for them as well.

I hope the celebrations of today find its way to young girls and women forging their path. I hope they find inspiration to do to great things and take their seat at the table as we work to address the big problems of today. As our CEO, Ponsi Trivisvavet said in this recent World Economic Forum post, “I’d tell my younger self that it’s smart, not cliché, to dream big and really go for it.”

So go for it, women. I can’t wait to see what you do next!