TWIC TALK
Ina Strand, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. The 2020 TWIC Woman of the Year feels strongly about seeing the glass ceiling come down By Linda Lisanti
NOW IN ITS EIGHTH YEAR, the
Convenience Store News Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) awards program has recognized more than 300 of the best and brightest women making a positive impact on not only the companies they work for, but also the entire convenience retail channel. TWIC is the only program that recognizes exceptional female leaders, rising stars and mentors among retailer, supplier and distributor firms in the convenience store industry, from the C-suite to the store level to the independent entrepreneur. In TWIC Talk, our quarterly Q&A series, we interview a past TWIC winner about what it’s like to be a female leader in the convenience store industry today — the opportunities, the challenges — and get their words of wisdom for up-andcomers seeking to blaze their own trail. This month’s TWIC Talk subject is Ina Strand, chief people officer at
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc./Circle K (ACT). Starting her career as an engineer and management consultant, Strand joined Couche-Tard when the company acquired Statoil, her former employer, in June 2012. She is currently one of two women serving on the retailer’s Executive Committee, and was instrumental in the development and introduction of the new global Circle K brand. In 2020, Strand was one of the five women celebrated by TWIC as Women of the Year. CSNews: How would you describe the current state of affairs for gender equality in the convenience store industry? How does this compare to 10 years ago? In my nearly two decades in the industry, I’ve seen significant progress on gender equality. I come from Norway, and there is no doubt that Europe is well ahead of North America on gender parity. When I moved to the U.S. about four years ago, it was a big change to realize that my role as a female executive cannot be taken for granted. As CHRO [chief human resources officer], I took on a gender diversity challenge from the CEO and board, and we have since made significant progress by establishing the ACT Women’s Council and improving our metrics on representation.
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