SANDI RICHARDSON

SANDI RICHARDSON

Human Resources Executive, RCS

HOW HAVE YOU IMPLEMENTED GENDER DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORKPLACE?

Gender and diversity empowerment is a priority that is driven by the most senior levels of our organisation and that of our shareholder, BNP Paribas Personal Finance. We know and understand our employees, 76% of whom are female and we took decisive action to empower women in leadership roles. We ensure that our employee policies and procedures consider this to foster a healthy and supportive company culture.

HOW HAS GENDER EMPOWERMENT STRENGTHENED YOUR ORGANISATION?

By giving women opportunities to expand their personal and professional horizons, we have made considerable strides towards making RCS a safe space, and have created an environment that is receptive to differing opinions and perspectives. We have found our strength in our diversity, because diversity is in the fabric of our business. The diversity of our employees, together with an inclusive culture has given us a different lens to view not only the workplace but also our customers and society. This perspective has been invaluable as the driver behind our many CSI efforts which support initiatives like the Amy Foundation and the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), among others.

HOW ARE YOU INTEGRATING THE DRIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY INTO YOUR ORGANISATION?

At RCS, we are determined to become more sustainable in every sense of the word. This includes adopting greener policies and operations to reduce our carbon footprint. However, there is also a crucial social component to sustainability. Our goal is to promote and boost financial inclusion, and our products are geared towards giving more South Africans – including women, who are some of the most vulnerable and under-served individuals in society – access to finance. It’s also important to stand by our customers in times of distress, and we drive initiatives to provide better customer services and solutions when our customers need us most. Our sustainability goals aim to restore the planet and uplift people and are fundamental to achieving key business objectives as well as attracting and retaining the best talent.

WHICH FEMALE LEADERS INSPIRE YOU THE MOST, AND WHY?

Michelle Obama stands out for me. As a female leader, she challenged the status quo in a way that is authentic and humane. She represents strength, but also equanimity and respect. Michelle Obama has a very high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) and I believe this is a factor that all effective leaders have in common. During her time as First Lady, she came into her own, addressing social issues that were tough to navigate with empathy. My female role models, whether famous or amongst my family, friends and colleagues – all have something in common… They are women who have demonstrated unwavering courage and kindness under very difficult circumstances.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU THINK FEMALE LEADERS OF THE FUTURE ARE GOING TO NEED?

It is a common misconception that ‘hard’ or technical skills should be prioritised over ‘softer skills,’ which have historically been deemed less important. However, the pandemic has demonstrated that traits like empathy, compassion and relatability are the rarest and most crucial skills. These are the skills that position leaders as powerful agents for positive change, and they are the skills that we need to focus on developing.

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