International Women’s Day at the Freixenet Group
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In the Freixenet Group our history is defined by the figure of a great woman, our founder Dolors Sala Vivé. An excellent oenologist and businesswoman, she was a pioneer in the winemaking history of the Penedѐs and founded Freixenet along with her husband Pere Ferrer Bosch. Dolors Sala successfully managed the business alone following the loss of her husband in the war and took it forwards in the difficult post war years with talent, tenacity and initiative. A landmark achievement for a woman at that time. A tireless worker, she was president of the company until her last day and laid the foundations of our current global leadership. All this was an example of the enterprise, continuing improvement and modernity which today continues to inspire the hundreds of professional and committed women who are part of the Freixenet Group. Here we interview some of them to discover their roles and their values and to understand their vision of the future challenges for women.
Martina Obregón, Chief Marketing Officer CMO
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I joined Freixenet almost 18 years ago, coming from a multinational business, and it was an important change, but still today I feel the same excitement in working for Freixenet as I did on that first day. I started as Director of Marketing for the Freixenet brand and then progressed to take on all the brands, and I now hold the position of Chief Marketing Officer for the Freixenet Group, and I am a member of the company’s executive committee.
The most important values for me in my work start with a love of what I do, which I believe is the base line, to have the passion which helps you to achieve. Secondly, you must have clarity in your vision and your destiny, to follow that idea and have the resilience to remain true to it. In addition, self-belief is very important to me, along with having a good team to help you to move forward.
The role of women in the global workplace weighs heavily, we are 50% of the global population and in many respects we are more empathetic, diplomatic, and well qualified….and for this reason I am convinced thatthe role of women in the global workplace will be increasingly more important as it will in Freixenet.
Regarding maternity, I am a mother to three children and throughout my professional career I have been able to square my family and work responsibilities, even in the area of sport which I enjoy so much. I can safely say that the companies I have worked in, and where I am now, have always supported me and helped me combine the two parts of my life.
For me, Dolors Sala was an enterprising, resilient and visionary woman.
Cristina Garcia, HR Director
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My development in the Freixenet Group and at a professional level has been growing daily. I sincerely started as a young girl with a desire to take on the world, with few responsibilities compared those that I have now, based on effort and confidence in me on the part of the business, I have progressed and taken on more and more responsibilities up to the point of, being pregnant with my son Jan, at 8 months they offered me the role of Director of Human Resources.
In my view, values are very much linked to attitude and I like very much the maxim “Celebrate Life” which gives emphasis to values such as positivity, tenacity and resilience, which involves learning from difficulties and adopting an outlook based on continuing improvement towards personal and professional excellence.
I believe women have always left their footprint on the labour market, and we have examples such as Dolors Sala, a tenacious, talented, disruptive and innovative woman, who defined an age at Freixenet with her leadership. Now, with our new reality, women are more empowered, and it is also culturally more accepted that we can take on that decision making power within the professions and business in general, and in that respect the challenge now is how women can reconcile their two lives: the personal and the professional.
Cristina Llopart, Manual Line Manager
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I joined Freixenet more than 30 years ago and I have noticed a major development, there are increasingly more women and many of them in management roles. I was the first woman in the production department to be given responsibility for the management of a bottling line. At first it seemed a little strange to my colleagues, but little by little it became the norm.
The values which have helped me in my work have been responsibility, consistency, and teamwork, always giving the best of myself.
I see that in the offices there are many more women in responsible roles, and it would please me to see equal numbers in the production departments, and I feel that in the future this will be achieved.
For me Dolors Sala was enterprising, ahead of her time, and a fighter.
María José Márquez, cava line operator
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For me, in my work, flexibility, teamwork and above all versatility are the most important values.
As for the future, I believe that as of today we have advanced greatly, and with respect to Freixenet there are many women in important management roles. I am very happy with future plans and directions. I would be delighted to see equal numbers of men and women in production roles.
I am a member of the women’s representation committee at Segura Viudas. We have made great steps to get where we are now and we have put in place an equality and anti- discrimination plan, in which I am the link person, and when anybody believes that they are being discriminated against they can come to me for moral support and for me to activate the protocol to resolve the problem.
For me Dolors Sala was brave and persevering.
Marta Casanovas, Oenologist and laboratory technician
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The values and virtues which have helped me in my career are involvement in and commitment to one’s work, application and consistency, curiosity and the desire to learn, working in a team, and developing a good atmosphere in the workplace.
I believe that the development of the role of women in the world of work is a positive thing, and I see an optimistic and hopeful future where the key is to take responsibility for the values we instil in our children: sharing roles, education, respect, application, economic independence, regardless of whether they are male or female.
I would define Dolors Sala as a pioneer, valiant, daring, visionary and talented; a woman ahead of her time, an intuitive oenologist. In short, and extraordinary woman, a reference for us all.
Montse Barrera, Wine Line Manager
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It is 15 years since I started work at UCSA and during that time I have noticed that the role of women has become more and more important. Today there are many more women in the workplace, and in my case, I have recently been given greater responsibility in managing a team.
The values which help me in my work in the Freixenet Group are application, teamwork, and being able to rely on my team-mates, thanks to whom I have gradually been able to progress, learning and developing in my work.
I believe in a future with more equality. I see a very positive future with more women in positions of responsibility like mine.
The best word to define Dolors Sala is pioneer, a woman very much ahead of her time.