Lean In Girls! Celebrating diversity and empowering tomorrow’s female leaders

With NextGen Growth 2030 Holcim is becoming the leading partner for sustainable construction, driven by our Holcim Spirit. Our teams are empowered because they know that “Growth Starts With Us”, and our People Strategy is the enabler for our purpose-driven culture.

One of the main strategic pillars is celebrating diversity by attracting diverse talents, creating an inclusive environment and building a strong female talent pipeline. Holcim is empowering young girls from Mexico to Iraq to be the purpose-driven female leaders of tomorrow.

How are we doing this? We put the questions to Gulan Sherko, Holcim’s Head of Communications for Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA), who was responsible for launching Lean In Girls, a leadership program for girls, at Holcim Iraq.

How is Holcim building inclusion with Lean In Girls?

Gulan Sherko
Head of Communications for Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA)

At Holcim, building progress goes beyond sustainable construction and resilient infrastructure. It also means building communities where everyone can thrive. I've had the privilege to see this in action through the Lean In Girls program in my home country of Iraq, as well as in Mexico. The privilege was all the more great because Holcim was the first corporate player to run Lean In Girls.

Lean In Girls teaches girls to embrace their leadership superpowers and helps them see themselves as leaders in a world that often tells them they’re not. Through strength-building activities, it covers important topics such as bias and allyship and rejecting limiting stereotypes about what girls can’t do.

In 2024, we launched the program in Iraq, and together with my team of three mentors we helped 22 participants. For example, Leah Peshawa said that this program, and being with other girls, helped her realize how powerful she already is. She learned that leadership has no gender or age — it belongs to those who dare to lead. For her, it’s about growing through challenges, and what she appreciated most was that the program was taught by women who are leaders today.

Earlier this year, my colleagues from Holcim Mexico and the Holcim Foundation Mexico launched the program in three different locations in their country. The first cohort of the program consisted of 79 girls and 21 mentors, and we have received positive feedback from the girls and their parents. For example, Layla from the José Vasconcelos secondary school near our plant in Orizaba said that thanks to Lean In Girls, she understood that being a good leader doesn't mean not being afraid, but rather daring to face and overcome those fears. She learned that it's okay to be herself, show her emotions and trust her voice. Today, she feels more confident in making decisions and supporting other girls in doing the same.

How are we empowering NextGen female leaders to build progress?

In Iraq, Holcim transformed mindsets around Health & Safety more than 15 years ago. Today, safety is our top priority. I see inclusion in the same light: a journey of progress. It is about building a culture where women not only step into leadership roles but are supported, respected and celebrated as they do so.

Holcim’s NextGen Growth 2030 strategy is about building the sustainable cities of tomorrow. Inclusion is a key part of that vision. By creating diverse and resilient talent pipelines, we are strengthening both our business and our communities.

Through Lean In Girls, we are helping shape the next generation of leaders. Their voices, ideas and ambitions are vital for the future. For me, this experience highlights one of the ways our business is a driving force for positive change. It can open doors, shift mindsets, and build a future where women lead with confidence.

Learning and growing together

When we launched the program, I expected it to focus on what we could teach. Instead, it became an equally powerful learning journey for myself and my colleagues who took part in the program. The girls’ confidence and curiosity showed that leadership is not something to be given. It is already there, ready to be recognized and encouraged.

One of the most memorable moments for me personally was the girls’ reaction when they discovered that women at Holcim hold leadership roles. That fact alone inspired them. It reinforced how vital representation is, and how visible role models can broaden what young women believe is possible for their own future. This taught me that progress begins when opportunities and role models come together. When girls can see themselves in leadership, they start to believe it is possible. And when they believe, they lead, not someday, but from the very beginning.

Did you know?
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a fundamental pillar of our organizational culture and an accelerator for Holcim’s NextGen Growth 2030 strategy. Diversity is a strategic advantage. It unlocks new opportunities, fosters innovation and better decision making, enhances market presence and drives sustainable performance and a culture of value creation. It allows us to remain adaptive, innovative, and responsive to the evolving demands of the markets and communities we serve.

Recognizing diversity as a fundamental strength, our People Strategy aims to create the best workplace where talent is nurtured, our people are engaged and health and safety is top priority.