International Women’s Day 2023
Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Today also represents a call-to-action to accelerate women’s equality.
In celebration, Babcock is reflecting on our commitment to supporting women both in our workforce and our supply chain.
In 2020, Babcock Canada joined the Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) community as a Corporate Member.
About WBE:
WBE Canada is the bridge between Canadian women-owned businesses and larger corporate and public buyers that were previously out of reach. As a quality third-party certifier of businesses owned, managed, and controlled by women, WBE Canada has been connecting businesses to corporate supply chains since 2009. WBE Canada’s work focuses on 3 areas: accelerating supplier diversity, Canadian WBE database development, and empowering women-owned businesses.
WBE Canada’s mission is to build and grow a strong Canadian ecosystem that connects women-owned businesses to procurement opportunities through advocacy, certification development, and promotion and helps corporations & governments to deliver on their supplier diversity commitments.
To learn more about WBE Canada, visit: About Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada)
Babcock’s Involvement:
Babcock procures a wide range of goods and services, requiring high performing suppliers across its supply chain. WBE Canada’s community of certified women-owned businesses is ready to respond to these unique and exciting opportunities that Babcock Canada brings to the organization as a corporate member and partner.
To ensure that Babcock Canada’s initiatives align with those of WBE Canada, Natasza Argue-Lipinski, Procurement Manager at Babcock Canada, acts as the bridge relaying information between both Babcock and WBE Canada.
In honour of International Women’s Day, Babcock is delighted to highlight Natasza and her work towards advancing the organizations commitment to supporting women-owned businesses.
Meet Natasza Argue-Lipinski:
Natasza has been part of the Babcock family since April 2022 and has had various supply chain roles for over 14 years attaining her Supply Chain Professional Designation in 2019. Natasza currently holds the role of Procurement Manager. Within this role, Natasza leads a team of buyers who support the Victoria In-Service Support Contract through procurement and education initiatives that are delivered to the wider business in order to strengthen related processes and improvements. Natasza is also responsible for driving supplier and lifecycle management as well as developing supplier relations to ensure performance is reported and analyzed on cost, time, and quality per contract requirements.
I am committed to proactively educating, leading, collaborating, and supporting my team, in order to always be improving our procurement initiatives.
Natasza Argue-Lipinski
When asked what she enjoys most about working within the defence industry, Natasza shared, “I enjoy the pace of working in a supply chain professional position. The work itself is challenging and constantly evolving.”
In addition to her primary role as Procurement Manager, Natasza also acts as Babcock’s representative at WBE Canada. In this role, Natasza promotes and identifies areas at Babcock that could benefit from WBE initiatives or programs. Having a relationship with WBE Canada also provides Babcock access to a database of women-owned suppliers that additionally supports Babcock initiatives. When women-owned businesses are highlighted to corporations such as Babcock, they can begin to build relationships and partnerships that in turn promote visibility for the businesses.
Natasza’s Take on Women in Leadership
As a woman in a leadership role, Natasza shared her thoughts with us about the importance of organizations including women in leadership positions:
Having women in leadership positions is incredibly important for creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace. Women leaders bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table that can enrich a company’s culture and decision-making processes. Women leaders at Babcock serve as role models and mentors for other women in the workplace, helping to create a pipeline of female talent and empower the next generation of women leaders. Finally, having women in leadership positions can help break down gender stereotypes and biases, promoting a more inclusive workplace for everyone. Overall, the importance of women leaders in the workplace cannot be overstated. It is essential to prioritize diversity and inclusion in leadership as this will enable Babcock to better position itself for success in the long run.
Natasza Argue-Lipinski
Babcock’s Commitment
At Babcock, we are committed to creating an agile, people-centered business where everyone is included, supported, and empowered to unlock their full potential – regardless of gender. We see inclusion as a critical business enabler and the key to creating the right foundations to attract and retain the best and diverse talent.
