There are more women than ever working in the packaging industry, and they’re achieving success in roles historically held by men. Across the factory floor at the Pixelle Specialty Solutions Chillicothe mill, for instance, one three-person crew working the winder on the largest paper machine is entirely made up of women, and two women are part of a crew that operates the curtain coater. The company has also shrunk the gender gap on its woman-led sales team in recent months, with women making up about 40% of the team.

As a greater number of women enter STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs in colleges and technical schools, they are filling electrical, chemical, engineering and other technical manufacturing roles upon graduation. This is encouraging given how underrepresented women have been in STEM fields in the past.

While the packaging industry has significantly progressed, there are still opportunities to encourage more women to join the field as well as champion those women who are defining it. Women make up about 47% of the U.S. workforce but only comprise 30% of manufacturing workers. In addition, for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, just 87 women are promoted. But, by working together as an industry, there are several ways to close these gaps.

Here are five ways to support women in the packaging industry.

1. Champion STEM education for girls and women

Companies can get involved at the community level to support STEM education. Whether it’s sponsoring an after-school program at the local elementary school, hosting factory tour field trips for high school students or speaking at your child’s class career day, regular exposure to the opportunities our industry offers can open new worlds of possibilities. And this has the power to change the trajectory of how people – and women themselves – think of women in STEM careers.

2. Offer work opportunities right out of school

Creating opportunities for employees to enter the workforce right out of technical school or college can also open doors for women. While this is not a new practice, it hasn’t been the norm for some roles. Product development, for instance, often seeks more experienced talent. Yet, with older generations transitioning into retirement and leaving knowledge and skills gaps, hiring less experienced workers and teaching them in real-world settings can help retain on-site knowledge. In this way, the industry can give women opportunities while building bench strength and nurturing the next generation of leaders.

3. Be curious

This is one of the most important steps in supporting women in the workforce — and it’s one that can be easily overlooked. As team members, women broaden the perspective at the table where innovation decisions are made, contributing insights on everything from developing food packaging that makes clean-up easy to packaging that’s eco-friendly and recyclable. Companies that invite more perspectives better position themselves to innovate the right products and meet the needs of the customer, which in turn grows the business.

It's also critical to understand women’s experience in a still male-dominated field. Encourage managers to better understand the workplace challenges specific to women with questions like:

• What are the current roadblocks in your job?
• How can we make you feel valued?
• What can we do as an organization to improve your experience here?

Whether it’s during one-on-meetings, team meetings or company town halls, asking these questions creates a framework for open dialogue and encourages team members to use their voices. While you may not be able to solve every challenge, you may find that there’s so much an organization can do.

4. Support women through mentoring

Mentors can be a tremendous asset to women working in traditionally male-dominated industries and help reveal paths for career growth. This is incredibly important, as 31% of women leaders and 58% of women under 30 said that the ability to advance has become increasingly important.

I can speak from experience about how beneficial mentoring can be. I was fortunate to have had two people guide me on my career path. My first mentor gave me invaluable guidance around striking the often-difficult balance between working hard to succeed in my role and raising a young family. So much of how I learned to be a better employee and parent came from his ability to help me focus on what’s important.

Over the last few years, another manager mentored me as I developed my leadership style, helping me understand the larger industry picture and how to work with my teams and present myself to various groups of people. He also helped guide me as I learned how to navigate the difficult situations often faced in leadership roles.

Whether the mentorship is informal or part of an established program, these relationships can prove invaluable to women working to excel at their jobs, challenge the status quo and pave the way for women’s future success in the packaging industry.

5. Individual actions count

Organizations have numerous opportunities to support women, but don’t underestimate the power that each one of us has to advocate for our industry. The packaging industry is full of passionate people who take pride in their work, support the environment and care for their communities. Let’s talk with the girls and women in our lives about our jobs and all the amazing work this industry is doing to make the world a better place.

The face of packaging is changing

As our industry evolves to meet ever-changing consumer needs and constantly shifting business environments, women are and will continue to be essential voices on our teams. As a girl growing up in a mill town, I always knew that I wanted to be part of a team that manufactured paper solutions that make people’s lives better. Women have significantly transformed the packaging industry since my first job at a local industrial paper and film converter. I’m so proud of our progress, and I am very excited to see where the fantastic women of the packaging industry today — and tomorrow — take us.