Who am I ?
My name is Shu Zhang, I am 32 years old. I started two companies in traditionally male-dominated fields. I grew up in the Paris region and after studying general engineering at the Ecole Centrale Paris, I finally chose to go into catering, for my love of gastronomy. So I completed 1 year of CAP Cuisine to finally open my own restaurant, Maguey, in 2014. So I was used to working in a male environment. Although these environments are very masculine, I always felt comfortable there, sometimes even at odds with the testimonies of certain women, who pointed out differences in treatment between women and men. I didn't feel like I was made to feel any different during my studies and I only became aware of the unequal treatment between men and women later. In restaurants, for example, it happened to me several times that customers didn't believe that I was the boss: I must necessarily be the chef's wife! After four years running my restaurant, I wanted to embark on another adventure, born from my experience. Indeed, I noticed during these four years that the supply of a restaurant was a source of a considerable quantity of waste: every day, suppliers deliver their goods in boxes, crates, polystyrene, all disposable packaging which end up incinerated! Not only is the ecological impact of this packaging disastrous (greenhouse gas emissions, use of natural resources) but they are expensive for suppliers and mobilize restaurant staff who have to put them all in the trash.
This is how I decided to set up Pandobac with two partners in 2018. Pandobac is a solution allowing professionals to easily switch from disposable packaging to reusable packaging. For this, Pandobac offers several services: advice to businesses and communities, rental of reusable bins, monitoring using an application developed internally and washing of bins in a washing center located in Rungis. Although affected by Covid-19, our team today has 10 employees. We are located in Île-de-France, but also in Brittany and the Lyon region. Just like gastronomy, the field of food logistics is mainly dominated by men. They are found in the main management functions and also in very physical positions required for order preparation, delivery and night work. Women are also present, mainly in quality control and sales positions.
The challenges of being a woman in supply and more generally in a male field
Being a female company director has sometimes been a source of complications for Pandobac's start-ups. Indeed, it happened several times to my partner and myself that we did not feel taken seriously by our interlocutors, almost exclusively male, during our first meetings. Added to our youth, in my opinion, was their lack of habit of dealing with women leaders and the installation of a sort of “gender barrier”. The culture of Rungis in particular relies a lot on interpersonal relations and a “locker room atmosphere”, certainly fraternal but sometimes exclusionary towards women. This could sometimes be an obstacle to establishing a relationship of trust with our customers at the beginning. However, I consider myself a counter-example of a woman who is a victim of discrimination: I have never felt excluded or wronged by the fact of being a woman. However, I see many examples around me of women with imposter syndrome. This syndrome, identified in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Ament Imes, can be described by a feeling of deceiving those around you and those around you about your level of skills. This produces a feeling of anxiety and fear at the thought of being unmasked. This syndrome is found in numerous testimonies of women occupying positions of responsibility. For what ? Mainly because as women, we absorb many conflicting imperatives from society, which asks us to be successful while being discreet and polite. However, being a woman in the Supply Chain also turns out to be a strength. With two female co-founders, Pandobac enjoys increased visibility. We are remembered and we decide in panels that are often exclusively male. Furthermore, we were able to benefit from specific programs dedicated to women, such as Femmes Entrepreneurs or Women4Climate.
Only one solution, more education!
Ultimately, being a woman in the Supply Chain presents challenges but also certain advantages. However, far be it from me to welcome the lack of parity in this environment. As long as women are in the minority, they will pay the price. They are expected to achieve the same level of performance as their male counterparts, but on top of that, the majority of them are responsible for the education of their children and the smooth running of the household. As a personal example, I am the most vigilant and think about most of the domestic chores in my household. This touches on a social issue regarding the involvement of men in domestic tasks and the sharing of the famous “mental load”. Once the observation is made, that’s all well and good, you might say, but how can we ensure more parity? Today, we observe a real gender bias in orientation choices. Girls are less likely to pursue scientific fields, perceived as boys' activities, and conversely, boys are less likely to pursue literary subjects. It is by acting at the root of these biases that we will achieve more parity. This requires education that avoids gender stereotypes but also better representation of women in public spaces. Change by example is something I believe in deeply. The more women are highlighted, the more they will inspire generations of little girls. It will take time, but I remain optimistic about our ability to educate individuals to enable them to choose their direction and career based on their personal interests and not gender stereotypes imposed by society. For more women in the Supply Chain, more parity and a happy society!
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