Goodyear launches Wingfoot Women mentoring & development programme

Goodyear is embarking on a mentoring and development programme to support growing female leaders. While the first stage of this Wingfoot Women programme will run in Luxembourg over a period of six months, in the long term Goodyear aims to expand to mentees elsewhere via other Girls in Tech hubs.

Wingfoot Women involves bespoke personal branding training for several female Goodyear associates who will then go on to mentor young women wishing to get into tech. Goodyear anticipates that Wingfoot Women will not only enhance the skills of women within the company but also those in local communities. Developed by Goodyear Women’s Network EMEA, Wingfoot Women is a partnership with social enterprise KnowThyBrand and non-profit organisation Girls in Tech Luxembourg.

Introducing its partners, Goodyear describes KnowThyBrand Women as a group that “champions gender equality and empowers women in business to create a more inclusive and equitable future,” and Girls in Tech Luxembourg is “dedicated to eliminating the gender gap in tech by providing experiences and educational opportunities to make women feel inspired, empowered, connected, prepared and confident.”

Diverse workforce critical to Goodyear’s long-term success

Marwa Khairalla, president of Goodyear Women’s Network EMEA (Photo: Goodyear)

“The Goodyear Women’s Network has been running for over 100 years and is at the heart of our inspiring culture,” says Marwa Khairalla, president of Goodyear Women’s Network EMEA. “Our purpose is to enable the growth of women leaders. The Wingfoot Women programme is a concrete way to enhance the personal development of women within Goodyear while also giving back to the community by mentoring and growing women who wish to get into tech.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with KnowThyBrand Women and Girls in Tech Luxembourg to make this programme a reality. They bring inspiration, knowledge and expertise to the table which help us to enhance our activities linked to nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace, now and in the future.

“A diverse workforce is critical to Goodyear’s long-term success,” concludes Khairalla. “Embracing and valuing differences allows us to attract top talent; improve associate engagement; foster innovation; and drive enhanced customer service. Our goal is to create a work environment where people have a real sense of belonging and can thrive, and the Wingfoot Women programme is one of many steps we are taking to achieve this goal.”

Career boost through personal branding

Giulia Iannucci, founder and chief executive officer at KnowThyBrand Women, adds: “It is a pleasure to be working on this exciting programme with Goodyear. At KnowThyBrand Women we are focused on supporting businesses in attracting, retaining and championing their female talent through gender inclusion programmes, employer branding, and personal branding. We help individuals who need to boost their career through effective personal branding programmes, and this is what we aim to do for women working at Goodyear.”

Vasiliki Moschou, managing director at Girls in Tech Luxembourg: “It is really exciting to be working with a brand such as Goodyear. The expertise and knowledge that women working for Goodyear possess can help to educate and enhance our mentees who are interested in working in the tech industry. The females taking part in the Wingfoot Women Programme have a lot to offer to those who are starting out in tech and we look forward to seeing these women grow and flourish.”