WIN is a world initiative striving to realize financial and social equality for girls within the nutraceutical business by offering instruments, networking, visibility, and mentorship to empower ladies, improve management illustration, and promote range and collaboration throughout all genders.
It’s Board of Administrators performs an important function in driving this mission ahead by fostering inclusivity and empowerment, Julia Wiebe, co-founder and director of the board at WIN informed NutraIngredients.
There are 4 open Board of Administrators positions on this yr’s vote, Wiebe defined, and WIN members can vote for 4 out of six candidates. The voting started March 24 and ends on April 7.
Dr. Sybille Buchwald-Werner, director enterprise improvement, ABF Elements, managing director Very important Options GmbH
Candidate Dr. Sybille Buchwald-Werner, recipient of WIN’s 2024 Guiding Star Award, has mentioned that she stands for advancing gender-balanced management within the nutraceutical business by innovation.
She mentioned that her mission would come with securing strategic company sponsorships, due to this fact creating sustainable alternatives for girls at each profession stage, which can allow WIN to turn out to be a premier platform for feminine professionals pursuing management, profession development, and a supportive community in Europe and past.
“As a European candidate, I envision WIN’s membership increasing considerably throughout Europe, with a powerful deal with pondering globally whereas performing regionally by mentorship packages tailor-made to regional wants,” she mentioned.
Buchwald-Werner defined that she believes the way forward for nutraceuticals relies on merging scientific innovation with shopper belief by customized vitamin and AI-driven medical validation.
“Customers demand tailor-made, science-backed options, but the business nonetheless largely gives one-size-fits-all merchandise,” she mentioned.
“AI accelerates medical trials, enhances predictive modeling, and strengthens regulatory credibility – key to unlocking next-generation, evidence-based well being options.
“Companies that embrace these improvements whereas fostering range and agility will form the business’s future.”
As former co-chair of the WIN Mentorship Program, Buchwald-Werner works to interrupt down limitations that stop proficient ladies from reaching senior roles.
“I’ve seen how robust networks, mentorship, and entry to management alternatives can rework careers, but too many proficient ladies nonetheless face limitations to government roles,” she mentioned.
“I imagine that range in management isn’t just about equity – it’s about driving higher enterprise selections, fostering innovation, and making certain a extra sustainable future for the business.”
Gillian Fish, founder and CEO, The 6AM Company
Gillian Fish stands for empowering ladies within the nutraceuticals business by unlocking private {and professional} potential, increasing WIN’s world attain, and fostering gender equality by strategic development, inclusive management, and significant stakeholder engagement.
Fish was one of many 11 founding members of WIN, having been concerned since its inception in 2021, and she or he acquired the inaugural WIN Heroine Award in 2024 for contributing to the group’s development. She defined that WIN’s mission aligns completely along with her personal.
“In a world going through immense challenges, empowering ladies isn’t just inspiring – it’s important,” she mentioned.
“WIN’s imaginative and prescient to uplift ladies by specializing in unlocking private {and professional} potential, in nutraceuticals throughout the provision chain speaks to my core values and uplifts me and my need to pay it ahead to others, as was gifted to me by mentors and champions I’ve had all through my life and profession.”
She defined that her aim could be to make sure WIN’s initiatives will not be solely scaleable and commercially sustainable, but additionally aligned with its core mission and values, making an allowance for the cultural nuances, business and market dynamics and sensitivities of every market throughout the globe.
“We live and working companies in a VUCA world – that means Unstable, Unsure, Advanced and Ambiguous – which has been additional amplified in current occasions by the change in management within the US,” she mentioned.
“Deep consideration needs to be given to sponsors, for whom an ROI on each greenback issues, in addition to members, and WIN’s extremely valued companions who’ve championed and the organisation relentlessly from the get-go, with the intention to be sure that our north star is concentrated on offering a worth change to every stakeholder that actually issues.”
Fish defined that as WIN enters the following part of development, “heavy lifting is required”.
She famous that “Establishing a framework for an efficient world rollout is crucial, with the intention to be sure that every area is empowered, however beneath International unifying tips, enabling agility and profitable related localisation, with a dedication to the mission and model.”
Sustained development requires extra sources and income, alongside roles centered on strategic planning and other people improvement. And as she famous, reaching this imaginative and prescient requires collaboration with males within the business.
“All this can’t be carried out with out the partnership of males in our business,” she mentioned.
“We have to stroll this path collectively as we deal with reaching a brighter extra equal future.”
Heather Granato, founder, Nutrachievement
“Ladies In Nutraceuticals (WIN) has developed from a chat at a commerce present to conversations over Zoom to a full-fledged power throughout the business in a comparatively brief time frame,” mentioned Heather Granato, founder, Nutrachievement.
“The caliber of the volunteer workforce—and that’s everybody from committee members to administrators—is really inspiring; we known as, and other people answered. From the start, the intent was that this may be a world group with a powerful monetary place and organizational construction to allow us to champion change within the business by serving our members.”
Granato mentioned she has spent the final three years serving as founding president, working with WIN’s board, committees, sponsors and companions to create one thing that’s greater than anyone particular person. In operating for a second time period, she plans to proceed to make use of her expertise in storytelling, consensus constructing, partnership improvement and understanding of nonprofit board duties to strengthen WIN and help its development as a world group.
“Once we co-founded Ladies In Nutraceuticals, it was a gaggle of disparate personalities who shared a typical imaginative and prescient: to assist ladies obtain private {and professional} success, which might essentially help innovation and development of our nutraceutical business,” she mentioned.
From the very starting, Granato mentioned WIN garnered large help as a result of the business acknowledged there are points that should be resolved. From lack of funding for girls’s well being analysis to the damaged rung for girls transferring into management to the necessity for funding in feminine entrepreneurs, Granato mentioned these huge points gained’t be solved simply–however that’s precisely what makes the problem interesting.
“We’re impacting the business by making certain these conversations about gender equality and the facility of inclusion stay middle stage. We wish to showcase how numerous views drive innovation and enterprise success. And by providing a supportive community and instruments for development, we are going to assist our members—ladies and men—turn out to be champions for gender equality.”
Kenn Israel, co-founding companion and vitamin observe chief, BeyondBrands
Kenn Israel is seeking to champion range, fairness and inclusion by advocating for world empowerment by WIN, aiming to create autonomous regional chapters and set up WIN as an important useful resource for nurturing numerous management within the aware merchandise business.
“Together with ladies in management yields higher workplaces and extra profitable and worthwhile firms,” he mentioned.
As he defined, the US has undergone vital modifications since final yr which have been pushed by Trump’s administration implementing what “many take into account the boldest reforms within the nation’s historical past.”
One change that immediately impacts WIN is the administration’s stance on DEI (Range, Fairness, and Inclusion) initiatives, and early on, the administration actively sought to halt these efforts, focusing on “DEI hires” for reconsideration and elimination, Israel defined.
This coverage clashes with WIN’s core mission, because the group emerged from DEI-driven empowerment and continues to champion these values, he added.
To adapt, WIN must strengthen its worldwide presence, specializing in areas like Europe and Southeast Asia, and establishing semi-autonomous chapters with their very own budgets and voting rights will empower native management.
“We’re stronger collectively, however free-standing semi-autonomous chapters with budgets and voting rights in our world group, will serve to de-risk a number of the world issues about shifting alliances and commerce relationships,” he mentioned.
Israel famous that he goals to make sure WIN’s continued success by delivering worth for each sponsors and members by aligned packages.
“I used to be tremendous lucky to be included within the very starting of WIN and engaged as quickly because it began,” he mentioned.
“I used to be truthfully blown away by how we had been embraced by the business and the way rapidly we scaled.”
This quick development and early success has introduced each alternatives and challenges, as sponsors anticipate measurable change and worth for each our constituents and themselves.
He defined that he goals to assist WIN keep its constructive visibility for sponsors and introduce packages aligned with its values that present financial worth and a market edge for sponsors whereas enhancing our members’ expertise.
Michelle Martin, president & COO, Cypress Minerals
For the previous two years, Michelle Martin, president & COO, Cypress Minerals, has served as Chair of Engagement, a task she mentioned has helped lay the muse for WIN’s membership, volunteer, sponsorship and partnership committees.
“I’ve had the consideration of participating with many members, volunteers, sponsors, and companions and understanding the hopes of every of those numerous teams. I’ll work to implement our base’s wishes, permitting development and influence for WIN. As well as, my ardour is to assist others step into their greatness. WIN provides me the car to assist reside out that keenness,” she mentioned.
Martin mentioned she hopes to create a more healthy business by embracing new views and accelerating studying.
“I need to create a more healthy nutraceutical business the place numerous views and gender steadiness drive financial and social fairness, fueling development and success for our industries, companies, colleagues, and customers. This imaginative and prescient aligns with my ardour for empowering those that wish to make a world influence,” Martin mentioned. “My ardour lies in fairness over equality. Fairness speaks extra to treating everybody the identical, regardless. I want equality, which gives everybody what they should attain an equal end result. I reside to supply a hand up.”
Karen E. Todd, RD, CSCS, EP-C, CISSN, vice chairman of worldwide advertising, Kyowa Hakko USA
Karen Todd, RD, vice chairman of worldwide advertising, Kyowa Hakko USA, mentioned she’s extremely proud to have served because the Chair of WIN and be a part of the superb progress the non-profit has made.
“What I carry to the desk is a mixture of hands-on expertise and a deep ardour for making significant change. With over 30 years within the business working as a registered dietitian in world advertising, I’ve constructed partnerships, led groups and navigated the challenges of rising manufacturers and driving innovation. However past that, I’m somebody who listens, collaborates, finds sensible options and brings folks collectively.”
Todd mentioned the connections she’s made by WIN over the previous few years have really broadened her perspective and strengthened her dedication to the nutraceutical group.
“I’m excited to maintain supporting WIN’s development and making a good higher influence.”
As for her targets for WIN, Todd mentioned she hope for the group to be a real power for innovation and development within the nutraceutical house and a spot the place ladies really feel empowered to steer, innovate and succeed.
“My imaginative and prescient is for WIN to proceed driving initiatives that improve funding for women-led companies, elevate ladies into management roles, and foster mentorship in addition to entrepreneurship alternatives. Once we create house for numerous views, the entire business advantages. WIN has already made nice strides, however there’s nonetheless a lot to do. Serving to to create how we measure success and sharing significant change shall be a key focus for me,” Todd mentioned.
With regards to range and gender fairness, Todd mentioned to her, meaning ensuring each voice is heard, valued, and represented — not only for the sake of it, however as a result of it makes companies stronger.
“It’s about breaking down limitations, advocating for honest alternatives, and supporting everybody at each profession stage. Fairness additionally means intentional motion — holding organizations accountable and making certain we’re measuring progress, not simply speaking about it.”
Todd added that WIN has created an unimaginable community of help, and she or he’s dedicated to maintaining that momentum going. She believes within the energy of mentorship, collaboration, and paying it ahead.
“Collectively, we will construct an business the place each lady has the chance to steer and thrive. If re-elected, I’ll proceed displaying up, listening, and dealing exhausting to ensure all of us succeed.”
Trade Initiative of the 12 months
In 2024, Ladies in Nutraceuticals (WIN) took dwelling Industry Initiative of the Year, an award that celebrates a big enchancment for the business.
“WIN is the appropriate initiative on the proper second for the appropriate causes,” mentioned Stephen Daniells, PhD, editor-in-chief, NutraIngredients-USA. ”The group’s dedication to constructing help for girls throughout the nutraceutical provide chain helps to extend the presence of ladies in management roles, join female-led companies with funding, and enhance ladies’s participation in analysis.
“The NutraIngredients-USA workforce salutes WIN for its mission to make use of ladies throughout the world nutraceuticals business, which engenders a broader societal influence of supporting range, inclusion and fairness to higher replicate the business’s shopper base.”
