Diversity Goes Beyond Gender

Q: You were recently acknowledged by Mundo Ejecutivo as one of the best CHROs in Mexico. What specific strategies implemented under your watch have led to this recognition?

A: We recently launched an initiative based on two different pillars to improve employee well-being. The first pillar focuses on developing better leaders who care about their employees and help them by being more empathetic to better understand their needs while promoting inclusion. Additionally, we built the Me at Heineken platform to support the physical, mental and financial well-being of our employees. With this platform we aim to offer balance to our employees. Our post-pandemic strategy essentially focuses on the employee experience. We want to ensure that we are building the organization we want for the future: an engaging company committed to being the best place to work. 

Q: What advice would you give to companies that are struggling to retain talent? 

A: Flexibility is critical for employees but it also depends on the generation. Many baby boomers, for example, prefer to go to the office. For that reason, companies need to understand that there are different types of associates: some want to be in the office all the time, while others prefer more flexibility.  

Q: What is the biggest challenge when creating a team where different generations have to work together?

A: I have not identified any big challenge. The biggest opportunity that companies will have in the future will be to use the experience within its workforce to promote both mentoring and reverse mentoring. Every generation can learn from others. Reskilling and upskilling are also important. Technology is changing quickly, forcing people to upskill and really understand how to deal with these changes.

Q: How is Heineken leveraging technology to make its processes more efficient and to recruit the best candidates?

A: There are still opportunities to digitalize HR to improve employee experience. Heineken invested in the centralization of its processes that are critical to the employee’s life, such as payroll. 

We are still learning how to use technology to improve recruitment processes. Many companies are using AI. While we are not using it yet, we are digitizing some processes. For example, with frontline jobs, applicants would visit a distribution center to leave their CV and wait for a call.  Since last year, applicants can scan a QR code at our distribution centers to connect directly to a chat and answer some questions. This information is later used to determine whether the person is suitable for open roles.  

Q: Do you believe that the use of technology in recruitment processes should be balanced with the intervention of humans?

A: A human touch is still necessary. Heineken hires up to 5,000 people per year for temporary jobs. For this type of situation, we leverage AI but balance it with a human touch. In my previous company, we used AI for this type of volume because it made hiring easier for the HR team and it simplified and elevated the quality of the job that humans can do.

Q: In Mexico, only 27 percent of director roles are occupied by women. What are the main challenges that women face when trying to scale their professional careers? 

A: The largest challenge is wanting to increase the number of women without a solid foundation. First, it is necessary to have an inclusive organization where anyone can feel that they can be themselves regardless of who they are and where they come from. Unfortunately, not every company is there yet because bias still plays an important role. Having a solid foundation requires an inclusive organization and leadership.

At Heineken, we are focusing particularly on our leaders to build a diverse pipeline. To ensure a diverse pipeline regarding gender, it is necessary that 50 percent of candidates are female. At Heineken, we still do not have a balanced pipeline, limiting choices when hiring for a director position. We need to build the culture and develop talent starting from entry roles.

Q: How is Heineken including people with disabilities into its labor force?

A: We partnered with Movimiento Congruencia in Nuevo Leon, which is committed to providing work opportunities for people with disabilities. We recently visited a recruitment fair for people with disabilities and launched a pilot program at our call center to develop a more diverse pipeline. We still need to do more, so this is one of our main priorities because diversity goes beyond gender. It also pertains to disabilities, retired people and single moms, among others. We are trying to explore how to open opportunities to everyone at Heineken.

Q: LinkedIn named Heineken Mexico as one of the best companies to develop a career in the country. How does the company support the professional growth of its associates?

A: First, we make amazing products, which is attractive to candidates. Additionally, the organization promotes a culture of collaboration to build a strong community. We also like to have fun. Our main offices, for example, have a bar called La Chamba, where every Thursday we provide beer to our employees and bring in DJs. We also sponsor great events. 

Heineken is also great at developing careers. It is a company with almost 18,000 employees in Mexico, making this division Heineken's most important business unit in sales volume and revenue. Heineken provides not only local but also international opportunities. This year, six or seven people from our HR area got a job abroad, with most of them going to our headquarters in Amsterdam. 

Q: How does Heineken’s HR department in Mexico stand out from others?

A: As one of Heineken’s largest teams, we have the resources to invest where it is necessary. Many initiatives developed in Mexico are transferred to other Spanish-speaking markets. Our leader’s program was developed in Mexico alongside different universities and will be expanded to Peru, Ecuador and Panama. 

We are also doing a deep analysis of our total rewards strategy that the global CHRO wants to share with the rest of the business units. Heineken’s global offices often turn to Mexico for strategies that can be launched globally.

Heineken is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. The group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders.