WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP:
MONICA BOTAS

The Women In Leadership series by Bureau Veritas Certification compiles a variety of interviews from our female managers, providing a platform to speak on the challenges and opportunities they have faced throughout their careers. Join us each month to hear the stories of some of our many #WomenInLeadership.

Straight out of university with a degree in Biological Sciences, Monicas Botas began her career in 1991 as Quality Manager for yogurt giant, Yoplait. Ten years later, armed with valuable experience and a management diploma from the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra, she joined Bureau Veritas as an auditor. Two decades later, she is now Business Line Manager, Certification, for South-West Europe (SWE). She discusses the qualities required for good leadership and the challenges she has faced in her career.

What does your typical work day involve?

The purpose of my department mirrors that of Bureau Veritas as a whole: we shape a world of trust. Our mission is to reduce our clients' risks, improve their performance, and help them innovate to face the challenges of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility. We do this by evaluating the compliance of their management systems and products against national and international laws and regulations.

There are around 200 people in our business line, and I work directly with the regional directors. Our work is very collaborative and I aim to be very available to the team. I receive numerous calls related to the day-to-day running of the business and problems to be solved, but I am also careful to ensure I take time to plan for the future and think strategically.

What are the most significant challenges you have faced in your career?

At the beginning of my career, people were not used to seeing a woman in a factory, so the challenge was to normalize that and establish my team. Later, I faced challenges related to my involvement with day-to-day regional business and having direct client contact. I had to defend our offer and support the commercial team while auditing clients and trying to add value in the process. I have also witnessed the digital evolution of certification, from the first Excel spreadsheets to the use of a wide variety of tools! 

What qualities does it take to lead?

The first thing a leader must possess is a passion for what they are doing. They need to go to work every day with a smile. I think that having the ability to relate is also essential to break down barriers. It’s important to be patient, transparent, a good listener, and a team player. You need to be able to empathize, generate trust, delegate, and learn from your mistakes. I also think a good leader needs to focus on innovation and improvement, making bold decisions even if they are sometimes difficult and perhaps even unpopular.

What barriers do you think exist today for women in the workplace?

I have never really felt that I faced specific barriers because I am a woman, but perhaps I overcame some unconsciously. I believe in giving people opportunities, and being happy when people are given opportunities. There’s no excuse for people not to evolve, and I have always sought to support that. I am aware that in the workplace generally, there are still fewer women in management and the salary gap persists, but in my business line, that is just not the case. There are actually more women than men, and there is a good gender balance among our auditors. I am proud to be part of that culture of equality.

Thank you to Monica Botas for taking the time to answer our questions. For more of our #WomenInLeadership series, keep an eye on our website. We have more great interviews coming soon.