The company Forgital Group hosted a meeting on 6 November as part of the ‘Women Network’ project, a network designed to give space, energy and professional connections to women in business.
Special guest was Cristina Sella, General Manager of Essetre Holding, who shared with the participants her story as an entrepreneur and mother of five children.
This project ‘Women Network’ aims to give voice to stories like Cristina’s and to create a community of women who support each other to achieve their professional and personal goals. Forgital, through this initiative, wants to take a concrete step towards gender equality and create a space for dialogue and growth for all its employees.
Cristina was introduced by Valentina Busin, General Counsel and CEO P.A. in Forgital Italy Spa, and Suzana Chakrokh, General Manager of RTM BREDA, as a figure representing the challenges and achievements of balancing professional and personal life.
‘Cristina is a woman who, with passion and dedication, has been able to build a successful career without losing sight of her role as a mother and guide for her family,’ said Chakrokh.
During her speech, Cristina talked about her experience at Essetre, a family business specialised in the production of woodworking centres. With sincerity and talking straight, Cristina shared the challenges she faced as a business woman in a sector that is dominated by men, and the determination she showed in running the company together with her brothers, her ever-present father Gianni, and her beloved employees and collaborators.
Her role as General Manager represents a fusion of professionalism and personal vision, which motivates her to focus on innovation and quality, without forgetting the value of the people who work in the company.
But the aspect that most struck the participants was the story of how Cristina manages to maintain a balance between work and family responsibilities.
‘Over time, I have earned the trust of the people around me in the company: employees, collaborators, customers and suppliers. It has not been easy, especially in a world where the male presence, and sometimes unfortunately also chauvinism, is greater than that of women. But the achievements I have made are worth it, in work as in life.
Reconciling work and family is a challenge, but in the most important moments for my children I was there, and the satisfaction in work still came: it is a hard, uphill path, but do you see this smile? It accompanies me even in the most tiring moments, which I face with my head held high and without ever feeling in an inferior position.
With the women in my family’s company, Essetre, we have built a lot and I hope I have been, and continue to be for them, support and inspiration’.
Cristina emphasised the importance of mutual support as well as the value of a working environment that recognises and supports the needs of women, even those engaged in a career at the highest level.
The entrepreneur spoke of her journey as a continuous evolution, in which one learns to value one’s successes and not to neglect the small moments that give joy in daily life, passions, affections, friends.
‘The great thing about being a woman, especially in the difficult or complicated situations that life sometimes puts you through, is the ability to persevere, to do everything within the standards we set ourselves, which are often very high!
As women, we have seven or eight senses: we have developed them over time because experiences, good and not so good, have shaped us and given us the awareness we need to face everything and everyone.
Most of you women here present are younger than me and I take this opportunity to tell you to always listen to yourselves, to always do what you feel like doing, because you can, you have the ability, the courage and the strength.
In today’s society, our lives and our vision are still contaminated by cultural legacies, which is why we should listen more to ourselves, because what we women have in our DNA is emotion, that sensibility that is most developed in us and that makes us capable of missions that we thought impossible or that we were simply told were not possible for us.
Let us harness this emotion without fear, let us speak our mind!
Remember girls: as women, we do not have to do more to be equal with men. We must be given the appropriate tools to achieve and maintain equal rights and opportunities. After all, we are the creators.’
Cristina Sella’s testimony was a concrete example of how it is possible to reconcile family and work, even in a managerial role. Her presence at the meeting was a source of inspiration for many women present, who could see in her a model of determination, organisational ability and humanity.
For Essetre, a company that has always valued people and their talents, Cristina’s participation in a project like ‘Women Network’ represents another step in its commitment to an inclusive and equal corporate culture.
Thanks to Forgital Group for the hospitality and for the interesting and useful initiative ‘Women Network’.
