“Never lose sight of your goal and never give up. As women, we can accomplish anything we put our minds to”

In our Diversity@NORMA series, we present the diversity of employees who work for NORMA Group. In 2021, the focus of the series is on female employees at NORMA Group. Female staff members from various departments and countries talk about their professional and personal experiences and provide insights into their wishes for the future.

Alma Chaparro is HR Business Partner at the NORMA Group location in Juarez, Mexico. She sat down with us to talk about her passion for her job, social prejudices against women in the workplace and her hopes for the future.

Alma, what woman has had the greatest influence on you?

I would definitely say that my mother has had the greatest influence on me. I learned so much from her. She was an extremely strong woman. No matter what the problem, she always found a solution, was always ready to listen and always gave good advice. She was what held our family together and from her I learned to go through life with confidence and strength. She taught me to be open to new things, to test myself and to never let myself be intimidated.

Do you have any career role models?

I don’t have a specific role model. I believe that every woman is a professional role model for someone. I admire all women who get up every morning, go to work and manage their families on the side. It doesn’t matter if it’s a mother, grandmother or daughter - I think every woman in this world should be recognized for that.

What does your job mean to you?

I love my job. I have been working in HR for over 25 years now. Here, I have the opportunity to help people. I provide colleagues with support and advice, I help them find the right training opportunities and can therefore make a positive difference in other people’s lives. In my opinion, education is everything - and that’s something I want to facilitate for all my colleagues. It gives me such a good feeling every time I see that my support has had a positive impact on someone else’s life. My job is definitely my passion, too

What social changes have taken place during your professional career?

Generally speaking, things are changing very quickly. In the past year alone, the Corona pandemic has brought about a lot of changes in our private and professional lives. I myself have learned to appreciate even more the things I already have.

Socially, a lot has also changed in recent years. Working women are no longer a rarity in most parts of the world – and they have more professional opportunities than they did just a few years ago. But this transformation process is not moving forward fast enough. Often, a woman’s family situation or potential family situation still plays a bigger role than her skills. I think it’s a shame that women still can’t get a job or are denied a promotion because of the possibility that they might get pregnant. Women have proven that they can have both a family and a career. With that in mind, we still have a long way to go in terms of equal rights for men and women in the workplace.

What are your hopes for the future?

Personally, I would like to complete my master’s degree in finance. In terms of NORMA Group, I would like to help develop the culture in the company. We have so many opportunities at NORMA Group and we really should take advantage of them. We can become even more diverse, open and innovative. It’s important to me that these opportunities are communicated and that colleagues understand how they can play an active role in shaping the corporate culture.

Do you have any advice for all women?

Never lose sight of your goal and never give up. As women, we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. We are strong, stronger than a lot of people think.