8 March, 2024

Zuk ahal duzu, tú puedes, you can do it!

Estibaliz, Eneritz, Abigail… these names represent just a few of the women who have pursued their career ambitions within Orbea through internal promotions. March 8th is for them.

Let’s start at the beginning. Orbea’s commitment to gender equality started with its Equality Commission, which implemented its second Gender Equality Plan in 2023. Among various conclusions drawn and challenges identified, one significant reality stood out: 70% of those seeking internal promotions were men, compared to only 30% women. This is a disparity that Orbea is determined to address in our quest to become a more equitable company.

But what exactly are internal promotions? They involve looking within the organization before seeking outside candidates. When a new position opens up, we launch an internal search to find people already within the cooperative that have the necessary skills and capabilities.

Let’s keep going. Our cooperative has set itself a goal of fostering a fairer society, and central to this goal is empowering women to apply for internal promotions and advance their careers within Orbea, ultimately shaping their own destinies. To inspire and encourage this effort, we’ve adopted the motto, “Zuk ahal duzu, tú puedes, you can do it!”

But our aim isn’t just to extend an invitation. We want to highlight real examples of women thriving within Orbea, who recognize and advocate for their own talent and who have chosen to contribute their skills within the cooperative.

Beginning her career as an Assembler at Oquo and progressing to an Assistant, Estibaliz is now Wheel Manager.

“Why not me?,” is a question that Estibaliz asked herself when these opportunities came up, and it’s a question she encourages other women to ask themselves. She hopes to serve as an example and show that your motivation to learn is more important than your time in the company or experience level.

Starting as a Picking Operator in the Components Warehouse, Eneritz has become an Assistant after an internal promotion.

Eneritz encourages her colleagues, stating, “Internal promotions are a great way to explore new opportunities and grow within the company. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain!”.

Abigail joined the company as a Customer Service Ecommerce Agent, then evolved into Copy Technician in the Brand and Communications Area.

“Orbea prioritizing internal promotions is huge. It’s really motivating knowing that you can keep growing and developing professionally while building on your knowledge and experience,” she says.

Beginning her journey in the wheel line, Ainara moved on to assembly, then later to the Customer Service Area as an Agent for Spain and Latin America. Soon, she was Head of Kide and now serves as Head of Customer Service Sales and Kide.

“It’s really important to believe in yourself, your leadership capabilities and ability to learn. Applying to an internal promotion is a great way to prove those to yourself,” says Ainara.

Marina’s first position at Orbea was as Graphic Content Technician, which has since evolved to Color and Finishes Manager.

Marina notes that it’s beneficial for everyone to promote talent internally since workers already know the business and are a part of the family. “It was my manager who saw my potential, who encouraged me to delve deeper and continue developing my professional career within Orbea.

Starting as a Painting Operator, Raquel moved into the Expedition Warehouse and currently works as a Finance Technician.

Raquel says that professional changes can be intimidating, especially when you don’t feel prepared, but that shouldn’t be a barrier to success. In her experience, her colleagues have always been willing to help her learn and grow.

She started as an equipment assembler on line 3 and is now a mechanic in the Technical Workshop.

“It can be easy to hold yourself back thinking that you need to know everything already in order to advance, but in my experience that’s not true. If you have the desire to learn and grow, you will be successful!”

As we commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8th, we pay tribute to all the women at Orbea and their dedication to advancing their professional careers through internal promotions. Their journeys serve as inspiration for others, and we invite more women to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.