Sabina Grund, Associate Director Sustainable Development of the International Zinc Association (IZA), strongly believes that an increasing number of women in executive level jobs or other leading positions clearly helps motivating the next generation of well-educated women to join the raw materials industry. However, making them stay is the challenge companies face today. Through the Women in Zinc (WIZ) network, Sabina aims to support and connect women in the raw materials sector so that they can share their experiences and learn from each other.
Q.: The Raw Materials sector is a particularly demanding professional area that supports modern technological trends yet identified more by its conservative structure in terms of administration and operations. How/why did you choose this sector as a career path?
Sabina Grund: My father is a metallurgist who specialized in aluminium. When I was a schoolgirl and he had to go to the refinery on weekends, he took me with him. Later, I worked at the aluminium refinery during my holidays, and over time, he passed his fascination for molten metal on to me. Later, I studied at the same university department he did but focused on a different metal: zinc.
Today, in my role at the International Zinc Association (IZA), I am thankful that my technical background enables me to understand the technical complexities e.g., of decarbonization and circularity in metal production helping me to support IZA’s member companies on their sustainable development pathway.
Q.: Tell us a few things about your experience as a professional. What challenge(s) have you encountered, hitherto, in your work environment?
Sabina Grund: When we had our children, my husband worked full time. For me working for a commodity association, part-time and from home was a compromise between staying connected and taking care of our children. Looking back to my almost 30 years of professional experience now, I wish, I had had role models: strong women that I could have looked up to.
Instead, in my earlier years, I was torn between filling my role as a mother and the passion for my job in the metals industry, where often I was the only women in the room. I thought, success in a male-dominated environment is coupled with being and acting like a man. And then when I did, my accomplishments still were not appreciated the way a man’s accomplishments would have been. My salary for instance was a clear and measurable indicator. This changed when I started working for IZA in a diverse and multicultural team with a respectful and inclusive work environment.
I thought, success in a male-dominated environment is coupled with being and acting like a man; still, my accomplishments were not appreciated the way a man’s accomplishments would have been. My salary for instance was a clear and measurable indicator.
Q.: What is acknowledged and welcome in recent years, is an attempt of the RM industry to set up a direct and meaningful communication channel with modern societies that are more aware of the sector's pros and cons. In this context, albeit at a gradual pace, women are entrusted with executive level jobs or elected to positions. What are your thoughts about inclusion and diversity in that context?
Sabina Grund: In my role as IZA’s Associate Director Sustainable Development, I had the pleasure to witness progress made in our industry on all aspects of ESG. The Women in Zinc (WIZ) network is an example for how commodity associations like IZA can support women in the raw materials sector. WIZ connects women so that they can share their experiences and learn from each other. We organize WIZ networking opportunities at IZA conferences, virtual coffee breaks and fireside chats with company CEOs.
Since IZA started the WIZ network in 2022, I have talked to many women of all ages in the raw materials industry. I can see cultural differences between the global regions impacting the situation of women at the workplace. I can see that the situation changes over time – often for the better.
Overall, young women of every region still benefit from role models. An increasing number of women in executive level jobs or other leading positions clearly helps motivating the next generation of well-educated women to join the raw materials industry. Making them stay is the challenge companies face today. The commitment to a more diverse workforce at top management level is an essential prerequisite. We see wonderful and very advanced examples among the IZA member companies. In addition, mentoring programs are an example of ways to practically help women develop their potentials.
Through the Women in Zinc Network, I have talked to many women of all ages in the RM industry. I can see cultural differences between the global regions impacting the situation of women at the workplace but i can also see that the situation changes over time – often for the better.
Q.: What are the «critical raw materials» for a woman in the RM sector to maintain the difficult but essential work-life balance?
Sabina Grund: Maintaining the essential work-life balance in the raw materials sector for men is challenging too. What often comes on top for women are expectations based on traditional family role models which include caring for family members such as children or the elder generation. A support network in private life as well as a supportive attitude in the professional environment is key. Measures at the workplace include flexible work time models or day care facilities for younger children close to the workplace.
SHORT BIO
Dr.-Ing. Sabina Grund joined the International Zinc Association (IZA) in 2018 and today is IZA’s Associate Director Sustainable Development. She coordinates IZA’s global programs on life cycle assessment, carbon footprint, decarbonization, circular economy, and responsible sourcing of zinc. Since 2022, Sabina is one of the leading heads in IZA’s Women in Zinc (WIZ) network.
Until 2018, Sabina Grund for 18 years managed Initiative Zinc, the German zinc network which over time became the voice of the German zinc industry. In 1996, she graduated as a doctor of metallurgical engineering from the Technical University of Aachen in Germany. Since 2019 Sabina Grund chairs the Zinc Experts Committee of GDMB, the German society for miners and metallurgists. Sabina is member of the International Organizing Committee of the global PbZn conference series with the next one being PbZn2026 in Japan. Regularly, Sabina is guest lecturer at the University of Liege. She has published numerous papers and chaired conferences in various global regions.
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