“Take the plunge, the rest of us women need you”

Serena is a manager at IVH and she accept to be interviewed to share her experiences in the EPS world.

Work and responsibilities

“I am 49 years old and head the German association for manufacturers of EPS thermal insulation materials. That means I am responsible for numerous areas - from lobbying, communication, finance and marketing to projects and events and what feels like a million emails a day. I am also the only woman so far to be a member of the board of the European umbrella organisation EUMEPS. I don't come from the world of construction, but am a journalist by profession. As this work was a lot of fun and filled me with pride, but had the disadvantage of very long and irregular working hours, I had to find a different direction. I am a single parent, my son needs me. So I worked in the area of Communications in the German Parliament for a few years and then for other associations, including the former German Insulation Industry Association. I found the latter very exciting because it was a mixture of many topics: from environmental and climate protection to public relations and member support. When the offer from my current employer came, I was immediately on fire with excitement. The transition was easy because I already knew some people in the industry, and the topics were familiar to me.”

Biggest challenges and achievements in her career

“That is a difficult question. Of course, I am fulfilled by the task of leadership. But I am never satisfied. After all, the EPS industry has been facing numerous challenges for years. Some can be solved, others take years and it takes patience until there is light on the horizon. If society and politicians were to recognise that EPS insulation materials are indispensable and, above all, a sustainable choice for an efficient building envelope, that would be my greatest success. That's a very ambitious goal, I admit. So I'll take a step back: it would also be a success - especially because it's a male-dominated industry and praise is not the strength of many men - if in the end the message is: she did a damn good job, we'll miss her..”

A word of advice

The EPS industry is undoubtedly dominated by men. I think that's a great pity. Studies from neuroscience, psychology and communication science show gender-specific differences in cognitive processes, decision-making and social interaction. Of course, these differences are not absolute and vary from person to person, and they are also influenced by cultural influences and experience. But generally speaking, to give just one example, women tend to pay more attention to co-operation, long-term strategies and social responsibility when making decisions. Men, on the other hand, often favour more direct, risk-averse decision-making processes. Both approaches are right and important. And that's why we need more women, so that both sides of the coin are represented. Different perspectives and ways of thinking contribute to more creative problem-solving and well-founded decisions. I would advise young women: Take the plunge! The rest of us women need you.