On this upcoming Women's Equality Day, Regal Jewelry, a women-led business, invites our CEO, Rinrada Chinnapornsombat (Sarah), to talk about being a woman in the jewelry business. As the eldest daughter of the company’s founder, Sarah started working as Regal Jewelry’s Sales Manager at the age of 21. Over the years, she has made sacrifices and has dedicated her life to growing her family's business. Currently, she is a progressive CEO who stands behind Regal Jewelry’s success.
Being a Woman in Business
When asked about the challenges for women in business, Sarah told us that there were times when she was questioned about her ability and position by men, but she ignored the negative thoughts and kept doing her job until she was accepted. However, she highlights the challenging situations women face in some countries. "In some countries, if you are not a man, you cannot conduct business alone; you need to find a male salesperson or colleague to accompany you. Otherwise, they won't talk to you."
Sarah also stated that Thailand has more female top management executives compared to other countries in Asia. “I think one reason for that is because the female to male ratio is higher in Thailand. The second reason is that women in Thailand are very hardworking; many of them are responsible for their family’s income” Sarah added. Sarah’s statements are concurrent to research from Mckinsey & Company and The World Bank Data. The female to male ratio is higher for Thailand's population (World Bank, 2022), and in terms of women in power, 24% of CEOs and managing directors in Thailand are women, which is significantly higher than the 20% worldwide statistics and 13% in Asia-Pacific countries (Sucharitakul & Sivakriskul 2023).
A Safe and Inclusive Workplace
When asked about support in the workplace for women, Sarah mentioned “First, you must protect yourself if you are facing an abusive situation, whether it is discrimination or sexual harassment, try to remove yourself from that position if possible. We encourage you to report to your supervisor, your boss, or HR to investigate the situation. Never be afraid to speak out if you are being unfairly treated”.
Regarding steps that companies can take to encourage victims to speak out, Sarah stated, “There should never be any punishments for speaking out. The second thing is setting boundaries and maintaining appropriate manners in the workplace. HR and training departments should offer courses to set strict boundaries of what is appropriate and what isn't. Next, there should be anonymous comment boxes or whistleblower boxes for those who are afraid to approach others for help”.
There are many other steps that companies can take to create a safe and inclusive workplace, “we all need to look after one another. Ignoring abusive behaviors and being a bystander will only harm workplace safety. I believe that together we can create a safe and inclusive workplace.” added Sarah.
An Inspiring message to Young Women Entrepreneurs
Towards the end of our conversation, Sarah shared some inspiring messages about being a woman CEO: “Nowadays, companies and end-consumers are more aware of gender equality and anti-discrimination in the workplace. For example, at Regal Jewelry, we are a member of RJC which means we comply to non-discrimination, human rights and labor rights. As such, it provides a bright future for women to follow their dreams in the corporate world. If you face discrimination or unfair treatment, do not let them stop you from pursuing your dreams. They have the right to their opinions, and we have the right to live and think as we want".
To conclude our interview, Sarah added, "Gender should not be a factor of concern at the workplace. Your career path should be about your ability, experience, and willingness/proactiveness. Sometimes you have to contribute more time and effort than others. You may have to make sacrifices to achieve certain things. Ultimately, it is about your willingness to contribute, not your gender".
“Don’t limit yourself based upon other people’s beliefs.” - Rinrada Chinnapornsombat (Sarah), CEO
At Regal Jewelry, we ensure an empowering and promising workspace for our employees.
We are proud to share that our hiring rate consists of 65% women and 35% men. Our company is committed to promoting women's empowerment and gender equality within our company.
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