International Women’s Day: Women in Pest Control

March 8th is International Women’s Day. According to the official website, this is a globally-observed day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality, and groups to come together worldwide to acknowledge women’s achievements and rally for women’s equality. At HomeTeam, we’re recognizing the amazing women in pest control that are part of our family.

Beginning in 2010, the HomeTeam Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) created a mission to inspire, empower, and assist in the professional development of women. The WLI is promoted throughout the company, and its influence goes all the way to the top.

This year, the official theme for International Women’s Day is “Choose to Challenge”. In line with that, the WLI is looking to women on the frontline to help overcome obstacles and call out gender bias. With pest control often regarded as a male-dominated industry, an organization like the WLI is something that isn’t so common among other pest control companies, but progress is being made. The NPMA’s Professional Women in Pest Control recently hosted a virtual networking event to help tackle these issues.

Stephanie Hill, general manager of our Orlando West branch, sits on the board of the WLI. Speaking on its purpose, Stephanie shared, “The Women’s Leadership Initiative is here to enrich women’s lives. No matter how long they are with HomeTeam, we want to make a difference. We help them learn how to set goals, respond with courage, and grow as a person. In turn, they carry this knowledge to their other endeavors.”

How is HomeTeam implementing change? The WLI has a sponsorship program open to any HomeTeam woman. An application process leads to a dedicated plan of action to help them reach their goals throughout the year. To date, 66 women have been sponsored. On the company-wide conference call each month, President Brady Camp gives WLI a seat at the table and a platform to make their voice heard. Additionally, the “Spotlight the Journey” program, publishes a quarterly poster that’s distributed to all branches. It highlights a specific woman’s journey: what influences her, what drives her, how she got into her role, and what inspires her. Margaret Martinez of our San Antonio branch also heads a Welcome Committee, which writes letters to all new HomeTeam employees from the WLI welcoming them to the family.

Channeling the iconic Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her infamous quote “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made,” we are seeing the efforts of the WLI pay off. Today, we have the most women general managers in our history, a strong presence in the corporate office, and an increase in women technicians. On its success, Stephanie noted, “At HomeTeam, we empower women to be decision makers, so having women in all facets of the company is key for the company’s growth and development.”

Next time you’re in need of trustworthy pest control service, visit pestdefense.com or call us at 855-855-4873.