WFFC x FEMA Spring Educational Seminar Highlights

On February 28, the Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce (WFFC) and the Flavor & Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) hosted the Spring Educational Seminar: Emerging Corporate Culture Driven by Science and Well-Being in Rutherford, New Jersey. The following session highlights were provided by each speaker with the help of Laure Moutet (EFEO board of directors) and George Southold (FEMA).

Release Your Inner Power Understanding the Key to Self-confidence, with Suzanne C. Johnson (Mc. Cormick/past president, FEMA)

 Suzanne Johnson told us how she became more self-confident, comfortable and authentic at work and showed us a way we can all do the same. It begins with understanding that you can change your situation. By seeing self-confidence as a skill that you can learn, you can improve your comfort and confidence by how you relate to others.

Release Your Inner Power Understanding the Key to Self-confidence, with Suzanne C. Johnson (Mc. Cormick/past president, FEMA)Dan Derrico

Consumer Insights and Future of Well-being in the Flavor and Fragrance Industry, with Patricia Amarose, (dsm-firmenich)

The notion of healing through the lens of wellness, sustainability and sensoriality has emerged as a poignant way to define a process taking place for individuals, communities and the planet. We need to heal from an overall decline in global health, find ways to heal social tensions and act on the immense need for ecological healing from industrial-era damage and mindset. We need digital life to work in synergy with humans, not against us. Pandemic descended upon the consumer landscape, changing desire & human experience but also setting the stage for a reset in thinking and action.

Industry Advocates Association Engagement and Company Leaders, moderated by George Southold (FEMA)

Trade associations create a community within an industry, the opportunity to learn more through association events and develop a peer network.  They ensure that industry can properly do business and work to prevent any negative impact by any legislation or regulation. In addition, associations work to address issues shared by members. The panelists that were all women, noted that the best way to become a leader was to ask question, participate and watch. Other members will help and support you as you get involved more deeply in the association to finally get to a leadership position, it is win win for the organization and for the leader as  it is an opportunity to grow professionally.

Panelists included (L to R): Laurette Rondenet (Edlong), Adriana Becker (CAPUA 1880 SRL), Erica Lermond (The Lermond Company LLC), and Cynthia Reichard (Arylessence).Dan Derrico

Doing It All, the Pursuit of Work Life Balance, with Danielle Barbaaro (Pepsico)

12 Principles of Work-Life Balance and Having it All

• Set & Know Your Goals…both Professional & Personal
• Identify what is MOST Important to YOU and Keep that Sacred (examples – Danielle keeps her family and time with her son sacred and discussed a costume event at his school)
• Set Boundaries for Yourself 
• Stay Focused on What Needs to Get Done
• STOP and KNOW when you have reached your Maximum (for example: It is important when you know it is time to step away)
• Learn to Prioritize & Delegate Work and Empower Others (example: Danielle shared an example from PepsiCo)
• Fill Your Bucket First then You can (example:  Danielle stressed this point)Be Your BEST version of Yourself for Others
• Make time for Self Improvement No Matter how Big or Small
• Keep a Healthy Lifestyle
• Give Yourself Grace and  Remember You are Always a Work In  Progress
• Be Intentional and Make Choices You will NOT Regret in Years Ahead
• It is ALL IN YOU - Stay Positive, Stay Strong, Believe in Yourself

In the Name of Science: Promoting Science a Fact-driven Conversation in a New Media World with Jessica Stier, Ph.D. (InbiasedScipod)

Jess Steier, Ph.D., shared the impetus behind Unbiased Science-- a multi-modal science communication brand that disseminates actionable science- and health-related information to the public with a focus on debunking misinformation and pseudoscience to inform knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. She discussed some of the common trends in threats to science literacy including logical fallacy traps such as the appeal to nature, equating correlation with causation, and more. She described the tools and methods used to effectively communicate via social media in an attempt to counteract fearmongering claims and ways to promote and elevate credible, evidence-based information using digital modalities to counteract rampant misinformation.

Panel: Next Generation Trends, moderated by Laure Moutet (EFEO, board of directors)

The panel was composed of three young people, Amna Gaba (Lucta), Emilie Torres (Berje) and Rebecca Bissenar (Victoria Secret), all three, relatively new in the industry.

The panel was composed of three young people, Amna Gaba (Lucta), Emilie Torres (Berje) and Rebecca Bissenar (Victoria Secret), all three, relatively new in the industry.Dan Derrico

They discussed a plethora of topics including the workplace culture, motivations, and values of the upcoming generation. They addressed challenges faced when entering the industry, emphasized the need to overcome gender bias and inequity, and explored the abundant opportunities within the field. The insightful discussion provided a holistic view of the industry from the perspective of emerging professionals with bright futures ahead of them.