Across South Africa’s evolving business landscape, resilience has become one of the most important qualities organisations can cultivate. Economic shifts, changing consumer behaviour and global uncertainty mean companies are constantly adapting. Increasingly, one factor is proving critical in navigating this change: inclusive leadership.
At JDE Peet’s South Africa, women are playing a significant role in shaping the company’s future. In recognition of International Women’s Month, the organisation is highlighting the perspectives of four women leading across different areas of the business: Banu Erkorkmaz, Country Manager South Africa; Rita Fernandes, Regional Marketing Director MEA; Domaine Rautenbach, Senior Brand Manager for Jacobs; and Hayley van Niekerk, Marketing Lead South Africa.
Their experiences reflect a broader shift in how leadership is understood today. Rather than being defined solely by hierarchy, leadership is increasingly about influence, collaboration and long-term impact.
This approach is gaining recognition. JDE Peet’s South Africa was recently named a finalist at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards, acknowledging the company’s continued commitment to gender equity and inclusive business practices.
Creating space for women to lead:
For Country Manager Banu Erkorkmaz, leadership begins with representation and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully.
“Leadership is about creating space for others to grow,” she explains. “It means ensuring women’s voices are heard in decision-making rooms and that talent is recognised for the value it brings, not for fitting outdated expectations.”
That philosophy has helped cultivate a workplace culture where women are encouraged to lead authentically while balancing commercial results with empathy and collaboration.
Leadership that shapes the next generation:
Senior Brand Manager for Jacobs, Domaine Rautenbach, believes leadership today comes with both opportunity and responsibility.
“There’s the opportunity to shape brands and businesses, but also the responsibility to model what inclusive leadership looks like for the next generation,” she says.
She notes that diverse perspectives across teams have strengthened collaboration and encouraged more innovative thinking within the organisation.
Why inclusive leadership is good for business:
For Marketing Lead Hayley van Niekerk, resilience in business comes from clarity of strategy and strong brand leadership.
She views inclusive leadership not just as a people initiative, but as a key business driver that helps brands stay relevant in a rapidly changing market.
“True leadership is reflected in the culture you build and the clarity of the decisions you make,” she says. “When women are empowered in leadership roles, brands benefit from broader perspectives and more thoughtful thinking.”
This ultimately leads to work that feels more authentic, relevant and connected to the people it serves.
Van Niekerk adds that intentional leadership also influences the stories brands choose to tell.
“When we lead with intention, we become more deliberate about the values we champion and the impact we want our brands to have. Inclusive leadership helps us build brands that can evolve and remain meaningful over time.”
Growth and purpose go hand in hand:
For Regional Marketing Director Rita Fernandes, business success today cannot be separated from social responsibility.
“You can’t separate growth from purpose anymore,” she says. “Brands that want to stay relevant must reflect the realities and aspirations of the people they serve, and that includes supporting women throughout the value chain.”
At JDE Peet’s South Africa, this philosophy influences everything from how teams are built to how supply chains operate and how long-term growth strategies are designed.
As Erkorkmaz puts it, the most resilient businesses understand that performance and purpose are not competing priorities.
“We don’t have to choose between performance and purpose. The strongest organisations recognise they need both.”
A moment to reflect and move forward:
International Women’s Month provides an opportunity to recognise progress while also acknowledging the work that still needs to be done.
Across JDE Peet’s value chain – from corporate offices to coffee farms – women are contributing to solutions that strengthen both the business and the communities it serves.
Advancing women in leadership is therefore more than symbolic. It is a strategic investment in the resilience of organisations and the societies they operate in.