Celebrating the women of TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods: Sangeeta Lalli

For 2023, the United Nations’ theme for International Women’s Day is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.” With women making up less than a third of the world’s workforce in tech-related fields, the theme calls on all of us to close the digital gender gap and celebrate women who are championing the advancement of transformative technology.* Diversity sows the seeds of innovation. Elevating different voices and ways of thinking can help unlock better data insights, decisions and solutions for all. In fact, analysis by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 per cent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the bottom quartile.**

As Public Policy Director based in Canada, Sangeeta Lalli works with governments and industry leaders on policy development, helping enable greater supply chain efficiency while producing safer and more sustainable food and consumer goods. Learn about her journey in tech and how she is driving innovation and transformative technology in our industry. What is your role? I work with government and the agriculture and agri-food sector on policy development to accelerate the adoption of technology to improve supply chains. What is meaningful about your work? The most meaningful part is helping to solve problems facing the agriculture and agri-food sector. We know we need to produce more food with less resources. Technology is a solution to this problem. At TELUS, we're creating something big to help the sector handle data across the supply chain and become more efficient while producing safer and more sustainable food and consumer goods. It's an exciting space with lots of potential for good around the world. What has your career path been like? My background is in politics and government having worked for the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food and the Prime Minister of Canada. My interest in agtech started while I worked on policy development for agriculture and recognized the potential for more efficiency and improved sustainability outcomes across the supply chain. While government plays a role in innovation and adoption, the sector drives change. It's very exciting and meaningful to be part of an organization that's changing the landscape of supply chains and data globally. What advice would you give to women who aspire to a role like yours? Don't let anyone tell you can't do something. If I listened to people who said I didn't have enough background to take on a specific role or I wasn't senior enough for a role, I wouldn't be where I am today. Take risks and say yes to opportunities that help build your career. Also, surround yourself with friends, mentors and colleagues who encourage your growth. Some will do this by cooking you dinner during a stressful time, provide you with a great reference for a future job or show you the ropes on a career path you want to follow. Embrace and strengthen these relationships. Their guidance and support will keep you going during the rough patches and help you celebrate your accomplishments.

We’re committed to promoting and celebrating diversity and inclusion across our business and within our communities. By embodying our values, we strive to help make life better for our customers, team members and the communities where we live, work and serve. Join us. Explore open roles.