Renuja Selvanathan, Chief Financial Officer of Teejay Group, shares how companies like Teejay integrate gender diversity into broader business strategies, empowering women to contribute across leadership, sustainability, and technical roles that drive key initiatives. Teejay fosters resilience through programmes like She Can, expanding opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields and supporting long-term career growth. Also, in this piece, leaders of Teejay share insights into finding and celebrating their inner power.
How are women driving and shaping the textile industry’s and Teejay’s future?
While women constitute a significant portion of the workforce in apparel manufacturing, their representation in textile manufacturing remains limited. The nature of textile production, with its heavy focus on engineering, chemistry, and process-intensive operations, has traditionally resulted in lower female participation. However, this is gradually changing as companies recognize the importance of gender diversity and take structured measures to address it.
Teejay and other industry players have approached diversity beyond recruitment, embedding it into broader business strategies. This includes creating an environment enabling women to take on technical, operational, and leadership roles. Companies are integrating diversity into their long-term objectives by encouraging a shift in workplace culture, ensuring equitable career progression, and building a more inclusive talent pipeline. The presence of women in textile manufacturing is expected to increase as more organizations invest in policies and initiatives that support their professional growth.
What key contributions have women made to Teejay’s success in a highly competitive global market?
Women at Teejay contribute to various business functions, bringing perspectives shaped by diverse experiences. Their involvement spans leadership positions, operational roles, and corporate functions, each contributing to the company’s overall performance. Representation in sustainability, innovation, marketing, finance, corporate communications, legal, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reflects this broad engagement.
Sustainability and engineering, traditionally male-dominated, are seeing an increasing presence of women within the company. Notably, Ishara Perera leads sustainability initiatives at Teejay, while other women are actively involved in process optimization and environmental impact management. Their participation in these functions has contributed to ongoing efforts to align the company’s operations with long-term sustainability goals.
Beyond leadership, women in the organization play a role in workforce engagement, operations, and decision-making processes. Broader representation across various professional domains ensures that different perspectives are considered, leading to more balanced strategies for navigating challenges and opportunities within the industry.
How does Teejay foster a culture of resilience and leadership, and what initiatives has it taken to empower and advance women in their careers?
Teejay recognizes the varying challenges women encounter throughout different stages of their careers. These challenges often extend beyond professional demands and intersect with personal and societal responsibilities. A key area of focus has been providing the necessary flexibility to manage these challenges while ensuring women have access to career development opportunities.
One of the company’s structured initiatives, “She Can,” is designed to identify and develop female talent for leadership roles. This programme provides selected employees with targeted training and mentorship to enhance their skills and prepare them for more senior responsibilities. In addition to leadership development, Teejay includes training and coaching programmes to equip employees with the skills to navigate professional and personal challenges.
The company is also expanding its focus on increasing female representation in technical fields, where participation has historically been low. By creating pathways for women in engineering, manufacturing, and process-driven roles, Teejay is working towards broadening career prospects beyond conventional functions. This approach aligns with the broader objective of fostering a workplace culture that supports resilience, adaptability, and long-term career growth for all employees.
Seated (L-R) Iresha Fernando, Niluka Bandara | Standing (L-R) Chamila Bakmeewewa, Lilogini Sutherson, Madara De Silva
Chamila Bakmeewewa: Deputy General Manager, Marketing
Sales and marketing are demanding fields that require the ability to juggle multiple tasks and adapt to ever-changing circumstances. Women naturally possess multitasking skills and an inherent resilience that enables them to thrive in such fast-paced environments. Their ability to confront challenges directly, learn from setbacks, and persist with unwavering determination is one of the key reasons they excel in these industries. This combination of adaptability, strength, and perseverance allows women to succeed and lead in the dynamic world of sales and marketing.
Iresha Fernando: Assistant Manager – Corporate Communication
Empowerment is not just a value we uphold—it is the foundation we knit into everything we do. At Teejay, we champion the strength, leadership, and innovation of a diverse community of women and every individual at every opportunity; every thread of progress leads to a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Madara De Silva: Senior Manager, Finance
A strong woman embraces self-love, stays true to herself, and shines brightly no matter the doubts around her. Let’s embrace the power of sisterhood & break barriers, chase dreams, and reach new heights.
Lilogini Sutherson: Executive, Sustainability
Engineering is not just a man’s world—it’s a space where empowered women thrive! As sustainability professionals, we break barriers, lead with purpose, and drive meaningful change. Strong women, stronger future! Together, we innovate, inspire, and redefine what’s possible. We’re not just working for change—we ARE the change.
Niluka Bandara: Senior Manager, Talent Engagement & Development
There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish. What you need to have is the potential, resilience, and ability to break barriers in all aspects of life. Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.