Empowering Women Leaders: Dow’s Path to Sustainable Innovation

In today's era of rapid technological advancement and heightened environmental consciousness, the chemical industry stands at a pivotal crossroads. Companies like Dow are not only innovators in materials science but also leaders in sustainable practices that shape global industries. At the forefront of this intersection between innovation and sustainability are Melissa Schisler, Global Director for Dow’s Toxicology and Environmental Research & Consulting Group, and Anouk Van Looveren, Country Manager for Dow Belgium and Global Marketing Director. 

Melissa brings over 27 years of experience at Dow, focusing on ensuring the safety and sustainability of products through rigorous toxicology research. Her expertise spans from foundational laboratory work to spearheading global strategies in safer materials, underscoring Dow's commitment to product safety and environmental stewardship. 

Anouk, with 13 years at Dow, champions sustainability initiatives in Belgium while driving market strategies in the coatings sector globally. Her leadership not only shapes Dow’s regional sustainability roadmaps but also enhances the Company's market presence through innovative marketing strategies and collaborative partnerships. 

Together, Melissa and Anouk embody Dow’s proactive approach to integrating scientific innovation with sustainable practices, setting a benchmark for the chemical industry. In this interview, they share their insights on navigating challenges, fostering diversity, and driving transformative change in the pursuit of a more sustainable future. 

Anouk, tell us about how you ended up working in the chemical industry. 

Anouk: I studied commercial engineering, which is like science and economics combined. I always knew I wanted to be on the business side. I ended up with Dow because they offered this commercial development program, which was a perfect fit for me. Sometimes people ask me, "What are you doing in the chemical industry?" They think it sounds boring and unsafe, but I'm very passionate about it. Basically, 95% of everything we use comes from chemistry. If we can do it well in our company, which is one of the top three materials science companies globally, we can have a massive impact on all other industries. It was a natural fit for me to choose Dow after graduating from university. 

How did your interest in sustainability develop? 

Anouk: It developed naturally, especially after having kids. It makes you think more about the world you want them to live in. That motivates me even more to contribute to this movement toward sustainability. 

Melissa, what led you to work in the chemical industry? 

Melissa: My journey was a bit different; it wasn't so much about joining the chemical industry itself but finding a company that valued my educational background and aligned with my passions. It was a bit of luck that I joined Dow, but it opened my eyes to what we have to offer to the world.  For me, the decision to stay was more about the ability to learn, grow and develop with the bonus the location where my family lives.  I was fortunate to join a remarkable materials science company with a history of ensuring the safety of our products and maintaining a toxicology laboratory since 1934. 

My career has been a journey of passion for STEM and science, gaining skills and experiences through Dow's toxicology lab and learning from the experts in the company. I’ve been very fortunate to work with world-renowned scientists who are people I can talk to about everyday life as well as brainstorm on scientific solutions. This blend of professional and personal interactions has made my career fulfilling. 

Can you tell us about a project that you've worked on recently that you're particularly excited about? 

Melissa: The project I'm currently excited about involves our sustainability journey and our safer materials focus area. We often talk about circularity and carbon neutrality, but for me, it's all about product safety. Working with our R&D community and providing them with tools developed by my toxicology team to predict the hazard potential of products has been incredibly rewarding. It's been exciting to see how others are beginning to understand our toxicology expertise differently. While our expertise has always helped the company make a profit, they're now making an even bigger impact on the world. It's an exciting time to celebrate 90 years as a toxicology team and to be part of the journey toward safer materials. 

Anouk, how about you? Have you been working on a project recently that you're really excited about? 

Anouk: Yes, there are many things going on at the same time. My roles have a lot in common because I'm focused mainly externally on both. My job is to get inspired, then take that inspiration to inspire others and put it into action through collaboration with teams. 

One project I'm currently working on with the regional team in Belgium is about improving how we tell our sustainability story in our Inspiration Studio. This studio, which breeds innovation and showcases our technological competencies, can do a much better job of highlighting our sustainability initiatives and strategies. I've been mobilizing a team of promising talents in the region to come together and devise a strategy and plan to upgrade our Inspiration Studio. 

When I say, "tell our story, "It's not just about narration. Ultimately, we aim to be enablers of building ecosystems by inviting authorities, customers, and employees to be part of the exercise. It's about building ecosystems to drive a sustainable transformation, similar to what Change Chemistry is doing. This excites me a lot. 

In business, it's clear that we are all reinventing ourselves. We can't continue doing what we have been doing for decades because the world is changing. We need to evolve toward low-carbon, circular, and safer materials. For our coatings industry, particularly additives for coatings, we're rethinking our strategy. We're adjusting ourselves from a structural, strategic, innovation, and portfolio perspective. These two areas make me really excited. 

We want to talk to both of you about what it means to be a woman leader in science today. Melissa, you’ve had an impressive career in STEM. What was it like for you in the beginning? 

Melissa: I've thought about this a lot, especially as I look back on my early days as a young scientist. I think I was quite naive in some regards. Today, when new team members join, I see that they are much more ambitious. I didn't have that same level of ambition initially; I developed it over time. 

One of the challenges I've faced as a female leader is building confidence. It took time for me to develop the confidence needed for a leadership position. When I mentor and coach young women in science today, I focus on helping them build this confidence. Young women today seem to have ambition but lack the confidence to match it. 

It's essential to coach young women to embrace their roles as scientists, doctors, engineers—whatever their passion may be. These careers are incredibly fulfilling for women. My daughter is in Optometry school at Ohio State University. When I see the passion in her eyes as she talks about her chosen field, it is amazing. 

I have had many mentors, who have helped build my confidence and develop me into the leader I am today. As I walked out on my first day with a Dow female director, I was asked how my day went, and I remember feeling unsure. She gave me great advice: if you feel like you didn't do something well, forgive yourself and remember that tomorrow is a new day. It's important to know that it takes time to develop, grow, and progress on your career journey. 

Did you ever feel that you had to overcompensate in order to be seen in the industry? 

Melissa: I don't think I did. I spent a significant number of years (15 years) learning and growing in the toxicology laboratory. This is when I gained my scientific expertise and had the opportunity to present my work at scientific conferences, co-author book chapters, and author scientific journal articles. The time was well spent as it helped build my confidence. 

As my career progressed, I used this scientific expertise and confidence to engage with leaders both internally at Dow and externally. Having the time to gain that expertise truly was a blessing and allowed me to be seen as an expert in my field, particularly in product safety. 

My guidance to others is to not discount opportunities that seem irrelevant to their current role. These experiences are valuable and can impact your career and your life. Young people should take hold of opportunities, big or small, as they shape who you become as a person. Some of the most unusual or intimidating opportunities that I have had really propelled my 27-year career. 

Anouk, when you started your career, were you particularly aware that there was something unique and special about being a woman in science? 

Anouk: Not at all. When I was a child, a book I loved was called "Boys and Science." It explained how the moon and sun worked and how planes could fly. I loved it, but now I realize the title is quite telling—especially since there's now a version with boys and girls in it. That’s evolution, I guess. 

I’ve always studied STEM, so I was usually one of the few females in the group. It never bothered me. This has continued throughout my career. Even now, in leadership teams or trade associations, it's often the same. For example, at a recent event in Belgium called the Antwerp Declaration, 70 CEOs from European companies gathered to advocate for an industrial deal alongside the Green Deal. I scanned the room and found it hard to spot female CEOs. It’s still a reality. 

There are internal and external barriers that make it more challenging for women to advance. That's where I’m proud to work for Dow, a company putting effort into addressing these barriers. They’re focusing on hiring policies to create more equitable chances, ensuring diverse interview panels to reduce bias, having diverse candidate slates, and being mindful of equal pay. Also, as we wish to make a real change, we need to tackle challenges starting at school and attract more female talent into STEM. That’s where I am actively engaging with industry associations.  

Melissa, have you noticed a shift in the diversity of your teams or in the chemicals space in general since you started your career? 

Melissa: Yes! If I look at my team today, which includes scientists, chemists, biologists, engineers, and toxicologists, diversity in thought is essential to drive the change that is necessary for a sustainable future. 

Our hiring processes aim to bring together the best of the best, minimizing biases toward any gender or ethnic group. The employee resource groups Dow has also contributed to this diversity of thought. Participating in these groups and activities has made us better employees by encouraging us to listen to and understand different perspectives. 

Have you found it beneficial to come together with other women in your field for support or guidance? 

Melissa: Uniting is definitely beneficial. I've had both women and men as coaches and mentors, and both have been supportive of my growth. We, as women in leadership positions, need to partner and help the younger generation become leaders as well. While blending in is sometimes necessary, allyship is particularly important for women. Being a role model is crucial so others can see that it's possible to achieve these positions. It ultimately comes down to having the confidence to grow into leadership roles. 

Anouk: To add to that, I always think of it as “unite, advocate, and inspire.” We remain a minority, and this applies to all minorities. By uniting, we can make a change, as it's difficult to engage and make a difference on your own. Advocacy is important not just for our needs, but to increase understanding and reduce biases. Spending time together and understanding different perspectives helps address preconceived biases. Lastly, inspire. Sometimes people don't see the options available to them, which is unfortunate. If I hadn't realized the potential when reading my book "Boys and Science," I might have thought science wasn't for me. Seeing role models and examples around us is essential to inspire and show that these paths are also options. These three elements—unite, advocate, and inspire—are truly important, and we all have a responsibility to support women in STEM. 

Are there ever times at which you tire of talking about being a female leader instead of a leader in general? 

Melissa: To be honest, I don't really think about myself as being a female in STEM. I mean, I am a female, and I know that. I would love to be an inspirational leader for everyone, not just for females. If I help the next female or male scientist gain confidence, that's wonderful and a great achievement. But I don't feel accomplished because I'm a female; I feel accomplished because I'm a scientist and a leader. 

Anouk: That's really the point, right? You don't want recognition for your gender; you want recognition for all that you've done. When young females ask for advice, the first thing I always say is to do your job really well. That's how you'll get recognized, not because you're a woman. Focus on your job, build your expertise, and grow your network. 

Melissa: Exactly. Knowing your strengths, your values, and your ethics is what's most important. It's about who you are as a person, not necessarily your gender or ethnicity. The value of a person and who they are is more important than saying, "I'm a female in leadership." It takes hard work, dedication, and passion for what you do in order to succeed in any company. Anouk and I both feel strongly about the passion we have for our company and the transformation we're trying to make. If I didn't feel this way, I wouldn't be here.  

If you were to go back and talk to your 10-year-old self, would you give her any specific advice about being a leader in STEM? 

Anouk: The first thing I would say is to believe that you can do anything. Don’t feel restricted by society's expectations. Believe in yourself and make choices based on what matters most to you. If you put your mind to something, you can achieve a lot. Staying true to yourself is really important because you can do many things, but if it’s not what you love, it won’t bring you joy. 

Melissa: I would add that it’s important to own your career. How I built my career and how Anouk built hers might not be the same path for someone else. Make decisions, ask questions, and be inquisitive. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. Have the confidence to ask questions and shadow people to learn about different opportunities. There are many careers in STEM that you might not even know exist. Take advantage of opportunities and be open to different possibilities. 

It's amazing how many career paths there are. When I graduated from university 27 years ago, I would not have imagined I’d be at a chemical company or in Michigan. My young self never thought this is where I’d end up, but I’m not disappointed. Many factors shape your journey, so embrace opportunities as they come. 

Is there anything else you would like the Change Chemistry community to know? 

Anouk: If you link to the mission or vision of Change Chemistry, sustainability in its broad sense is also about diversity. Diversity of thought and ideas is essential if you want to innovate and do things differently. Safe and sustainable chemistry goes hand in hand with diversity. So, I’d emphasize the importance of uniting, advocating, and inspiring. This applies to both diversity and sustainable chemistry. 

Melissa: I love that. What I appreciate most about Change Chemistry, and the next generation of scientists, is the focus on collaboration. I’d add collaboration to the mix because the transformation we need as an industry and as a world requires all of us working together. Inclusiveness and diversity of thought are crucial for our growth and development as female scientists. It’s not just one company’s journey; it’s all of our journey.