Three women at the heart of Sollio Agriculture’s operations

Historically, men have made up most of the operations workforce. Yet more and more women are playing key roles in this field today. To celebrate International Women’s Day, Sollio Agriculture spoke to three of them: Patricia Lavoie, Isabelle Clément, and Lynn Greenwood.

Patricia Lavoie is the manager of the Côte‑Sainte‑Catherine Distribution Centre, Isabelle Clément is a bulk loader at the Saint-Romuald mill, and Lynn Greenwood is the operations coordinator at the Hamilton terminal. Their experience shows how women are an essential strength for operations teams.

Working in a typically male environment

In Saint-Romuald, Isabelle is part of a small group of four women in an operations team of over fifty employees. “Being a woman among so many men definitely makes you stand out,” she observes. She admits that she had a few concerns at first. “I was worried they might look down on me. But it’s the complete opposite. Having women around makes a nice change. We bring different perspectives and new conversations.”

In Hamilton, Lynn is the only woman on her team. But after twenty years in refineries, she’s used to working with men. Over time, she’s learned to rely on communication and respect to draw clear boundaries. “After all, we’re in a professional environment, and we have to treat each other accordingly,” she says, adding that women’s status in the workforce has greatly improved since the beginning of her career.

In Côte-Sainte-Catherine, three of the distribution centre’s eight permanent employees are women. Patricia, who’s used to typically male industries, says she wasn’t particularly worried when she joined Sollio Agriculture in 2025. She even pointed out some of the benefits of working with men: “We tell it like it is, then we move on.”

Doing things differently

All three women say their presence in operations broadens perspectives and brings specific strengths to the team.

“I think we can introduce a different way of doing things. We sometimes have stronger listening and communication skills,” says Isabelle, who has built a trusting relationship with the truckers she works with every day. “They feel comfortable telling me when things aren’t going so well. Then, I can talk to management and we can make adjustments.” She leverages her listening skills to improve operations.

Lynn observes that women tend to take a subtler approach to sensitive situations. “We’re sometimes less direct,” she says. This proves especially helpful in customer service.

Patricia agrees. She firmly believes that collaborative leadership is an asset to the team. “I always ask my team what they think before I make a decision. I don’t try to impose my ideas on them. I move forward with them.” She hopes to create a workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, feels that they’re heard and respected.

Women’s contribution to operations

Patricia, Lynn, and Isabelle have one piece of advice for other women looking to enter a typically male-dominated workforce: Just go for it.

“Getting used to a new environment, learning, and taking an interest in something new are all good things,” says Isabelle, who used to work in fashion design. “Don’t be afraid to try. Even if you’re worried, it’s often a lot more fun than you thought!”

Lynn reminds us that gender should never be a barrier when choosing a career. “If you’re dedicated and willing to learn, any job is within your reach. Women can be whoever they want to be!”

Employee diversity is a strength in any organization. The careers of these three women are proof that having a variety of perspectives directly enhances the performance of operations teams.