For International Women’s Day 2026, NKG launched the “Give Diverse Voices a Stage” initiative to give women across the Group a platform to share perspectives and represent NKG at an international industry event in London. The initiative aimed to amplify diverse voices and identify opportunities to further strengthen the role and impact of women at NKG. After an application phase, we voted for four preselected finalists. Get to know them here.

VICTORIA KIGO Junior Trader, Kampala, Uganda: “Gender equity means creating an environment where women are not required to out-perform to be considered equal.”

As the first female trader in East Africa, Victoria focuses on breaking structural barriers in commercial roles. She combines strong personal resilience and credibility as a role model at origin with a performance driven perspective on equity and leadership.

WENDY CAROLINA CALIX CRUZ Senior Trader, Villanueva Cortes, Honduras: “Talent and dedication, not gender, should define success.”

With over 20 years of trading experience, Wendy supports women through education, technical assistance, and access to financing, helping improve productivity and strengthen the long-term sustainability of Honduran coffee.

JULIA HERRLING Compliance Manager, Group Compliance, Hamburg, Germany: “Ideally, gender equity would not begin with conversations about protection from harm, yet in the coffee sector this remains a necessary starting point.”

Julia embeds gender equity into NKG’s Compliance strategy and promotes the recognition of women as an at-risk group. She complements this with practical tools that help employees identify and address unconscious bias, driven by a strong commitment to structural change and more inclusive systems.

VALENTINA MOLANO PAREDES Strategic Planning & Communications Coordinator in Sustainability, Huila, Colombia: “It’s not about putting one gender above the other but about recognizing the value each person brings.”

Valentina translates insights into the challenges faced by rural women into practical strategies that promote their empowerment. Grounded in hands on field experience, she links women’s participation to stronger commercialization, leadership, and long-term sustainability across the coffee value chain.