How to Build a Successful Team: Lessons from Collaborative Culture

Aside from its delicious and nutritious blends, it is a brand that champions diversity and inclusion to ensure that innocent drinks make a measurable impact. As such, Innocent Drinks is creating a workplace where differences are acknowledged and celebrated as a core tenet of their success.

Part of this success is hiring talented Black professionals like Project Manager Manny Odunsi, Information Security and Compliance Analyst Obinna Ajoku, and Beatrice Oboh, Inventory Specialist. Together, these Black professionals are helping lead Innocent Drinks into the future.

Finding Success at Innocent Drinks From Divergent Career Paths

Obinna, Beactrice, and Manny's career paths differ vastly. Beactrice, who studied biochemical science, says after realising she didn't want to become a doctor, she tried her hand at sales, ultimately leading to a new trajectory in supply chain planning.

"While at university, I'd heard about supply chains and was interested in fashion, especially sustainable fashion. This is where I realised that most of the issues in that industry were due to incompetent supply chains. I took a gamble and got into a customer supply-type role and realised I wanted to get more depth within the supply chain. I was looking for more of a planning role. I didn't necessarily target innocent, but I knew I wanted to work for a well-known brand," she explained.

On the other hand, Manny's road to innocent started years prior as a teenager.

"When I was 16 or 17, I watched a case study on innocent and was like, "Yeah, I want to work here. It was a vibe."

Though their routes to one of the most outstanding beverage companies are distinct, their collective experience sheds light on the power of collaboration to drive growth and career advancement.

Innocent Drinks Lateral Career Growth Gives Way to Transferrable Skills

When breaking down barriers for Black professionals in the workplace, one of the most extensive areas of contention is debunking the myth of a lack of Black skilled professionals available for hire. Innocent is an example of the benefits companies access when executives take the initiative to go beyond traditional hiring modalities.

For instance, coming from a Nigerian household, Beatrice says her current role was missing from her career choices growing up. Noticing this gap, she now advocates transferable skills to other Black professionals to increase exposure to non-traditional roles.

"For me, it's about raising awareness. There are probably jobs out there that many Black professionals may not have heard of, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't look at the job description, because your skills may match. It's about more than moving up. Sometimes it's about moving from side to side, and I think Innocent is so good at giving people the opportunities to do so, Beatrice said.

What It's Like To Work At Innocent Drinks As A Black Professional

If you're considering a career at Innocent Drinks, be prepared for an engaged experience driven by a collaborative culture.

"I joined just over a year ago, and the first day I walked in, I felt like I was the only Black person in the office, and then he (Manny) joined, she (Beatrice) joined, and there's been a ton of other Black professionals become part of the team. Don't get me wrong, everyone here is nice, but having other people here that you can relate to makes a difference," Obinna asserts.

Manny explained during a transparent meeting to discuss innocent's ethnic employees; the company expressed strategies to address its one per cent growth of ethnic employees over the past year.

"It showed the efforts being made to track and increase these things. They also discussed not just meeting diversity statistics, but how bringing in diverse talent brings different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds," Manny shared.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome With Supportive Colleagues At Innocent Drinks

Reportedly, Black professionals are 81% more likely than their white counterparts to say their companies are unfair or only "slightly" fair. Fortunately for Black talent at Innocent, these experiences are few and far between, which inherently curbs the feelings of impostor syndrome.

"I always felt like I needed to impress people…I had a supportive manager who pulled me through. And then he left, and my head manager always ensured that I was doing one-to-one sessions, and he also allowed me more time to get tasks done," shares Obinna.

Fancy a career at Innocent Drinks? Head to our BYP Jobs Board, where you can search for upcoming opportunities and learn more about the company's diversity and inclusion commitment.