Fair360’s Executive Voices series allows leaders to learn from their industry peers. This series highlights experiences that further the work of fairness and inclusion.
In this inaugural edition, we spoke with Victoria Gutierrez, Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Sysco. She is the first Hispanic woman on Sysco’s executive leadership team and has been a leader in the industry for over a decade. Gutierrez earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Northwestern University and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. She is also a certified sommelier.
Gutierrez was previously a Partner with the Boston Consulting Group. She has leveraged her business acumen to drive workplace fairness initiatives at Sysco while achieving marketplace success. Continue reading to hear from Gutierrez about her career, her passions and her commitment to creating a workplace where all employees thrive.
Fair360: What’s a fun fact about you that people would be surprised to know?
Gutierrez: “Most people who know me today would be very surprised to know that a career in food was very far from my mind growing up. I was focused on becoming a professional ballerina! From a very young age, that was all I ever wanted to be. I was enrolled in a pre-professional ballet program early on and danced six days a week growing up. I spent my summers training with professional ballet companies and majored in dance at Northwestern University so I could spend time with various ballet and modern dance companies in the Chicago area. Dance was my first career until a major knee injury ended it in my mid-20s.”
Fair360: What was your first job and how did it get you to where you are now?
Gutierrez: “My first job was when I was 17, waiting tables at a restaurant called Pancake Café in Naperville, IL. It was the perfect job for a dancer. Flexible hours, lots of moving around and plenty of cash. At first, I hated coming home smelling like bacon and syrup. But after a while, I fell in love with the rhythm of the kitchen and with providing great service to my customers. I even loved receiving the weekly Sysco order. I learned so much from that job and, looking back, it was an auspicious introduction to the world of food service where I find myself today.”
Fair360: What are some workplace fairness initiatives your company is focused on and what lessons have you learned through that work?
Gutierrez: “At Sysco, everyone has a seat—and a voice—at our table. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. That’s why we launched a new ‘Respect in the Workplace’ initiative earlier this year to share skills and tips with colleagues on how to foster a workplace that embraces the richness of our differences and ensures fairness and belonging for everyone. Sysco has invested in training for colleagues to navigate challenging situations, enhance communication skills and build stronger relationships. As a leader, I have seen how welcoming all ideas, giving recognition more regularly and showing empathy in stressful situations can lead to higher morale, better collaboration and improved productivity.”
Fair360: How do you see workplace fairness work evolving in the years to come and what excites you about the future?
Gutierrez: “An important element of workplace fairness is understanding that individuals approach work differently and may need different environments or scenarios to really thrive. While the COVID pandemic was an incredibly difficult time, it did teach organizations and individuals how to exercise flexibility and allow more working style differences in the workplace. I am excited to see how these learnings continue to shape the work experience—particularly at Sysco as we continue to invest in training our colleagues how to work even better together.”
Fair360: How do you foster a culture of inclusion and belonging within your organization? 
Gutierrez: “Something that I really love about working at Sysco is that we are a purpose-driven organization. Our purpose is ‘Connecting the world to share food and care for one another,’ and we live that purpose every day. From my seat as Chief Merchandising Officer, I focus squarely on the ‘food’ aspect of that purpose, as the merchandising team is sourcing all the products that we sell. How does a merchandising organization successfully source the products that are needed by a customer base as diverse as the communities served by Sysco? By having a very diverse merchandising team. That means we have a team that is diverse by the classic definition of the word, but also that we have a team that is diverse by thought and experience. My leaders and I work hard to ensure that our team is filled with people who think differently so that we’re solving problems and identifying opportunities in creative ways.
“That’s easy in theory, but hard in practice. Many roles in merchandising can be technically difficult or require a fair amount of subject matter expertise. Over my tenure, I’ve worked with my leaders to thoughtfully create roles that can be filled by individuals without a background in merchandising, leveraging prior expertise in analytics or strategy to create value for Sysco while learning merchandising up close. By having these roles available and ensuring diverse slates of talent when recruiting to fill them, we get the benefit of diverse experiences and ideas while expanding the pool of talent that feeds the merchandising team.”
Fair360: What advice do you have for aspiring HR and workplace fairness leaders?
Gutierrez: “Lead by example and model the behavior you wish to see in others to build a culture of engagement and belonging. Get involved in colleague resource groups within your company to expand your network and learn from others. Listen to your team and peers to gain different perspectives and always stay open-minded. Keep challenging the status quo and asking, ‘What if?’”
Fair360: What would you tell your younger self?
Gutierrez: “I would tell earlier versions of me to stay impatient, stay hungry and keep doing your thing. I’ve found that the harder you work, the luckier you’ll be. I’ve been very lucky, but that’s come with a lot of hard work!”
Fair360: What are you reading or listening to right now?
Gutierrez: “Not surprisingly, I read a lot about food. A lot of biographies and autobiographies of chefs. Recent favorites have been The Migrant Chef: The Life and Times of Lalo Garcia by Laura Tillman and Fieldwork: A Forager’s Memoir by Chef Iliana Regan. However, every quarter I look forward to reading the latest issue of Cherry Bombe. Cherry Bombe is a fabulous magazine that celebrates women in the food and beverage industry through interviews, articles, recipes and gorgeous photography. It’s been fun to watch the company grow from print-only about a decade ago to a company that now has podcasts, online communities and large-scale events. After I finish reading each issue, I feel energized and inspired by what’s happening in food and what women are doing simply because they feel the need to share food and drink with others in their own unique and beautiful ways.”
Discover more insights from leaders in workplace fairness at Fair360.com!
