Introducing: Sonal Lad
Could you describe your career path at Bureau Veritas?
I joined Bureau Veritas India in 2018 as a Senior Executive for Tender Administration. Although BV’s portfolio is vast and offers many services, my primary role is to grow the organization by developing my skills and constantly challenging myself. I've always striven to take on greater responsibility and develop an understanding of the big picture.
What is a typical day for you at BV like?
My day starts with managing my family’s schedule before I head into the office. On the way to work, I’m usually setting priorities and sending email reminders. At the office, I make plans for handling tight deadlines, manage client inquiries, and have discussions with my team to get their input on our projects. Often we have celebrations at the office for projects we’ve finished. Once I finish up my tasks for the day, I leave for my other role as a mother.
In addition to being a parent, employee and partner, I try to take some time for myself each day and do activities that I like, such as fitness, cooking, or updating my Facebook page, “Yummy Paradise”.
I feel blessed to be a part of BV and work at a company that values my personal life, understands the importance of flexibility, and believes that spending time with your family matters.
Working at BV means choosing to work for a company that positively impacts the day-to-day lives of billions of people. How do you contribute to improving society?
By working for BV, I get to be associated with the improvement of almost all aspects of human society. I participate in a work culture that is driven by ethics and strong values, and has an impact throughout the business world and on society at large. Safety culture at BV has also had a strong impact on my personal life, and I try to bring that information to my social group.
Your educational background is in engineering – how has that helped you along your professional journey?
Being an engineer has given me a strong foundation for managing and planning for my work activities. It also gave me the confidence to handle complex situations while working under pressure and to a deadline. Having a technical background helps me understand the optimal application BV’s services, and being a part of the business support team enables me to handle customer inquiries for various services.
What would you say to someone considering a career at BV?
The culture at Bureau Veritas is by far its greatest asset. It is a company that truly cares about the happiness of its employees. Although the department I work in is always under pressure to submit proposals on time and not miss deadlines, the overall environment is relaxed and calm. I never get the Monday morning blues when I come to work.
The managers here are also extremely patient and understanding. Every employee takes ownership of, and is responsible for, their projects. As an engineer with the right mix of skills for managing a range of different operations, I am confident in my ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and still deliver results.
What role do the BV Values play in shaping your approach to your job?
TRUSTED: Whatever we do in our daily lives, whether at work or at home, we succeed in creating trust, making the right decisions and staying true to ourselves.
RESPONSIBLE: I take ownership of my projects and pride in my work. I like being accountable for my actions and am fully attentive to my tasks. I also always keep in mind the importance of growing the company.
AMBITIOUS & HUMBLE: I try to provide support to others, collaborating with multiple teams and helping customers, while being ready to take on new challenges.
OPEN & INCLUSIVE: I enjoy working on new projects and learning new things. BV gives me the opportunity to constantly embrace new technologies, software and ideas. BV also values having diverse teams and encourages a collaborative approach to finding solutions.