Driving transformation through inclusive leadership and deliberate action.

As South Africa celebrates National Women’s Month, recently rebranded engineering consultancy Atana has been named a Top Gender-Empowered Company by Standard Bank Top Women Leaders - an independent certification awarded to companies demonstrating measurable progress in gender inclusion and equity.

Atana is among a select few engineering consultancies in South Africa to hold this certification, placing it in a distinguished group recognised for measurable progress in gender representation and inclusion.

“We’re proud of this certification. More than symbolic - it marks a deliberate and strategic commitment to meaningful change,” says Anke Mastenbroek, CEO of Atana. “We’ve embedded inclusion into the core of how we operate, lead and grow so this recognition reflects that commitment to building an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the future of engineering in South Africa.”

The company’s transformation is grounded in creating an environment where all voices are valued, where leadership is representative of society, and where mentorship, career development and opportunity are actively cultivated across all levels.

These values shape the way Atana approaches projects, ensuring progress in engineering is matched by progress in inclusion.

“Diversity of thought, experience and perspective is essential to solving complex challenges. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to elevate women into leadership roles to unlock better thinking, stronger collaboration and meaningful impact,” says Anke.

About the certification

The Top Gender Empowered Company recognition is part of the Standard Bank Top Women Leaders platform and is not awarded through application.

To qualify, companies must meet minimum performance requirements for women’s representation across leadership, ownership and the workforce - typically at least 30% women across the organisation, 20% at executive director level, 10% in senior management roles and 20% ownership by women.

In addition, companies are evaluated on factors such as the existence of strong gender-focused policies, leadership pipelines, skills development initiatives, and workplace protections that ensure progress is both measurable and sustainable.

As the country reflects on the role of women shaping its future, Atana is committed to building a sector where leadership is shared, opportunities are open to all, and engineering teams are as diverse as the challenges they solve.

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/a-new-era-for-african-engineering-royal-haskoningdhv-south-africa-becomes-atana-2025-07-02

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/royal-haskoningdhv-south-africa-rebrands-as-atana-2025-07-04

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