My authentic self: Adam's Story

“I don’t show up as a different version of myself – I show up as me. That’s what belonging means at work,” reveals Adam Summers, International Market Manager & Customer Experience Manager, Saint-Gobain Formula.

I call my career “squiggly.” 

I’ve moved across brands and departments, gaining a broader skill set and deeper appreciation for how each part of the business fits together. 

My long-term goal was always marketing, and about five years ago, I made the leap. Today, I’m one of three market managers for Saint-Gobain Formula specifically managing our fibrous and decorative, dental and personal care, and food, agriculture, and environment markets, whilst also overseeing customer experience globally.

I’ve always seen myself as a creative, and marketing is where I feel most at home.

Belonging, to me, means being seen and valued for who I am at work. I don’t show up as a different version of myself, I’m just me. It’s about feeling safe to be authentic, without judgment.

Next year marks 15 years since I first joined Saint-Gobain. I started out as a verbal technical enquiries adviser in the Technical Advice Centre, responsible for helping architects and specifiers with building specs for British Gypsum systems. After a couple of years, I moved to Okarno (formerly known as Artex), where I got my first taste of commercial sales as a desk-based account manager. That sparked my appetite for field work, and in 2015, I joined Saint-Gobain Formula as a sales area manager, covering the South of the UK and Ireland for five years.

What Saint-Gobain gets right

Formula is a global brand, and my role is wonderfully diverse. One day I’m talking to a plasterer, the next a farmer, both using the same raw material. I work with colleagues from all four corners of the world, and I’ve been lucky to travel to places like Dubai, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia.

Saint-Gobain excels at inclusion. In last year’s Me@Saint-Gobain survey, 92% of Formula colleagues agreed people are respected whatever their profile. That says it all. They understand diversity goes beyond what you see, it’s about upbringing, education, and aspirations. It’s a culture of openness and continuous improvement.

Stepping outside the circle

One moment I’ll never forget was at Okarno. I told my sales director I was ready for more, and she drew a circle with a dot inside – representing me in my comfort zone. “The magic happens outside the circle,” she said. That’s stuck with me. Growth means discomfort, and that applies to DEI too. We need to feel safe asking awkward questions.

I’m on the edge of that circle again. I’ve just finished my marketing degree through Saint-Gobain’s levy funding, and I’m starting to ask, “What’s next?”

DEI should be in our DNA

Formula does DEI well, but the challenge is sustaining it. My hope is that one day, we won’t need DEI groups – it’ll just be who we are. Even in places like Saudi Arabia, where I had to dial myself down a bit, I still felt safe as a Saint-Gobain colleague.

I’ve just started reading The Culture Map by Erin Meyer, which looks at the cultural differences between people and how they influence business interactions. It’s a reminder that learning never stops. The world’s changing fast, and we need to keep evolving – with agility, curiosity, and openness.