Celebrate (more) women in your life!!
March 8th is International Women’s Day, and the maritime industry is embracing the recognition of women’s contributions and value with a vengeance! Not only has the IMO made “Empowering Women” their 2019 World Maritime Day theme (complete with a logo and video by Secretary General Kitack Lim) but some multinationals are creating policies prohibiting their executives from participating in industry events that do not demonstrate a commitment to diversity.
It should come as no surprise to you that I am heartily in favor of these efforts! Not only is the industry working towards satisfying Sustainable Development Goal 5, but research supports the notion that bringing more women on board increases profitability! So, by doing the right thing, companies benefit!
Why does the industry need to take a look at its diversity? Perhaps because we don’t reflect the global society which we serve. Perhaps because we need to take a new look at the way we do business—and diversity will help us in that effort. Perhaps because diversity brings new thinking into an industry that needs to evolve in order to be sustainable (remember: these are Sustainable Development Goals intended to lead us forward).
So, while in my diary EVERY day is Women’s Day, please take a moment on Friday to think about the women in your life—and how much richer your life is because of them!!
Keep optimizing,
Carleen
