We have asked Mrs. Natalie Shaw, Director Employment Affairs, ICS, to make an assessment of 2020 from her perspective and share her message for the new year across the global community. Among others, she highlights that keeping seafarers healthy and safe as well as companies in operation are top priorities during this challenging time.

During the 2020 SAFETY4SEA London Forum, Natalie Shaw, Director Employment Affairs, ICS, opened the second panel discussing age discrimination, which is a potential form of unfair treatment at work, given that the age gap between employees in the workplace can now be as much as 50 years.

Mrs Shaw says that studying for her professional qualifications was a worthwhile career investment, even if it impacted negatively her social life for a short time. Also, she suggests to only focus on the important things and delegate others when necessary. Overall, it is important to 'work to live not live to work' she concludes, meaning that it is worth putting family, and friends first as much as possible.