DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; these are three key values that every business sector is now focusing on as well as the maritime industry, as they are critical to providing a sustainable future.
In line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, the maritime industry, which is currently making considerable efforts to raise its profile, has acknowledged the importance of welcoming diversity and fostering an open environment where everyone can reach their potential.
With a strong community of action, industry leaders actively work together on making their organizations – and the overall industry – more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. In that regard, visible leadership is vital to set the direction and ensure accountability of DEI within the organization. In addition, fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace requires training and education of all employees, communication from senior leaders through to line managers and team members and also reporting of progress.
Jamie Morgan Ramsamy, Head of HSSEQ at Thome Group, said diversity, equity & inclusion within the industry could not be more important, stressing that it was up to industry stakeholders to start to embrace new ideas and ways of thinking as the industry innovates to meet the demands of the future. In that regard, digital tools can support DEI in many ways, for example, new ways of training, using gamification or VR, can support DEI awareness through showing individuals what the impact of their actions may be. ‘’ There is excellent guidance available in D&I standards such as ISO 30415. The way to advance on D&I, making sure it contributes to your business performance, it is not really different from how you incorporate and address issues such as quality or environmental management,” stated Barbara Frencia, CEO of Business Assurance in DNV.
The maritime sector is competing with other sectors for the same people, and it is therefore critical for the industry to stay relevant for prospective newcomers, positioning itself as providing an attractive place of employment. ‘’Research on Generation Z shows they seek meaningful work where they can make a difference. They care about brands and what business they work for, so implementing strong core values in a business is vital. The younger generation is also looking for more hybrid work as digitalisation takes hold. The market needs to be more open to these new ways of working’’ noticed Mrs Claudia Paschkewitz, CSM Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion.
With the rapidly evolving landscape of decarbonization, technology advancements, and a well-reported global talent war, senior leadership and the shipping industry must be given the kind of attention for DEI that other industries have been receiving for some years. At sea, the workforce is also looking for better work-life balance, and employers must act to attract individuals with new skill sets from outside of the maritime sector in support of emerging technology and environmental requirements.
With women representing only 1.2% percent of the global seafarer workforce, and a significant lack of ethnic and female representation in senior roles, the maritime sector lags when it comes to attracting and retaining the talent required to succeed in the face of increasing uncertainty and complexity. In that regard, we must strive to make sure everyone is welcomed, safe, and fully included in the maritime community, treated with care, dignity, and respect.
