Diversity’s ‘forgotten twin’, inclusion, must be made priority in maritime’s journey to becoming a more welcoming and inclusive industry, Columbia Group highlighted.
Mark O’Neil, CEO, Columbia Group, speaking at the at the TradeWinds Shipowner’s Forum on the third day of NorShipping, discussed how inclusion is as important as diversity in ensuring that shipping becomes a truly welcoming, authentic and inclusive community. O’Neil drew attention to the importance of how people must be made to feel valued, listened to and included.
Furthermore, O’Neil revealed that 10% of Columbia Group’s seafarers are female, compared to the shockingly low industry average of 1% and the Group’s entire workforce is spilt nearly equally with a 48% to 52% female to male ratio.
Referring to inclusion as ‘diversity’s forgotten twin,’ the head of Columbia Group said without inclusion, ‘diversity risks being woke window-dressing and moral washing.’
Inclusion makes it authentic, real, attractive, reliable and ensures the wonderful power of diversity is harnessed and harvested.
…remarked Mark O’Neil.
More than 50 females in the Group hold leadership positions, nevertheless, despite these positive numbers and diversity and sustainability being part of Columbia Group’s core values since 2022, Mark O’Neil acknowledged there is still more work to do.
The greatest challenge in my mind is not AI, decarbonisation or digitalisation but it is the challenge to attract motivated, educated, healthy, fit, properly compensated people – with a capital P – of every creed and colour, and political and religious persuasion into our sector. And not only attract them into our sector but – and here’s the inclusion bit – keep them in our sector
…O’Neil highlighted while addressing the audience.
According to the Columbia Group CEO, to retain talent, it’s essential to listen, involve, and make people feel valued and included in the business. Failing to do so risks losing them and harming the industry more than difficulties in attracting them initially.
In an exclusive interview to SAFETY4SEA, Claudia Paschkewitz, Director of Sustainability & Diversity at Columbia Group, also stressed how cultural perceptions and unconscious bias continue to hinder progress, particularly in leadership and seafaring roles.
A non-gender-specific, inclusive approach to diversity will broaden the talent pool, making the maritime sector a leader in embracing human variety. This inclusivity will attract more quality people both ashore and onboard, benefiting all groups through increased understanding and relatability, according to the CEO.
O’Neil also congratulated WISTA on the achievements they have already made over the past 50 years but urged the industry to look further than equality.
To remind, Elpi Petraki, President, WISTA International, commenting on the IMO WISTA Survey which was published in May 2025, highlighted that the new data shows how opportunities across the industry continue to be limited for women due to barriers such as gender stereotyping, workplace safety concerns, a lack of family friendly policies and the ongoing gender pay gap.
We now need to do even more as an industry and really focus on every genre across the diversity spectrum to attract all people and keep them at the table with mutual respect, understanding and value of one another’s contribution. That is inclusion – and is no more diversity’s forgotten twin.
…Mark O’Neil concluded.
