Maritime UK is calling upon the sector to #BreaktheBias and commit to gender equality in 2022 and beyond.
This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme – ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ recognises the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.
Breaking the gender bias
Maritime UK plans to spotlight all the women and allies, across the maritime sector, who are committed to breaking the bias and creating a world free of stereotypes and discrimination.
The barriers faced by women are not unique to maritime and the Women in Maritime Network is delighted to be partnering with Ports, Skills and Safety on a new Women in Ports Network and with Women in Transport again, at a special All Party Parliamentary Group event for MPs and peers on ‘Transport’s gender challenge and the future of the industry’.
Global Women in Maritime series
Maritime UK’s Diversity in Maritime programme is committed to breaking the bias and stigma of menopause
Maritime UK is also launching a new Global Women in Maritime series with Women in Maritime Australia, in order to share best practice and discuss barriers faced. The first event will be held on International Day for Women in Maritime, on 18 May, 2022, discussing the theme of ally-ship.
Maritime UK’s Diversity in Maritime programme is committed to breaking the bias and stigma of menopause, and is launching a new menopause hub, in order to share best practice and toolkits for people experiencing menopause and guidance for employers and family members. The need for such a resource was identified by the company’s Women in Maritime network.
Diversity in Maritime programme
The Diversity in Maritime programme is committed to equality at all levels of the workforce and has developed a series of initiatives and resources, in order to assist organisations to commit and support gender equality, including:
- Women in Maritime Pledge: The first step to becoming a Diversity in Maritime Charter Company is to sign the Women in Maritime Pledge. Over 130 companies have now been signed a statement of intent, to demonstrate commitment by organisations to making progress on diversity.
- Online toolkits: Continuously updated online toolkits with best practice guides and policies, such as the HR Guidance for Recruiters. The guide which highlights ways in which basic assumptions and unconscious biases affect the ways in which jobs are advertised, as well as the easy steps that can be taken to create a more conscious recruitment process. It makes a series of recommendations, with examples, including balancing feminine and masculine words in job descriptions and including statements about what the employer is offering, beyond salary.
- Diversity in Maritime networks: Four networks, Women, Mental Health, Pride and Ethnicity, were established and expanded on, as part of the Diversity in Maritime programme. The networks bring together individuals from protected characteristics and allies, from across the maritime sector, in a safe-space environment, in order to facilitate the sharing of good practice and discuss barriers faced. The networks are supported by four working groups, who create solutions to combat barriers.
- Interview Pool: Interview pool loans maritime women to companies that may lack diversity on interview panels. Research by the Women in Maritime Network identified all that more diverse interview panels or panels with HR professionals with diversity are more likely to recruit a diverse workforce. However, several smaller companies highlighted that they do not have access to such recruiters within their staff. The interview pool provides a facility for these companies to access relevant skills and expertise as well as tips and tricks for conducting an inclusive interview.
- Speaker Bank: Speaker Bank provides a database of diverse speakers for panels and conferences with specific industry expertise.
New Menopause Hub launched
We are delighted to be launching our new Menopause Hub today, in response to requests via our Women in Maritime"
Chrissie Clarke, the Head of Diversity and Operations, Maritime UK, said “We are delighted to be launching our new Menopause Hub today, in response to requests via our Women in Maritime and other networks.”
She adds, “We must break the bias and help colleagues better support those going through menopause. The new hub will help signpost to some of the best guidance and resources we have found and ask colleagues to share other good materials with us, so that we can share those too.”
Maritime UK’s Women in Maritime Pledge
Chrissie Clarke further said, “Maritime UK is also excited to be launching our new Global Women in Maritime series with Women in Maritime Australia, to shine a light on gender equality across the globe. Making progress on diversity and inclusion is a global challenge and as a global sector, we are really looking forward to seeing how we can make quicker progress together.”
Sue Terpilowski, the Co-Chair - Diversity in Maritime Taskforce/Chair for Women in Maritime Network and Maritime UK, said “Women’s equality cannot wait. We ask that this International Women’s Day colleagues across the sector consider signing Maritime UK’s Women in Maritime Pledge, share our new Menopause Hub, and commit to #BreaktheBias.”