WISTA International Pledge for Inclusion of Women in the Shipping Industry
“Women Move The World”
In today’s global marketplace, evolution is critical for optimal performance, and the best way to achieve greater innovation is through diversity of thought. In the maritime industry, women are a largely under-represented group that can bring a unique and different perspective to all businesses.
The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), has more than 4,300 members in 59 countries. WISTA’s members represent most, if not all, facets of the shipping industry, including ship owners and ship operators, mariners, logistics and port executives, maritime technology experts, legal and finance professionals, engineers, academics, service providers, suppliers, and government employees. There are many studies that show that having women in senior positions in any business promotes stability and profitability and provides a competitive advantage over other companies that are not gender diverse.
As a representative organisation in the quickly evolving maritime industry, we are taking this pledge and we ask you to support us by taking it, too.
I pledge to:
“Embrace diversity of thought (including gender, race, ethnicity, and age), and contribute to a merit-based business environment within my organisation. I will be a champion of equal opportunity and equal pay. My behaviour will reflect how I wish our industry to behave in the future. I will work – and encourage others to work – toward a diverse and inclusive maritime sector.”
Furthermore, I commit to:
- Examine everything I know about this industry and consider how we can all work together to improve it in the future.
- Embrace diversity and not contribute to gender, race, ethnicity, and age stereotypes.
- Evaluate each candidate fairly based on his or her performance and experience when making hiring or promotion decisions, and not disregard any employee’s input based on his or her gender, age, or other perceived difference.
- Be gender neutral while evaluating my team members’ job content and performance.
- Pay men and women the same for the same job.
- Encourage our employees to confront their implicit bias and also re-examine my own.
- Hire women when they are the best candidates with the right background and experience to not only do the job well but also bring a new perspective and diversity of thought to my organisation.
- Encourage panels at conferences and seminars that have a proportional representation of women and help find qualified women to participate on those panels.
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