Diversity to turbocharge air cargo but demands cultural shift

Women with appropriate representation in the air cargo workforce and senior leadership hold the potential to turbocharge the industry for growth but what it demands is a fundamental cultural shift.

“We have a female Filipino dispatcher here in Dubai. She is the most efficient dispatcher we've. She's absolutely brilliant. She thinks ahead all the time and is very passionate about women in operation. So she's become a role model for other women in the operation.”

These are the words of Steve Allen, chief executive officer of the air cargo ground handling company dnata as he spoke about the importance of identifying role models for ensuring diversity in the air cargo industry and encouraging women to join the workforce. He was addressing a group of media executives in Dubai on February 27, 2024, before the launch of drones integrated into their cargo operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Centre (DWC).

“We put forward some real role models as we've got some amazing ones. We ensure that there are women on every panel. When we do recruitment, we ensure we have female candidates at every final interview stage to ensure they get a fair shot at the final interviews. We run workshops with women in our business, talking about what it's like to be a woman in dnata, and what some of the changes that we've had to make to some of our facilities,” he said.

dnata is a signatory of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 25by2025 which involves a commitment to increase the number of women in senior positions and under-represented areas by 25 percent, or up to a minimum of 25 percent by 2025. In fact, dnata has already achieved and exceeded this target by having 31 percent representation in its senior positions.

25by2025 is a global initiative led by IATA to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the aviation industry. Started in 2019, 25by2025 emphasises the significance of adopting best practices to foster greater DE&I and gender balance in the aviation sector. IATA already has 190+ members and non-members signatories for the commitment.

“Greater female presence at senior levels encourages industry practitioners to be more receptive to new ideas, new concepts and new norms. The broader perspective which women introduce to business can result in greater agility and better responses to serious business issues.”
Joanna Li, Hactl

Closing the gap
The activity of identifying and encouraging role models is crucial for air cargo and aviation and for that matter, any industry and society in the world as the gender gap in the workplace is still a big hurdle for the global economy.

For instance, in a new March 2024 report titled ‘Women, Business, and the Law,’ the World Bank Group reported that the global gender gap for women in the workplace is far wider than previously thought.

“No country provides equal opportunity for women—not even the wealthiest economies,” it reads.

According to the report, women on average enjoy just 64 percent of the legal protections that men do—far fewer than the previous estimate of 77 percent.

“Women have the power to turbocharge the sputtering global economy,” as the chief economist of the World Bank Group Indermit Gill puts it. “Yet, all over the world, discriminatory laws and practices prevent women from working or starting businesses on an equal footing with men. Closing this gap could raise global gross domestic product by more than 20 percent – essentially doubling the global growth rate over the next decade—but reforms have slowed to a crawl.”

Women also possess the potential to turbocharge the global aviation and air cargo industry. Even though there are efforts made, the airfreight industry needs to employ different strategies to push this cause including the identification of role models.

For instance, Canada–headquartered GSA Airline Services International’s director of marketing Michelle Lawrence pointed out that women who are already working in the air cargo sector can significantly impact the industry by actively engaging in mentorship programmes, participating in networking opportunities, and involving themselves in leadership development initiatives.

“Their contribution extends further as they share success stories and serve as role models, potentially inspiring other women to pursue careers in air cargo. Additionally, raising awareness about the diverse career paths within the industry can play a crucial role in attracting more women and encouraging them to contribute their skills and expertise,” she said.

Lawrence has co-founded the Cargo Collective along with Sara Van Gelder from Nallian and Sam Quintelier from Brussels Airport which aims to unite and empower the future leaders of the air cargo industry.

“Through a collective effort, we aspire to foster collaboration, innovation, and a sense of community among the young professionals in the field,” she said.

She was also both a mentor and mentee in the Women in Aviation and Logistics mentorship programme which she acknowledges has enriched her professional growth and allowed her to share and gain valuable insights.

“In my perspective, active participation in both mentorship programmes and networking initiatives has been instrumental in my journey within the air cargo industry. These experiences have not only shaped my career but also provided me with a platform to contribute to the positive transformation of the air cargo industry.”

Along with role models and mentorship programmes, the air cargo industry also needs to raise awareness about what it means to work in air cargo, the skills they need and some of the unique opportunities it offers.

For instance, while describing her experience in the industry, Theresa Ferreira, national air logistics manager of Kuehne+Nagel South Africa pointed out that “I have never failed because of my gender; quite the opposite – my attention to detail and perfected multitasking allowed me to excel at my job.”

“Air cargo is a fascinating industry, and I absolutely love the adrenaline rush, for example, when handling special cargo, such as healthcare products. The feeling that I contributed to something meaningful and somehow changed the world is priceless,” she added.

Ferreira also called herself a big fan of mentorship programmes.

“Sharing experiences with another female is extremely helpful to get a better perspective and advice. Similar career paths and development journeys, but also setbacks, are a great start to connecting and building a support network,” she said.

“We simply must believe in ourselves. I often say, ‘Reach for the sky,’ as there is nothing to stop or limit me. After all, I am a female; I am strong,” she added.

While role models and mentorship programmes are crucial, events, conferences and social media can play a positive role in promoting the content and attaching more global talents to the industry.

Joanna Li, executive director - commercial and business development at Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) pointed out that with diversity and inclusion being more actively promoted across the air cargo industry, they are seeing more females becoming role models, and being prominent at various international conferences and forums, as well as in social media.

“This in turn will encourage more young women to join the industry in the future, bringing fresh ideas and additional labour to support the growth of the industry in the long term. With such success in realizing gender equality, the air cargo industry will also develop improved social inclusion for people of varying nationalities, backgrounds, sexual orientations and so on. They will be treated more fairly and given the same opportunities to grow in their careers in the industry,” she said.

On the same line, Emma Oliver, director, cargo sales – EMEA & APAC at American Airlines spoke about the need to celebrate female leaders.

“The old adage ‘you cannot be what you cannot see’ rings true here, there are some really inspirational female leaders within our industry, but if they are not recognized and celebrated, if they aren’t featured in industry and wider press coverage, or aren’t speaking at our conferences, their scope of influence is reduced and that would be such a waste of the talent and role models we have,” she said.

“For decades, the industry worked tirelessly to allow women to access jobs previously reserved for men. Quite quickly, the organisations recognised the value of women working in the offices, on ramps, as forklift drivers, or as cargo handlers. Hiring a woman became not a burden because women delivered.”
Theresa Ferreira, Kuehne+Nagel

Benefits of gender equality
Failing to attract more women, ensuring diversity and equal opportunity in the workforce and senior leadership can be disastrous for the global air cargo industry. On the other hand, diversity can positively impact the business for growth and organisation of great culture.

For instance, the World Bank report’s lead author Tea Trumbic noted that, “Today, barely half of women participate in the global workforce, compared with nearly three out of every four men. This is not just unfair—it’s wasteful.”

Li of Hactl argues that women have already demonstrated to the air cargo industry the potential benefits of gender equality.

“Greater female presence at senior levels encourages industry practitioners to be more receptive to new ideas, new concepts and new norms,” she said.

She added, “The broader perspective which women introduce to business can result in greater agility and better responses to serious business issues. A very positive influence that can commonly be seen in the air cargo industry when more females are present in management roles, is the behavioural changes in the working environment. There is a real tendency for greater respect and tolerance to be shown to coworkers, and less prejudice based on physical weakness, whether or not related to gender.”

Meanwhile, Ferreira pointed out that women are getting recognised across the air cargo spectrum because organisations understand the benefits of having significant female representation in their workforce.

“For decades, the logistics industry stakeholders worked tirelessly to promote gender diversity and allow women to access jobs previously reserved for men. Quite quickly, the industry and the organizations within recognized the value of women working in the offices, on ramps, as forklift drivers, or as cargo handlers. Hiring a woman became not a burden because women delivered,” she said.

“The companies restructured and transformed to offer mentorship programmes, comprehensive training, or upskilling programmes for mothers returning after maternity leave. The hours, shifts, and conditions became more flexible. Female workers became recognized. Specialized, gender-centered networking events, initiatives, and collaborations provided the proper forums to promote females and offered opportunities to be heard,” she added.

However, Ferreira also reminded that the logistics industry is still seen as male-dominated and male-led, whereas equal opportunities and equal pay should be normalised.

“There are some really inspirational female leaders within our industry, but if they are not recognized and celebrated, if they aren’t featured in industry and wider press coverage, or aren’t speaking at our conferences, their scope of influence is reduced and that would be such a waste of the talent and role models we have.”
Emma Oliver, American Airlines Cargo

Eliminating gender biases
Even though there is progress made in the recent past, the global air cargo industry remains male-oriented with the majority of the leadership positions occupied. However, the future should involve creating a professional landscape that is free from gender biases. The overarching goal is to ensure that women achieve equitable representation, acknowledgement, and influence in this sector.

Ferreira pointed out some studies that show females are less confident and willing to put forward their names for a new job or a promotion. “Would the nomination programmes that require an equal number of female and male candidates be a solution,” she asked.

She added, “For the industry to take a stand and create a gender-equal working environment, we need a top-to-bottom approach where the leaders set the hiring goals with an ambitious gender ratio. Women in air cargo, similarly to other industries, aspire to take on leadership roles, and organisations must ensure that equal opportunities and a fair hiring process are in place. We, air cargo professionals, must foster a culture of inclusion and diversity on all levels by having transparent, non-biased, non-discriminative rules, but also offer support and help.”

On the same line, Lawrence notes that the focus should be on establishing an inclusive professional environment that provides equal opportunities for women in terms of growth, leadership roles, and impactful contributions.

“This entails the implementation of policies supporting work-life balance and the creation of mentorship programmes to facilitate women's participation and advancement within the air cargo industry,” she said.

“Companies across the air cargo spectrum should proactively review and update their policies to eliminate gender-based barriers. This involves implementing fair hiring practices, emphasizing diversity in leadership, and providing training to cultivate an inclusive organizational culture. Implementing mentorship programmes and tailored networking opportunities for women can significantly contribute to their professional development. Moreover, companies should actively participate in outreach programmes aimed at encouraging young women to explore careers in air cargo,” she added.

She argues that the commitment to outreach is essential for fostering a sustainable and balanced future for the industry.

“Their contribution extends further as they share success stories and serve as role models. Raising awareness about the diverse career paths within the industry can play a crucial role in attracting more women and encouraging them to contribute their skills and expertise.”
Michelle Lawrence, Airline Services International

A fundamental cultural shift
Diversity and inclusion have become a priority for many air cargo companies which are implementing many initiatives to achieve this cause. However what the industry and women in the industry is calling for is a fundamental shift.

Oliver opines that for diversity, equity and inclusion to become an intrinsic part of our lives it has to be a cultural shift across the industry and at all levels.

“Otherwise, this just feels like lip service -- and then has the opposite effect of leading to people feeling their careers will be limited. If cargo matters, then women matter. If we aren’t seeing a candidate pool in the first place with equal representation, we have to ask why. Throughout the logistics industry, the organisations that are committed to the development of talent, and that recognize what is holding women back and seek to create inclusive cultures, are going to excel in the long term and as a result, attract the strongest candidates,” she said.

At American Airlines Cargo, Oliver pointed out that they have created a group called Women of Cargo.

“The group seeks to inspire women at all levels and to create opportunity by ensuring that the tools, resources and support necessary for success are made readily available to all levels of aspiration. Our mission is to forge inclusive work cultures where women can thrive and their achievements are celebrated. Hearing from others and learning you aren’t alone is incredibly powerful. It is just as important that we engage on the subject with our male colleagues – having support and allies at work can be career-changing for women.”

Talking about Hactl’s interventions in ensuring gender equality, Winnie Chan, executive director – branding and communications of Hactl noted that it is particularly important to raise awareness about menstrual equity in our workplace, to help break the taboo and misconceptions, and promote understanding and wellbeing among staff.

In May 2023, Hactl launched the “Hactl x Free Periods Hong Kong – Be My Buddy Buddy” campaign, which included exhibitions and talks about menstrual equity, held in the community, schools and Hactl’s SuperTerminal 1 base.

“Within our terminal, we now provide free menstrual hygiene products and “Wellness Boxes”, containing items for relieving menstrual discomfort. These are placed in easy-to-access locations such as women’s washrooms and office pantries. As the campaign’s lead sponsor, Hactl will continue to work with Free Periods Hong Kong to further promote period-friendly initiatives and gender equality, in schools, corporations and the wider community throughout 2024,” she said.

Looking ahead, Amy Lam, chief sustainability officer of Hactl thinks that there is a bright future for women with the right mindset.

She said, “The industry has been opening up to females and is more receptive to those who display passion. With advances in technology and automation, women can be employed in a wider range of duties, and this is a golden opportunity for us to shine.”

Meanwhile, she also argues that companies should be prepared to provide appropriate and relevant support in preparation for absorbing more women into the workforce.

“Some examples are flexible working hours, providing daycare for children, and baby feeding facilities. It is also important to promote gender equality in the workforce, through educational events and soft skills training workshops, she said.

Finding role models, organising mentorship programmes and celebrating women in air cargo can attract women to this industry which has the potential to completely change the global airfreight market as we see it right now. Failing to do so could be fatal for the industry’s future and organisations across the spectrum have a role to play in terms of eliminating gender biases and fundamentally changing the culture.

This was originally published in the March 2024 issue of The STAT Trade Times.