Diversity to turbocharge air cargo

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.

The March 2024 World Bank report titled ‘Women, Business, and the Law ’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.

Indermit Gill, World Bank Group: “Women have the power to turbocharge the sputtering global economy. Yet, all over the world, discriminatory laws and practices prevent women from working or starting businesses on an equal footing with men.”

Gill: “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.”

Joanna Li, Hactl: “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.”

Theresa Ferreira, Kuehne+Nagel: “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.”

Emma Oliver, American Airlines Cargo: “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.”

Michelle Lawrence, Airline Services International: “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.”

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.

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