A commitment to gender equality

International Women’s Day is an important occasion to remind ourselves of something we need to honour everyday – that every single one of us must contribute to creating a world with true gender equality, where people of all genders work together, without bias, stereotypes or discrimination and contribute to the results of their teams.?

This is not only about doing away with poor diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). It is, more importantly, about embracing and celebrating the value of our differences – the wonderful, innovative ideas and the surprising insights we get from working with people of different genders, as well as cultures, identities, races and backgrounds.?

Over the course of my career, I’ve been part of teams that were not very diverse. While they can usually get to fast alignment and decision making, they also often fall into the trap of ‘groupthink’ which limits possibilities, or only focuses on one group’s needs. True diversity of thought can take longer because it takes time to vet more ideas, to forge consensus from opposing views and reach decisions, but these decisions are often far stronger. Never has this been more crucial than in times like today. We have to solve very complex problems, from supply chain resilience to energy transition, that require new solutions and ways of thinking, solutions that are not always intuitive. Diversity is an important asset, that allows teams to be more effective in front of these trade-offs. It takes a different mindset to welcome and support this, and that is why DEI must be part of the leadership discussion.?

Gender equality is a human right. Across our organisation - a historically male dominated industry, we are on a journey to improving the gender parity with a range of initiatives and targets. We must create inclusive and safe environments for women to work and unlock an equitable future including at sea and in tech roles where women are underrepresented in STEM.?

When we recently formed our new executive leadership, we used the lens of diversity to build the strongest possible team. I’m very proud of this mix of people, representing different ages, genders, diverse backgrounds and ten different nationalities. For me personally, DEI is a way for Maersk, as a company, to live our Purpose and Values.?

Let’s recognise women’s incredible contribution to global trade and logistics. They are critical to ensuring the movement of goods around complex supply chains, whether they be our frontline seafarers, truckers, in the warehouses, operating in ports, developing digital solutions, leading teams, and inspiring colleagues. I fully support their dedication to our customers and building a prosperous world for themselves and future generations?

You do not, however, need to be a CEO, an HR leader, or a hiring manager to drive DEI – this is something that is too important to be delegated to any single leader or function. DEI is not only about bringing together people with different perspectives – having diversity does not necessarily provide equity or inclusion. Our commitment is to create a workplace where everyone feels listened to and valued, safe and able to bring their best and genuine selves every day. That is something every one of us can shape. It is how we truly soar.

I encourage everyone to take the occasion of International Women’s Day to reflect on how you, personally, can be an ally and help create a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive world. Celebrate women's achievements. Raise awareness about discrimination. And take personal action to drive gender equality.

Vincent Clerc

CEO, A.P. Moller – Maersk?

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