At MedaLogistics Week 2024 in Barcelona, a critical spotlight was cast on gender diversity within the logistics and supply chain sector. Despite significant strides made by women, achieving true gender parity remains a challenging goal. The sector’s persistent perception as a predominantly male and physically demanding field continues to hinder broader female participation.

Afternoon Session: ‘Gender Parity in Logistics’

Moderated by Ms. Maria Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME, this afternoon’s session, ‘Gender Parity in Logistics,’ featured a compelling discussion with esteemed panelists on the current state of gender diversity in the field. Maria Helena de Felipe expressed concern over the slow progress:

«Statistics showing an approximation of women in the world of logistics and transportation are still worrying. Slight progress can be perceived, but there is still a long way to go in terms of equality. Companies with 50 employees are obliged to meet the parity target. But companies with less than 50 employees are not, so, likely, they will not implement parity actions.»

Other notable insights were shared by:

Ms. Racheel Cespedes, Amazon Logistic Manager at Orkla ASA, who underscored the need for broader implementation of equality policies: «Only 30% of women are involved in logistics and transportation. Although more and more companies are implementing immersion and equality policies, in this sector we work with many suppliers, many of which do not have these measures integrated.»

Ms. Loubna Karroum, CEO of KARDEV, stressed the importance of training: «The first step to achieving parity is to train women in the competencies and skills required to take on any role in this sector. We are talking about a highly digitized industry, which requires great organizational and analytical skills, competencies that women have integrated. It is necessary to reevaluate all the competencies in all sectors, not only in logistics, because in most cases they were approached from a male perspective.»

Ms. Marta Miquel, Chief Business Officer at Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, called for meaningful roles for women: «Many companies increase the quota of women in different positions just to say that they comply with the parity required by European regulations. On the other hand, women should take on any role, including on management committees, not as a matter of statistics but on their own merits. To do this, they need access to qualified training that will enable them to make the leap they are looking for in this sector.»

Ms. Claudia Parera Blanch, Business & Strategy Managing Director at Transcoma Grupo Empresarial, pointed out enduring stereotypes: «There are several obstacles that hinder women’s access to this sector. One of them is the erroneous association that is made with loading and unloading, which is more typical of men than women. In addition, there is a lack of references of women who have been able to reconcile their lives in logistics, meritocracy does not work with women, and there is a lack of greater visibility of the different areas covered by this sector.»

Conclusion

The panelists, under the moderation of Maria Helena de Felipe, underscored the need to break down stereotypes, enhance training opportunities, and develop policies that support the full integration of women into the logistics sector. As MedaLogistics Week 2024 draws to a close, the insights shared today emphasize the ongoing journey towards gender parity and the crucial role of inclusive practices in shaping the future of logistics.