WISTA Pledges for Inclusion of Women in Shipping

The Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) has launched its inclusion pledge which addresses the under representation of women in the maritime industry.

The pledge addresses the underrepresentation of women in the maritime industry through a series of statements aimed at embracing diversity through individual action and personal responsibility. Individuals are encouraged to sign the pledge in support of a diverse and inclusive maritime sector.  

Signatories of the pledge commit 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 behavior 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.”

“Embracing diversity and inclusion is a business decision that no leader in today’s global and competitive marketplace can ignore.  Leaders who encourage diversity of thought, including gender, age, race, and ethnicity, know that their teams benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives, which drive innovation and change,” said WISTA International President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou. “We geared this pledge to individuals, for we feel strongly that individuals have the power to bring about change.”

In 2018, WISTA International appointed a Diversity Committee to focus on practical solutions to increase opportunities for gender diversity in the maritime industry. Writing a pledge to challenge the community to advance diversity and inclusion was a mandate of the committee.

The Diversity Committee includes women from 14 National WISTA Associations, in acknowledgement of the global nature of the shipping industry.  

“We are very proud to promote this pledge to our industry,” said Theodosiou. “Our Diversity Committee members wrote this pledge to address the various challenges female professionals confront in our industry and the many ways men can champion and support inclusion and diversity in their workplace.”

WISTA International is a global networking organization for female managers in the shipping industry, with more than 3,000 members worldwide, and 45 National WISTA Associations (NWAs).