diamond logistics – the UK’s only local fulfillment and logistics network – is championing girl power with a focus on Women in Logistics, coinciding with Women’s History month, and International Women’s Day on March 8th. They share how they addressed the gender imbalance in their business by increasing opportunities for women and attracting more women into the industry to join them.

Kate Lester, CEO, says, ‘In a traditionally male industry whereby typically no more than 26% of the workforce are female – and considerably less at board level – diamond logistics has already been noted as trailblazers in terms of sustaining an equality-based workplace and business opportunities for women. We’ve done this simply by opening doors, supporting equality and flexibility and focusing on areas of our business where there was a gender imbalance. In 2011, our business was predominantly male. In 2019, the statistics show what an impact promoting equality has – with 4 out of 6 board members female and

over 56% of our employees as a whole.’ Natalie Wearing, diamond logistics’ newly appointed Director of Network Operations states, ‘There is so much more to the logistics industry than people think. The opportunities are rife, and that includes for women. Exciting careers are available. Take Becky, for example, who joined us five years ago – she has progressed from a logistics coordinator and now heads up the Network Support team and is supporting the launch of our new tech platform despatchlab.

Gender has certainly been an irrelevance in this logistics workplace. Logistics plays a pivotal part in every industry worldwide from SMEs to global conglomerates. This means there are a number of roles available from business development or new sales – to Health and Safety or system development that all require a diverse workforce with a varied set of skills to make the industry successful.

Logistics gives people an opportunity of a changing environment, to see the UK and beyond. It gives the opportunity to work with new state-ofthe- art technologies and with different people every day from smaller local start-up businesses to large scale national operations. It can be really exciting, rewarding and completely eye opening! I wish more women, and especially younger women, could hear about the opportunities available – rather than thinking it’s ‘a man’s world’.’

The call from diamond logistics is clear: it’s time for the industry to stand up and stand together; united as one and challenge the perception that logistics is a challenging industry for women. It’s a call to the entire industry to take notice and acknowledge that bringing diversity to the workplace and building an inclusive culture is important. It requires your awareness, attention and action, but it is not complicated or expensive – and it is certainly not beyond any business or leader to do. Together we can make a difference for the future.

DIAMOND LOGISTICS

www.diamondlogistics.co.uk

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