Empowered Women Empower Women

In your view, what point have we reached on the gender equality journey in the breakbulk logistics industry?

I believe that we have progressed to a point in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion where we can do away with prefixes such as ‘male’ and ‘female’ and view the industry irrespective of gender. I believe that it is important for male and female leaders to lead by example in creating a better gender balance within their companies and advancing gender equity to build a more inclusive and just workplace, where everyone can thrive. It is imperative that we challenge gender norms by calling out biases in the workplace and encourage open and honest dialogue with other leaders.

However, such culture change warrants a mindset change. Collectively, we must develop a mindset that views females at par with their male counterparts occupying leadership roles as well as operational roles in any industry. Looking at my own organization, I am proud to say that UPS has some great female role models who are breaking glass ceilings not only for other women UPSers but for women everywhere. I take pride in the fact that UPS is led by a woman, our CEO Carol B. Tomé, and she has been a trailblazer for women across the globe.

Please talk us through your career to-date and the challenges you have faced as a woman.

When I joined UPS, I was the only female on the leadership team, as well as the youngest executive and the only one that joined from a non-logistics background.

Like any new job, the journey at the beginning was difficult, I had to work hard to be recognized and included within the team. Eventually, I did earn my deserved seat on the table through maintaining a goal-oriented approach; I did not let any pre-conceived notions or societal norms dictate my success path.

I developed a sense of purpose when I chased my professional goals which were aligned with my own personal values. I remain motivated to advance the collective good of the communities and individuals around us. My internal motivation drives me to look beyond the status quo to what is possible and gives me a persuasive reason to act, notwithstanding my personal fears and insecurities. I promised myself to always be my authentic self, irrespective of the gender mix in the room. The way I established credibility is by showing that I am a team player and that I want everyone on the team to be successful too.

As a woman and as an expert in your field, why do you think diversity is important in this industry?

Having worked in different industries throughout my career, I feel that diversity is important across all industries, and the definition of diversity goes beyond mere labels associated with men and women – we need to look as well at race, culture, age, nationality, and abilities.

I firmly believe that diversity isn’t just a tick-a-box exercise; you need to genuinely embrace it to get out most of the benefits it brings to a company. Logistics is a people-driven business and to do good business you want to not only build a great company culture, but you also want to look after your customers’ needs.

As a global leader in logistics, UPS hosts 52 nationalities in the UAE alone. I clearly see how our diverse teams benefit from such culture exchange; this is reflected in the final output and in our bottom line.

What people often don’t discuss is the heightened need for diversity in leadership positions. This is especially important to be able to deliver effectively in a more empowered environment. Our UPS Board of Directors models our commitment to inclusion. 31 percent of our board members are ethnically diverse, and 46 percent are women; and UPS is the first public company in Georgia to have six women directors. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still work to do – and there are still big steps to be taken across the logistics industry.

Are enough women in this industry given leadership opportunities?

I can confirm to you with pride that UPS walks the talk. There are equivalent opportunities for women to grow within the company across functions and roles. We know that giving women a fair shot at leadership roles is not only good for their own careers, but it’s good for the economy and the communities around us.

Earlier this year we signed the UAE’s Pledge to Accelerate Gender Balance in the Private Sector in partnership with the UAE Gender Balance Council to increase women’s representation at senior and middle management levels to at least 30 percent by 2025. This initiative is an instrumental enabler of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and will have a lasting impact on the public and private sectors in the UAE. To achieve a more equitable society, we are committed to empowering women, especially in leadership and decision-making positions, and we are continuing to lead the way both nationally and internationally.

Personally, I really enjoy mentoring women and providing them support on their career journey, as it is incredibly important to create role models for young female professionals.

At UPS, we are also expanding our initiatives to further our representation of women in operations and management roles, specifically in our hubs and package center facilities. Working with our Women in Operations Business Resource Groups and senior leaders, we are building specific training and development programs to ensure candidates are given the skills, mentoring, and support to successfully advance.

By providing women with equal opportunities, we are going beyond just promoting gender equality; we are creating an environment that unlocks potential, spurs new growth, and contributes to a future that is more inclusive and progressive.

How can women build awareness about their presence in the logistics industry, and engage with communities at large?

I believe empowered women, empower women. Awareness is critical to achieving diversity, equity and inclusion. One great way is to take advantage of company Business Resource Groups (BRGs), which are organizations that serve as an extension of the company’s broader diversity and inclusion strategy. They provide a forum where employees can network, participate in professional development activities, and gain support growing the business. One such group is the UPS Women’s Leadership Development (WLD) BRG, which I get to co-chair in the UAE. The UPS WLD BRG Program focuses on the professional and personal development of its membership through strategic planning initiatives that address the challenges unique to women in business, provide tools necessary for business success, unveil programs and resources that accelerate growth and profitability for the business as well as the greater community, and encourage leadership.

Women can also join external organizations and women networks, such as the American Chamber of Commerce, Women Business Council, or more industry specific groups such as the National Association of Freight and Logistics – all of those provide amazing networking opportunities and help females to build their brand and great personal and business connections.

What roles are open to women within the breakbulk industry?

The face of the supply chain industry is evolving. Globally, women made up about 39 percent of supply-chain employees, ranging from distribution center workers to C-suite executives, as of May this year, according to research by Gartner. However, these figures were down slightly from 41 percent last year.

There are many exciting roles for women, which keep evolving rapidly. After having spent five years in the logistics sector, I have noticed that more new job roles are opening up for men and women, offering both genders a wide range of exciting career opportunities, including working in sustainability, public affairs, health & safety, community relations, but as well in engineering, marketing, sales, security, and operational roles including brokerage. The opportunities are limitless!

Logistics is a fast-paced business where you get to work with a diverse set of customers, partners and colleagues. For me the four best parts of my job are that I get to meet amazing individuals, that I have opportunities to make positive impacts on the life of people and communities, that my personal values are aligned with UPS’ values, and that UPS enables employees to take advantage of amazing growth opportunities around the world.

Christina Struller is vice president, corporate affairs, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa, for UPS.