Charter for More Women in Shipping

The Blue Denmark is facing challenges in retaining and attracting women. Danish shipping companies employ a total of 17% women (both onshore and at sea). Among seafarers on Danish-flagged vessels, 8% are women, and if ferries are excluded, only 2% of seafarers on Danish-flagged vessels are women. With the competition for qualified workforce increasing, it's more crucial than ever to engage women. Otherwise, we are simply missing out on half of the talent pool. This applies to both jobs at sea and onshore positions, which are often filled by seafarers who transition to shore roles after sailing for a few years. Having more women in these jobs also enhances the possibility of having more women in leadership positions. Research shows that having more women in the workforce will not only provide a larger talent pool to recruit from but also bring more dynamism, create a better working environment, allow for more nuanced decision-making, and contribute to increased com­pe­ti­ti­ve­ness. Therefore, the board of Danske Rederier has decided to work diligently to increase the percentage of women in the shipping industry.

Objective

The goal is to have a minimum of 75% of Danske Rederier's members, representing at least 75% of the employees, endorse the charter. To achieve this objective, we launched a "Charter for More Women in Shipping" designed to encourage individual shipping companies to work actively, visibly, and systematically towards increasing the proportion of women in shipping. The charter aims to establish a framework that challenges companies to make progress in this area and will be supported by the toolbox created by Danske Rederiers' "Taskforce for More Women at Sea," which can be used both ashore and at sea. Companies that endorse the charter commit to setting goals for the proportion of women in their own companies and describing the concrete measures to achieve those goals.

Benefits of Joining the Charter:

  • Assistance in achieving a better gender balance among employees.
  • Mention on the Danske Rederier website.
  • Networking opportunities and collaboration with other Charter companies.
  • Opportunities for special mentions on various platforms, including through films and other materials on social media.

How to Join the Charter:

You are welcome to contact Danske Rederier via the contact form below, and we will respond as quickly as possible.

You can also learn more about the 10 recom­men­da­tions and the other signatory companies that have already endorsed the charter. Learn more here.