Global Maritime Forum Launches "All Aboard" Diversity Initiative
The Global Maritime Forum has launched a new onboard diversity and inclusion initiative intended to support recruitment among underrepresented parts of the workforce.
The new All Aboard Alliance has its roots in a meeting of maritime industry leaders organized by the Global Maritime Forum in 2020, and it has grown over the years with support from the Forum, Swiss Re and the Diversity Study Group. In announcing the initiative, the founding signatories noted a need to respond to changes in the labor market, including a "global talent shortage clearly affecting our talent retention and attraction." The alliance also pointed to the need to address the diversity expectations of industry stakeholders, as well as a desire to bring in more people with the skills to manage modern challenges.
"The All Aboard Alliance endeavors to significantly improve diversity, equity, and inclusion measures across the board. It is imperative at this pivotal time, where a diversity of skills and competences is paramount to innovating our way through the continuous evolution and developments in decarbonization, digitalization, and automation," said Mikael Skov, CEO of Hafnia and co-chair of the All Aboard Alliance.
The signatories include a large number of prominent maritime employers, including Anglo-Eastern, Cargill, Fednav, LR, MOL and Svitzer. The members pledged to take five steps to incorporate diversity and inclusion into their governance:
- Appoint a business sponsor to lead and ensure accountability of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization
- Equip and educate people to understand their role in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
- Create and maintain an organizational culture of equity and belonging where everyone has equal opportunities
- Capture relevant data and develop insights to evaluate progress and to evolve strategic objectives
- Communicate commitment and progress externally on an annual basis.