DFDS is getting closer with 29% women in positions ashore and 18% at sea. However, there is still a significant lack of women in leading positions, even though the Executive Management Team has become more balanced recently.

There is a strong will to increase the share of women. Therefore, DFDS, along with other Danish shipping companies, signed a charter that obliges the companies to actively focus on gender equality. And this is not because it looks nice on paper:

“We need to do something about this to become a better company that makes better decisions. All research documents that you need to reach a level where the underrepresented gender makes out a third of the team before you get equal and balanced discussions,” says Torben Carlsen.

“We need to attract more of the female talents from other industries. Today, they usually do not choose a maritime career,” he says.

“I am very happy about the charter. I think we are doing a lot at DFDS. Diversity is a corner stone in our CSR strategy that is supported by the Executive Management Team and the Board of Directors. How to improve the gender was a key issue at the recent Annual Management Conference and VP seminars, and recently, all VP’s have developed 3 years plan for how to improve diversity in general, in their organisations. It doesn’t change overnight, but when the entire shipping community pushes the agenda, it will certainly speed up development,” says Sofie Hebeltoft, Director of our CSR department

“The charter is very good news. I believe that with gender equality at the top of the shipping community’s agenda, it will send a strong signal and invitation to female talents that they are wanted in our business and that we can offer them a great work environment and prosperous career opportunities,” says Anne-Christine Ahrenkiel, Chief People Officer, EVP.

Watch Danish Shipping’s video about gender equality here.

See Danish Shipping’s charter here.