New industry-wide consortium closes gender gap

The logistics sector in Europe has launched the Women in Logistics consortium (WIL).
This pioneering industry-wide consortium aims to promote greater gender diversity and inclusion within the traditionally male-dominated logistics sector. Led by Dow and H.Essers, and supported by sector associations ECTA and Cefic, this initiative is joined by six other key players — Den Hartogh, Bertschi, Suttons Tankers, LyondellBasell, Eastman, and Covestro.
The WIL consortium is committed to driving meaningful change and fostering a more inclusive and diverse logistics industry landscape through collaboration beyond competition.
Despite gradual improvements, the gender imbalance in logistics remains significant.
For instance, women constitute only 6% or less of the truck driver population in Europe.
Cathy Budd, CPO and purchasing vice-president of Dow, said: “Women in Logistics’ mission is to bridge the gender gap by building an inclusive ecosystem that overcomes stereotypes and gender bias. Rather than embarking on a single initiative, the group has decided to join forces with several industry players.”
Hilde Essers, Chairwoman of the board of H.Essers added that “by combining resources and efforts, a more substantial impact can be made. Achieving a more balanced male-female representation benefits everyone, and it all starts with this consortium.”