This Marine & Boating Industry Diversity resource was put together with the help of the ICOMIA Diversity Committee.

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Key Quotes

“Gender equality and women’s empowerment are enshrined as Sustainable Development Goal 5 and in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women”

World Bank Group Gender Strategy 2024 – 2030

“UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, has stated that achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world.” 

UN Women

“To achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth the European Union needs to start mainstreaming gender equality now.”

European Institute for Gender Equality  – EIGE

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2024 Marine Industry Global Workplace Study

The 2024 Marine Industry Global Workplace Study, which counted on over 700 respondents and two focus groups, tells us that:

• Women’s Marine & Boating Industry salaries are 18% lower than those of their male counterparts. This disparity is more pronounced at the highest leadership levels.
• Whilst the job satisfaction rate in the marine industry significantly exceeds global workforce levels […], women report lower satisfaction levels compared to men.
• Men are predominantly represented in sales, customer service, and product/project management roles…Women are primarily found in marketing/communications, administrative, and customer service roles.

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ICOMIA Diversity Committee – 2024 Gender Mapping Survey

• 95% of Board Chairs/CEOs in the marina industry are male
• Only 33% of entry-level staff are female
• Only 28% of senior staff are female
• Over 33% consider gender equality of little industry relevance
• No respondents selected ‘Other’ for the gender question

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Key Questions

Ask yourself: 

• Do women have an equal voice at decision-making level?
• Do senior leaders actively support women’s advancement?
• Do job descriptions use gender-neutral language?
• Are interview panels diverse, including women?
• Does staff training address unconscious bias and other barriers to gender equality?

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Gender Equality Strategies – WINBLUE

The EMFAF-funded WINBLUE project, whose team kindly ran a free workshop for boating industry members on creating a Gender Equality Plan, makes a strong case for adopting gender equality strategies in the blue economy.

In describing the project’s rationale, they quote the European Institute for Gender Equality’s calculations that “by 2050, improving gender equality would lead to an increase in the EU’s GDP per capita by 6.1% to 9.6%, which amounts to €1.95 to €3.15 trillion”.

They detail advantages in terms of employment and higher productivity, asserting that across the board, “the EU can only reach its full potential if it uses all of its talent and diversity.”

Naturally, however, this calls on overcoming existing barriers. Showcasing a wide variety of gender equality good practices, they conclude by identifying strategies that “can deliver tangible results or, at least, inspire change and openness towards Gender Equality”: 

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Effective Gender Equality Policies and Work-Life Policies

Here, WINBLUE clarifies that to be successful, these policies need to include “a high degree of details, with measurable objectives, a precise roadmap and a list of actions, and include quantifiable KPIs and Milestones”.

Addressing a need for more flexibility in terms of a work-life balance, etc., can lead to creating a “working environment where the workload can be more bearable, and workers can deal better with work and family duties. Workers can be more satisfied, motivated, more loyal to the company”, leading to “a positive impact on productivity and the company’s image.”

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Gender & Diversity Representatives

Requiring a company culture that is ready to respond to change at all levels, this position represents “the interests of women, but also for LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and any other under-represented group”.

Supporting this role can help “develop a sense of belonging and the contributions from different points of view can bring innovative ideas and create new opportunities. 

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Awareness Campaigns and Training

These practices can help foster a cultural shift towards inclusivity and community within companies.

By raising awareness of unconscious biases and promoting dialogue, such initiatives can reduce instances of discrimination, break down gender stereotypes, and encourage diverse perspectives, driving creativity and innovation.

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Information Events to Highlight Career Opportunities

This section focuses on recruitment and dismantling societal biases and obstacles that prevent women from accessing a wide range of jobs in the blue economy.

Efforts can include presenting diverse career paths and sharing female success stories, with the aim of inspiring more women to pursue opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields, ultimately creating a more balanced workforce.

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Women’s Networks and Management Models

Benefits of these are set out as follows:

• Expanding women’s professional connections.
• Providing platforms for amplifying their voices and increasing leadership opportunities.
• Fostering a sense of community for skill-sharing and capacity building.
• Advocating for gender-responsive policies.

For more information and resources, visit: https://winblue-project.eu/ 

Special thanks to Rebecca Zammit from AcrossLimits for her help and collaboration. 

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You can find more ICOMIA Resources here