by Minke de Haan, Twill Organizational Development & Culture
The influence of logistics in today’s world is undeniable. Every time you click ‘Checkout’ on Amazon you are coming into contact with the logistics industry that, just a few days later, will knock on your door with your parcel in hand.
So, if the logistics industry affects us all, it should represent us all too. This is why diversity is so important; we need people from various different backgrounds to produce an industry that reflects the world in which we live.
The diversity picture as it stands
Diversity in logistics is a broad topic and it expands beyond simply men and women – it includes race, age, culture, nationality and disabilities – and the industry does better in some areas of diversity than others.
For example, logistics spans the globe, with supply chains in almost every country – so in this way it is certainly diverse. However, it is still a world dominated by men – especially at the operational and managerial level.
It terms of changing the diversity picture, it’s about recognising what you’re doing well and where you can improve. For example, at Twill we’re proud that 42% of our employees are women – a figure that is above average – including a number of leadership positions. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still work to do – and there are still big steps to be taken across the industry.
Why diversity is important
Diversity isn’t just something that you should be embracing to tick a box – it also brings a wealth of benefits. The diversity of your company is a reflection of the kind of culture you are building and the kind of business you run. Customers will pick up on it and may choose your business because of it.
In our experience at Twill, diverse teams enrich each other, and by bringing together people from various different cultures, identities and opinion, you get something very special – diverse ideas and innovations that reflect differences in age, culture, nationality or disability.
If your company is dominated by one kind of person, then you’re only getting one kind of opinion and one set of ideas – which is why having diversity in leadership positions is especially important. It sets the tone for your whole company – not just now, but into the future where diversity will be empowered more and more.
Building a diverse culture
We all live diverse lives and as I touched on at the start of this blog, our work places should therefore be diverse too. But building a rich culture is about more than just talking about change – it’s about acting out that change every day.
When Twill launched in 2017, one of the first things we did was establish principles that defined our culture – embrace & drive change was one; build open & honest relationships was another. At Twill we have self-organised teams who embody these values with their co-operation and teamwork every day – across different nationalities, cultures and genders.
Elsewhere, when employing new Twillers, we have made a conscious effort to fill positions based on experience and talent alone – not based on gender, age or any kind of quota. We’re always looking to find the perfect pieces for the Twill puzzle and they can be any age, nationality, gender or race.
What does the future look like?
In the future, I believe that those companies which do not embrace diversity will find themselves falling behind, both in commercial success and innovation. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a global company with thousands of employees, or an SME with a small team – you can still embrace diversity.
Companies can work together to encourage and develop diversity in logistics. We don’t have to re-invent the wheel, we can share knowledge and best practice together.
At Twill we’re in a good position because we already have a diverse team, but that doesn’t mean we should stop pushing or start congratulating ourselves. We want to keep representing the best in diversity and innovation – both for our customers and our employees.
If you’re interested in joining Twill today then take a look at our careers page for all our opportunities! –www.twill.net/career