3PL Westset Logistics and Distribution is a family-owned business with a global mindset. This Women’s History Month we want to highlight the contributions women across all races have had within our company and across the warehousing and distribution industries as a whole. Though the logistics industry is historically male-dominated, we are proud to have women in high leadership at Westset Logistics and Distribution: our Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Sales Manager are all women. By supporting diversity, equality, and inclusion we are able to foster an environment that encourages the best of the best regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual preferences, or physical abilities.
Historically, the logistics sector has been associated with physical work and, consequently, considered a masculine sector; jobs involving a considerable amount of physical work such as machine operators and storage technicians are very much male-dominated. However, this is shifting, in a large part due to the extraordinary pace at which the online sales market has been developing in recent years. This, along with the introduction of new technologies within the sector, be it in process management or goods management where automation and robotics are required, should work to reduce the entry barriers for women seeking to become a part of the growing logistics industry. While women should seize this opportunity to join the industry, the industry itself should simultaneously provide men and women with access to jobs with equal footing in order to further boost gender equality values.
This Women’s History Month is unlike any in previous years as it falls after nearly a year of the global coronavirus pandemic. This pandemic impacted every economic sector on both an international and local scale. Thankfully, many can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, and data from the logistics and transportation sector show the sector taking on a pivotal role in economic recovery, thanks in a large part to the acceleration of growth within the eCommerce industry. Though the industry itself shows high rates of growth despite the global pandemic, the gap between the number of women and men in this sector is still vast of the 7.7 million workers in the US Transportation & utility sector, women constitute 22.6%.[i]
At Westset Logistics and Distribution, we prioritize diversity and inclusion. We know that gender diversity in the workforce not only fosters collaboration, understanding, and tolerance, but also boosts competitiveness, productivity, and corporate social responsibility. By ensuring women are represented throughout our workforce, and encouraging mentorship, diversity of opinions, and female leadership, we hope to do our part in encouraging a transformation that leads to more equal employment rates between men and women.
Supporting women in the workforce is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. When a company values diversity within its workforce, including women of all races, not only are those individuals more likely to commit to and succeed in the company, but the company itself is more likely to succeed. Representation and visibility of women in leadership roles are crucial to successfully recruiting and retaining female employees. We would like to reiterate our gratitude to the women at Westset Logistics and Distribution and at our partner organizations, in addition to the wide range of diverse backgrounds employed within the logistics industry. To learn more about Westset Logistics, our priorities, our commitment, our team, and our services, visit our website here or contact us here.
[i] https://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/why_should_women_work_in_logistics