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Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, companies in the airfreight industry have been highlighting their efforts to promote gender diversity and to ensure that women are equally represented in the workplace.
Chapman Freeborn’s gender equality push
Chapman Freeborn this week released data showing a 48% increase in the number of women employed in management positions over the last year, in addition to a 9% increase in the number of women in the business.
“Chapman Freeborn has a culture that prioritises ability and performance over individual characteristics,” said Laura Smith, senior UK HR business partner, Chapman Freeborn.
“We are working towards an even split of men and women, in contrast to the wider aviation industry where the balance is as disparate as 80-20, men to women.
“There is clearly still much more work to do, but at Chapman Freeborn we will continue bolstering and celebrating our colleagues, regardless of their gender identity.”
Menzies hits 25by2025 target
Menzies Aviation has reached its goal of 25% of women in senior leadership roles, in line with IATA’s 25by2025 campaign.
"Reaching this target has been made possible through strong leadership role models, employee engagement, and a focus on diversity in the company’s succession planning, delivering targeted development and mentoring to high potential future female leaders,” the company said.
The company’s Thrive, Women in Leadership training programme, which was launched in 2022, specifically for women, encourages employees to craft a clear vision for career and personal success.
More than 125 participants have completed the programme to date.
Meanwhile, the company said it has made significant progress against its target of 40% of mid-level leadership roles held by women by 2033, reaching 29% across the global business in 2024. In addition, it has made a commitment to recruit refugees equivalent to 1% of its global workforce by 2026.
Juliet Thomson, chief people officer, Menzies Aviation, said: “Achieving 25% representation of women in our senior leadership community is an important step, but we recognise there is more work to be done.
"Diversity is not just a goal, it is a business imperative, and by continuing to break barriers, we can create a future where leadership truly reflects the diversity of our workforce and the communities we operate in. We remain committed to advancing gender equity and building an even more inclusive workplace for all.”
WCAworld gets women networking
WCAworld held a Women’s networking event, an initiative designed to bring together the women of WCAworld, at this year’s WCA Worldwide Conference in Dubai.
"Now in its second year, the event has continued to gain momentum, with demand far exceeding capacity, at the oversubscribed event," WCAworld said.
"This overwhelming interest highlights both the increasing number of women in the logistics industry and the strong demand for spaces where they can connect, collaborate, and grow."
WCAworld said female presence at conferences has steadily increased in recent years, with attendance at the Worldwide Conference nearly doubling over the past five years.
"In 2025, women accounted for almost 30% of attendees. While not yet reflective of the general population, this marks a significant step forward and signals positive change within the industry," the forwarding group said.
Some regions are making particularly strong strides in gender diversity, with Asia Pacific leading in both the number of female members and women-owned logistics companies.
"Across WCAworld, nearly 2,500 member companies are now women-owned and the number of women participating in the network has more than doubled in the past decade," WCAworld said. "This growth reinforces WCAworld’s position as a place where women in logistics can thrive."
However, the group added that despite this progress, there remains an underrepresentation of women at senior levels within the industry.
"Recognising this, WCAworld is committed to driving further change, expanding efforts to support and empower women within the network while continuing to champion a more inclusive and diverse logistics sector as a whole."
