DHL Women’s Networking Event supports women in leadership

DHL New Zealand’s Women’s Network offers a unique networking experience, creating a community of women. It helps women make connections, cultivate ambition and build confidence to prepare the next generation of leaders in the logistics industry.

At Butterfly Creek in Auckland, New Zealand, DHL celebrated woman working in supply chain as part of the Women’s Networking Event, supporting the company's women to learn and interact with one another.

Celebrating women in leadership

At the Women’s Networking Event, DHL women employees shared their thoughts and insights surrounding not putting too much pressure on yourself to be the perfect person, the importance of chasing a deeper meaning because it influences so many surrounding people, learning to say no, and managing people's expectations of oneself.

The diversity of DHL's people mirrors the diversity of its customers, and the communities the company is part of. DHL promotes an inclusive environment, guided by mutual respect, openness, honesty, trust and cooperation, so that everybody feels accepted and can be their best every day.

"So I say to everyone that aspires to be a leader, a woman leader, to have a voice, even if your voice is shaking, make it heard," said DHL Global Forwarding New Zealand, Head of HR, Shireen Powys.

"I was fortunate to work part-time whilst my children were young, but have returned back to the workforce in a full-time capacity, and I really enjoy it," explained HR Business Partner, Express New Zealand, Maree Lane.

"You're important, we couldn't be the business that we are today without you, and I hope that you can help to celebrate each and every other woman," commented DHL Global Forwarding New Zealand and Fiji, Head of Sales and Marketing, Suzette Tindall-Kruger.

Recognizing the importance of a support network

DHL's diversity policies and practices are designed to tackle gender stereotypes, encouraging, enabling and empowering women to excel in roles once dominated by men. Today, more than one in five middle and upper management positions is held by a woman. And the number is growing all the time. Across the Group, there are numerous programs to support and inspire female colleagues, ranging from networking events, career programs to talent pools.

"You need an amazing support network around you, but it's absolutely possible to have a family, have a career, and make your dreams," said DHL Supply Chain Australia, Vice President of HR, Rachael McDonald.

"If there's one takeaway from today for women it's you're not alone. We are honestly a warrior of women, a group of females that can do anything we want to do, inside DHL, outside of DHL. Just know you're never alone, you don't go through problems only by yourself, we have a group, we have a support system, rely on each other," explained DHL Supply Chain New Zealand, OMS Lead, Ilze Nel.