DHL Global Forwarding prioritizes Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). 

By actively promoting DEIB, DHL Global Forwarding develops the best workforce, drives innovation and enables its people so that everyone can make a difference with their contributions.

In a recent article, DHL Global Forwarding's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tim Scharwath, highlights the competitive advantage of embracing diversity in logistics. 

Learn more about DHL Global Forwarding's approach and commitment to DEIB, and how embracing diversity is the key to success in logistics.

A commitment to achieving gender equality

Tim begins the article by discussing the percentage of women in senior leadership positions, and how this needs to be addressed in order to reach full parity within the workforce and leadership, and to achieve gender equality.

"Did you know that, on average, only 31.7 per cent of senior leaders are women (Global Gender Gap Report 2024, World Economic Forum)? Furthermore, when examining the Fortune 500, it is striking to note that only 10.4 per cent of their CEOs are female (Is This The Age Of Women in Leadership?). Based on the findings of the latest Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum it would take 134 years to reach full parity along all dimensions including workforce and leadership," says Tim.

"As many of you may be aware, the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) set by the United Nations is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. However, the current progress rate suggests that we would fall short of this goal by 128 years. This significant delay is something that most of us would not witness in our lifetimes."

Tim adds that there is a shortage of skilled talent within the workforce, resulting in competition, while there is also a failing of tapping into the talent available.

"At the same time, we are facing a shortage of skilled workers, especially in Europe and particularly in Germany, as a significant number of Baby Boomers approach retirement. This has resulted in a serious competition for talents, while we are failing to fully tap into the available talent pool. Could it be possible that the sluggish state of the global economy is partly influenced by the lack of equal opportunities for everyone to contribute?" shares Tim.

"Moreover, when considering the various dimensions of inequality that we still face, it becomes evident that this situation is not only ethically and socially wrong but also economically disadvantageous. We fall short of our possibilities and fail to tap into our potential because we do not see it."

Viewing diversity as a competitive advantage

Tim highlights the importance of viewing diversity as a significant competitive advantage, and the importance of taking this into account when hiring new talent.

"We should increasingly view diversity not only as social and societal advantage but as a significant competitive advantage. By removing barriers and biases, we can access a larger pool of talent, creativity, and skills," comments Tim.

"At Deutsche Post und DHL, we are deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), and at DHL Global Forwarding we are walking the talk. One of our guiding principles is to 'hire the right person for the job,' which naturally applies to leadership roles as well. However, we can only claim to have hired the right person for the job when we have leveraged the market's full potential."

Reaching the target of women in management positions

"As you can imagine, the logistics industry continues to be heavily male-dominated, even more so than some other sectors. In Germany, for instance, only 19.7 per cent of leadership positions are held by women (Women in leadership positions by industry, Germany, Statista). At DHL Group, we currently stand at 28.8 per cent in 2024 and have set a target to have at least 30 per cent of women in management positions by 2025. Towards 2030 we will raise this to at least 34 per cent and we are dedicated to reach this target," says Tim.

"Let me clarify, I am not advocating for quotas. It is about selecting the right person for the job. However, setting targets and creating benchmarks are essential for continuous improvement. We still have a journey ahead of us, but I wanted to share my experience and thoughts as a pledge to actively seek out the right people. Believe me, you won't regret it."

Focusing on key areas of career development

"This principle, of course, applies to both internal and external candidates, as it is essential to maintain a balanced approach. When I’m talking about closing the gender gap this involves empowering and developing individuals within the organization as well," explains Tim.

At DHL, we are actively addressing this through our Shift up a Gear initiative. Since its implementation in 2019, this initiative has focused on four key areas for career development: enhancing visibility with management, establishing development plans and succession strategies, promoting career reflection and leadership development, and implementing selection and staffing initiatives to cultivate future female leaders," adds Tim.

Career progression and hiring new talent

Tim discusses the advancement of career progression of colleagues working with DHL Global Forwarding, as well as shining a spotlight on the importance of hiring new talent who bring a variety of skills and unique perspectives to DHL.

"We have witnessed remarkable career progression at DHL Global Forwarding, with individuals such as Suky Yeung, Berna Yılmaz Ciğeroğlu, and Efrat Raanan Edry serving as excellent examples. Suky, our Executive Vice President Global IT/BPO, IRR and a Member of the Global Management Board, embarked on her journey with the group in 2000. Berna has been the CEO of DGF Turkey since 2023, showcasing her growth within the organization since 2016. And finally, Efrat joined the organization 23 years ago as an Air Freight import junior member and recently assumed the role of Country Manager for Israel in 2023," shares Tim.

"However, it is equally important to remain open-minded and bring in talents with skills that may not currently exist or are not adequately represented within the organization. Once more, whether internal or external, finding the right people for the job is crucial. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that we also have great examples of recent hires who embody this approach. For instance, let's take a look at some recent additions to our leadership team. Aditi Rasquinha has taken on the role of CEO Greater China, Barbara Eleota is leading our European Ocean Freight business, and Alexandra Olvera has joined us as the new Global Head of Business Customers. These are just a few examples of the talented individuals who have joined our team in recent years."

"What I ultimately wanted to express is, that the right people are indeed out there, and it is essential to recognize that the talent pool is much larger than some may believe," Tim concludes. "Talent is not defined by abilities, ethnic and national origin, gender, generations, sexual identity, or religion."

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