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Maritime UK, the umbrella body for the maritime sector, has welcomed GAC UK as the latest organisation to join its Diversity in Maritime Charter. The Charter is a pivotal initiative in the Diversity in Maritime programme, and GAC UK is the first provider of ship agency and related services to be accepted, joining eleven other organisations.
The Charter holds organisations accountable for closing the diversity gap and making the maritime sector more inclusive. To become a Charter organisation, businesses must share baseline data including the total proportion of women in their workforce as a whole, as well as at middle and senior management levels, and to set five- or ten-year targets – criteria which GAC UK has met. It also challenges organisations to share where they currently stand in terms of their equality, diversity and inclusion progress. The targets set form a large part of individual company action plans, which also include a commitment to implement specific projects and initiatives, commitments which feature in GAC UK’s MARS25 sustainability plan launched last month.
GAC UK is part of the GAC Group, a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services with more than 300 offices worldwide, over 20 of which are in the UK. It was an early adopter of the Women in Maritime pledge in 2019, and recently signed the Mental Health in Maritime pledge to achieve full Charter status.
GAC UK has made great strides in recent years, putting many gender equality and mental health and wellbeing initiatives into action. Its ambitious charter plan sets out even more objectives in these areas, whilst also addressing LGBT+ and ethnicity focused targets, with the ultimate aim of becoming a better employer that attracts talented professionals from across the diversity of society.
Laura Grizzell, GAC UK’s QHSSE Manager and CSR Team Leader, says: “We are very excited and proud to begin our Charter journey and focus on what we can do as a business to become a more inclusive employer. We are also passionate about working within an industry which understands and cares about the issues facing all sectors of society and does all it can to make both our workplaces and the wider industry accessible to all.”
Herman Jorgensen, GAC UK’s Managing Director, adds: “It is a great honour for us to be welcomed to join Maritime UK’s Diversity in Maritime Charter, an achievement which underlines our commitment to take tangible steps to optimise the diversity within our organisation, resulting in positive change for the benefit of all. We are committed to encouraging our people and partners to celebrate diversity and to continually review their personal and professional actions and behaviour with regard to matters of equality.”
Chrissie Clarke, Programme Manager Diversity and Skills, Maritime UK says: “We are delighted that GAC UK have become the first organisation to join the expanded Diversity in Maritime Charter programme. The Charter is an important step on GAC UK’s journey to creating a more inclusive working environment and their progress will really help move the sector forward. We are all thinking about how we can Build Back Better, and that must include a workforce that reflects the society in which we live – so that everyone can find a place in our sector, and so that our businesses reap the economic benefits that a diverse workforce is proven to unlock.”