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By Shabnum Dawood, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding South Africa

 Women are breaking barriers and reshaping the logistics industry, traditionally a male-dominated field. Today, they lead innovation, drive efficiency, and bring fresh perspectives to the sector. However, leadership opportunities remain uneven, with progress often slowed by systemic barriers and unconscious bias.

As a leader who has worked my way up through the ranks, I have seen firsthand how diverse leadership enhances business performance. 

The urgency to act

At the current pace, global gender parity won’t be achieved until 2158 – more than five generations from now, according to the World Economic Forum.  However, what we already know is this: change cannot wait. The question isn’t whether progress is being made; it’s how fast businesses are willing to drive it forward.

Breaking down the barriers

Despite progress, many challenges still prevent women from advancing into leadership. These are some of the biggest hurdles, and how we can address them:

• Challenging bias in leadership: Women hold just 23% of VP-level roles in supply chain organisations, often overlooked due to unconscious bias. Closing this gap requires inclusive hiring practices, clear growth pathways, and strong commitments from leadership.  
• Flexibility for career growth: Businesses must prioritise flexible work models, hybrid environments, and structured return-to-work programmes to ensure women are not forced to choose between career progression and family responsibilities.   
• Equal pay and career advancement: Women receive lower annual salary increases – 8.39% compared to 9.5% for men, which compounds into widening career disparities over time.  Solving this requires transparency in salary benchmarking, routine pay audits, and objective performance reviews to ensure fairness in career progression.  
• Stronger mentorship and sponsorship: Without structured mentorship, career growth stalls.  Leadership networks and professional development programmes are critical to supporting women in advancing to leadership roles. At DHL Global Forwarding, our Women in Leadership initiative brings together over 50 women annually across the Middle East and Africa, providing the training, mentorship, and networks needed to accelerate their careers.

Gender diversity drives business success

Gender diversity isn’t just a social priority, it drives business performance.  Companies with diverse leadership bring fresh perspectives, foster innovation, and deliver stronger results. According to the Ready-Now Leaders report, organisations with at least 30% women in leadership are 12 times more likely to rank in the top 20% for financial performance. Diverse teams make better decisions, encourage innovation, and create inclusive workplaces – critical for long-term success

Women bring key strengths to leadership, including collaborative problem-solving and strategic thinking. However, diversity isn’t a one-time initiative; it must be embedded in company culture, championed at every level and measured through real outcomes.  

Taking action today, not tomorrow

The industry cannot afford to wait another five generations for equality. Change must happen now. Breaking systematic barriers, ensuring fair career opportunities, and making gender inclusivity the norm, not the exception, must be a priority for all organisations.

Real change requires more than conversations; it demands bold leadership, structured initiatives, and measurable actions. Let’s make it happen.

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