Maintaining a diverse workforce is essential to the maritime industry’s ability to operate on a global scale. A diverse workforce can help provide a deeper understanding of different cultures, markets, and customer needs, ultimately enhancing our industry’s ability to navigate the complexities of international trade and commerce.

Of course, being an effective business partner in our interconnected world doesn’t stop with diversity. Customers and stakeholders increasingly expect industry leaders to actively demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion.

Where equity ensures fairness and impartiality in policies and practices, inclusion focuses on creating an environment where all individuals feel valued and respected. If diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.

We have all seen the studies and the numbers, and they repeatedly reinforce that fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment promotes employee well-being and satisfaction. This, in turn, can lead to higher productivity, lower turnover rates, greater innovation, and improved overall performance within the industry.

While the maritime industry has made strides in addressing these issues, there are still challenges that need to be overcome. However, the industry is committed to driving positive change and improvement. Some of these challenges include entrenched cultural norms, recruitment biases, and the need for greater representation in leadership roles. However, the industry also presents numerous opportunities to drive positive change, such as implementing inclusive hiring practices, providing diversity training, and fostering a culture of respect and openness.

Consider this example of our industry’s changing world. According to the BIMCO/ICS 2021 Seafarer Workforce Report, only 1.2% of the global seafarer workforce were women. However, the industry is moving in a positive direction thanks to the efforts of support organizations like the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and Women Offshore. The number of women serving as seafarers in 2021 was 45.8% higher compared with the 2015 report.

This is all against the backdrop of an unprecedented worker shortage in our industry. My colleague Chuck Kemper, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, recently appeared on Setting Course, an ABS Podcast, and highlighted another BIMCO report that predicted we would need another 90,000 ship officers by 2026 to keep up with the industry’s current trends.

Of course, this is no small feat. These potential officers require substantial training, and, as Chuck said on the podcast, they need to be suited to the mariner lifestyle. In filling this need, the maritime industry can’t pigeonhole ourselves by limiting employment or leadership opportunities based on preconceived notions or even unconscious biases. Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in processes helps organizations access larger talent pools than they would otherwise, helping us all succeed together.

ABS strives to be an industry leader in this effort by continually examining where we can obtain the next generation of qualified talent. To do this, we include non-traditional sources such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and organizations such as WISTA. We have made significant progress in this area through such efforts. For example, ABS has a global staff of female surveyors in countries like Saudi Arabia, China, Korea, West Africa, and throughout the United States. This is our effort to normalize the concept and default mental paradigm of our survey and engineering workforce in the psyche of our industry.

Maintaining a diverse team is at the core of everything we do at ABS. We are a global organization of 53 nationalities and 31 ethnicities, and we are constantly striving to ensure every voice is heard.

By prioritizing efforts to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, the maritime industry can create a more resilient, competitive, and forward-thinking sector that genuinely reflects the diversity of the world we serve. The journey is ongoing, but the potential benefits make it a worthy endeavor for all stakeholders.

Article written by Njsane Courtney, Vice President of Human Resources and Global DE&I Officer at ABS. You can see Njsane speak on the topic at the forthcoming Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference.

Most people are neurotypical, meaning that their brain functions and processes information in the way society expects. However, it is estimated that approximately 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, with the number of diagnosed neurodiverse individuals increasing every year, which means that their brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Despite this, there has been a significant lack of awareness and understanding around neurodiverse conditions – which include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, dyslexia and dyspraxia – that presents a barrier for individuals trying to gain access to the workplace.

Over the last decade or so, educators have developed a range of tools and strategies to support neurodiverse individuals which allow them to feel supported and included, and to achieve their potential in education. Arguably the current generation of young people are more open about their condition and more literate in their understanding of their potential than any previous generation, with a higher expectation that others will adapt their approach to accommodate their neurodiversity.

So it’s important that the employment market is ready to adopt similar strategies as this generation enter the job market, to harness this growing cohort of diverse talent.

Employing neurodiverse individuals

The number of individuals with a particular neurodiverse condition varies considerably, with at least one in ten people estimated to have dyslexia, 3-4 in 100 adults with ADHD and at least one in 100 of the population on the autistic spectrum.

Although there has been a bias against recruiting individuals with neurodiverse conditions – disabled people with neurodiverse conditions such as autism and other severe or specific learning difficulties are among the disabled people with the lowest employment rates in the UK – neurodiverse employees bring a number of strengths and benefits to the workplace. Depending on the particular condition and their individual circumstances, neurodivergent individuals can excel in analysing data and problem solving, and in innovation and creativity. In addition, some neurodiverse individuals show exceptional attention to detail while others are particularly good at recognising trends and patterns, or at seeing things from an unconventional viewpoint.

Yet, without a conscious effort to include this group of individuals in their workforce, employers may be disregarding strong job applicants with a range of valuable skills.

The recruitment process

If a neurodiverse condition is shared by a candidate, an employer will most likely have a legal obligation in the UK to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to accommodate their needs. In these circumstances, the employer should ask the candidate whether they require any reasonable adjustments and speak to them directly if their condition makes it difficult for them to communicate electronically.

It’s important to avoid oversimplistic labelling drawn from stereotypes and generalisations across all neurodiverse conditions – for example not all individuals with ADHD will find it difficult to concentrate. Individuals’ circumstances will vary, so employers must ensure their needs, and their strengths and weaknesses, are assessed on an individual basis throughout the recruitment process.

There are a number of steps you can take to provide greater equality for neurodiverse individuals in the recruitment process which will enable you to have a more neuroinclusive workplaces and reap the benefits that come from this talent pool. Is your organisation ready to embrace the individual in this way? Do your recruitment processes and your policies focus on your core values and foster an inclusive culture?

Article written by Heidi Watson, Employment Partner at Clyde & Co. You can see Heidi speak on the topic at the forthcoming Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference.

Heidi Watson and the Employment Team at Clyde & Co can advise on how to adapt your processes and policies and how best to bring them to everyone’s attention. In addition, we can provide training for recruitment managers and interviewers on workplace culture, discrimination and unconscious bias, and making adjustments to the recruitment process for neurodiverse individuals.