The Rise and Importance of Female Leadership in the New Era of Logistics

The logistics industry is transforming, and business requirements are quickly changing with the rise of technology, innovation, and a focus on sustainability. The development of the logistics industry and more modern “ways of working” have aided in increasing the participation of women in logistics, a historically male-dominated industry. 

CEVA’s Joanna Zhu, Managing Director, Greater China sheds light on current trends, challenges and recommendations to increase the participation of women in logistics and leadership. With an impressive career of more than 20 years in logistics in China, Zhu pulls from personal experiences that have helped shape her career path, direct her road to executive leadership and shares what female leadership can unlock for the logistics industry. 

The landscape of women in logistics

In the global logistics industry, about 20-25% of employees are women and in China, this number increases to nearly 30%. However, according to Gartner, only 19% of global supply chain executive leaders are women. 

As part of the CMA CGM Group, CEVA employees participate in various professional development programs to reach the goal of 30% female representation in top management. Approximately 30% of female employees are currently in the management level at and 16% of the senior management level are female here at CEVA Logistics. 

Why female leadership matters

There are many obvious benefits to having a balanced and diverse workforce, however, it’s interesting to see the direct business benefits of a company’s success when there are women on the leadership team. For example, in a study targeting private enterprises in Australia, it was discovered that moving to a female CEO leads to a 12.9% increase in the chance of outperforming the sector’s average on three or more financial metrics and a 5% increase in market value.  

Once a highly physically demanding industry, logistics has transformed into a more tech-forward, strategic-thinking work environment. The development of modern technologies has led to a lower demand for physical strength , and the pursuit of functionality has shifted from product to business management to a preference for emotional strength—something many women naturally possess.

Furthermore, the demand for tolerance and resilience in an era of change and uncertainty are important in the logistics industry. Women offer empathy, collaboration, and holistic problem-solving skills; they are often skilled in understanding customer requirements and excel in time management. All these factors help women to transcend and develop and are crucial skills for the logistics industry.
 
Here at CEVA Logistics, we support the career development of female employees by establishing an inclusive corporate culture, providing equal career development opportunities and implementing specific support projects that have brought positive changes to the organization, including programs around mentorship, recruitment and for working parents.
 

Challenges faced by female leaders in logistics 

There are numerous challenges that women face in the workplace, preventing them from rising the corporate ladder to leadership roles. Across the globe, these are some of the primary barriers faced by working women today:

Family duties   

Traditional concepts and family responsibilities are often the primary obstacles to career development for women. In Bain & Company study in China, an overwhelming 83% of surveyed women reveal that disproportionate family duties impede on their full professional engagement. The survey data shows that 61.2% of women are asked about marriage and childbearing in job interviews, while only 1/3 of men are asked the same questions. According to the research data, the birth of a child in China results in a 7% drop in a woman's salary, and this negative impact is expected to grow as the number of children increases. 

Networking and communication barriers

Lack of confidence and opportunities to speak up can result in women not being heard enough in the workplace, making it difficult to gain recognition and support. In the same study, approximately 60% of women hesitate to voice their aspirations for leadership, fearing mistakes and a reluctance to pursue challenging opportunities that could enhance their skills. 
Networking barriers, like the difficulty to integrate into male-dominated work circles, is also a major barrier to women trying to rise into leadership roles. Being excluded from social activities and having difficulty integrating into male-dominated social circles may stunt their careers by preventing them from obtaining top-level support.

Lack of female role models and mentors 

The lack of female role models and mentors increases the difficulty of career planning and growth, especially for mid-level female managers. Because of the current lack of female leaders, young women rarely find female role models and mentors for learning and counseling. The scarcity of female mentors and role models deprives women of essential guidance and representation, hindering their visibility and advancement in professional spheres.

Conclusion

The logistics industry is quickly changing—and it's changing in ways that make it more approachable for women to not only enter this historically male-dominated field, but to also become leaders. The often-natural skills that many women possess are now more than ever being sought out in the logistics industry. 

Through my own personal experience, we need to support and foster this growth. It’s important that we change our mindsets to recognize that women can be excellent leaders and have strong career aspirations. We need to encourage women to express their opinions, seek feedback, and make bold decisions. Finally, we must work together to break stereotypes, celebrate achievements, elevate women, and build networks based on mentorship and professional growth.