'We must continue to challenge perceptions and drive change'
Jo RzymowskaWe could do more. We could all be doing more. Progress is being made, but as an industry we are not yet going far enough.
It is perhaps inevitable that some industries move quicker than others, but the travel industry has a high proportion of women and yet is still, on balance, run by men. When you look at the maritime industry, the truth is even more shocking - only 2% of mariners are women.
We have come a long way since Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes, but we are still not there by any stretch. At Celebrity Cruises, we put a lot of emphasis on diversity and gender balance because we absolutely know a diverse team makes for a better team.
The commitment to drive gender equality has to come right from the top as it does at Celebrity Cruises, which is run by one of the few American women leading a multi-billion dollar company – Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
Just seven years ago, we followed the industry norm and only 3% of our bridge and officer team was female. But she set about trying to change that and in 2020, just before the world shut down, Celebrity Edge sailed with an all-female officer team led by Captain Kate McCue. That was an incredibly powerful moment for our business.
Fast forward to 2022 and I’m proud to announce today, on International Women’s Day, 32% of our bridge officers are female. That’s almost a third of our officers in just seven short years. It’s our shared goal to create an environment where every single guest, employee and crew member can feel empowered to fully engage as their whole selves, with our motto being “free to be me".
It makes good business sense, not just for us, but for all businesses. Diverse teams bring a whole variety of experiences, perspectives, and approaches to the table. It is a known fact that companies promoting gender diversity within their top executive teams are 21% more likely to have above average profitability.
It hasn’t been without its challenges, and the key to all of this has been building relationships with male allies in order to make this huge cultural shift. Opening up the conversation brought the issue to the fore and a sense of action, which in turn, led to our male colleagues driving the change alongside female leaders.
A solid support network has been an integral component in making that shift, both inside and outside the organisation. It led us to forge a partnership with everywoman, which helps provide training and guidance to women. It has seen the establishment of the Network of Women employee resource group, led for and by our colleagues.
It has also seen the development of our MentorSHIP programme, building confidence and providing support to women and men across the organisation. As leaders, both female and male, we all have a responsibility to pay it forward for the next generation.
In just a few weeks’ time, Captain Kate will be the first female American captain to lead out a new ship when Celebrity Beyond sets sail from Southampton. Joined by four female officers on the bridge, it is sure to be quite a moment. Our female captains and officers are testament to the work that is being done, but they are still outnumbered. It takes a village to get there, and we must do more – collectively – to bring diverse talent into the industry.
As we look to this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, #BreakTheBias, it is vital – whatever our gender – that we continue to challenge perceptions and drive change. We need to inspire. Captain Kate is a great advocate and it comes back to her mantra, “If you can sea it, you can be it". Only then will we truly have equality.
Jo Rzymowska is vice-president and managing director EMEA of Celebrity Cruises.
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