International Women’s Day awakens talks of the Supply Chain gender gap.

In lieu of International Women’s Day Deakin’s Center for Supply Chain and Logistics, at Deakin University, has launched a new program to address the gender gap in supply chain professions globally.

Today, in the majority of companies, less than 10% of women are put into management level supply chain positions. Furthermore, there is a “gender pay gap of 21.8 per cent” (Supply Chain Dive 2018).

Without a shift in the mindsets and initiatives, of corporations to minimize the gap, supply chain management risks stagnation as a future element of the business value chain. Exciting and enticing new-young talent to start a career path of supply chain management is rather difficult when more than 50% of the world’s population is being oppressed in that field.

Deakin’s initiative is backed by 13 sponsors, made up of large industry actors, in order to host luncheons, globally. These luncheons are an opportunity to link female business professionals and young women together, in an effort to inspire and engage. While it may seem like a small gesture, the program is a step towards shedding light on the gender-gap, and that's more than most organizations can say for themselves.

Dr. Parsons, Director of the Deakin’s Center for Supply Chain and Logistics exclaimed her feelings of necessity for the initiative. “Ultimately supply chain has an image problem. We must change how the community sees supply chain and understands its enormous significance to the national economy if we’re going to turnaround a rapidly ageing and male-dominated workforce.” – Dr. Parsons

Supply chain management is a field that has entered into a period of rapid change and advancements in multiple aspects. So, what’s keeping the gender gap from being addressed?

The majority of labor conducted in supply chains are women labor, and yet still, the amount of women making managerial decisions regarding the lives of these women is about 1/10. The perpetuation of SCM's male dominated workforce has caused companies to miss out on employing a plethora of competent and talented business professionals. 

Gender equality is a battle being fought on many fronts, and in an age of #MeToo, it has to be asked:

When will business take the measures necessary to implement real change?

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