Maritime UK launches inaugural UK Pride in Maritime Day to encourage and discuss on the best practices to enable diversity in the maritime industry
The first UK Pride in Maritime Day was launched on 28 February 2022, and will become an annual event henceforth, on the last day of the LGBT+ history month. During the event, a live stream panel discussion hosted by the Associated British Ports was held, where discussions on what more could be done to encourage more diversity in the maritime sector, for the LGBT community in particular.
Diversity is a boon for the maritime industry
According to the UK Minister for Maritime Robert Courts, “Diversity is vital to the success of any sector, and I am immensely proud of the progress being made in support of the LGBT+ community in maritime. Pride in Maritime Day will help break down barriers, which is critical to achieving our Maritime 2050 vision of building a workforce that is dynamic, inclusive and open to all.”
The panellists included professionals from the maritime industry, shipping and maritime charities, and the UK Royal Navy, and ideas were pouring during the discussion. Some of which include, a “coming out” toolkit and studying how the Royal Navy and Royal Navy Lifeboat Institution has rolled out programmes to successfully establish a diverse workforce.
Ultimately, the maritime industry prides itself in efficiency and providing solutions to the world, and having a diverse and united workforce with the best talents can only be beneficial for organisations. As Chair of Pride in Maritime and International Organiser of Nautilus International Danny McGowan says, “Our industry faces many challenges in the modern world but the importance of LGBT+ equality and diversity cannot be underestimated. I hope that LGBT+ people and their allies working in maritime will be able to use this day as a catalyst to develop conversations in their own areas, to ensure that our industry can truly be one that is welcoming to everyone.”
Source:
Nautilus International
Crewing Online Media Team
Please email us at marketing@marineonline.com to contact the author for this article.
