panalpina-A5

Panalpina
celebrates
International Women’s Day
Vote 100

8 March 2018

Once upon a time there
were seven women…

The story of Sharon Howard She is, therefore, grateful for the The position of Country Health,
Health & Safety Manager experiences she gained whilst in Safety & Environmental Manager
the armed forces which have stood came up over a year later and this
Once upon a time a young girl called Sharon her in good stead as preparation time her application was successful.
followed her dream by joining the Royal Navy. for returning to work in a male
When she went off to sea no-one knows dominated environment. Sharon is a strong believer in never
whether the owl and the pussy-cat went with her asking someone to do something
in a beautiful pea-green boat, or whether they took The respect she has earned led to a you wouldn’t expect to do yourself,
some honey, and plenty of money, wrapped up in a male colleague encouraging Sharon always do your job right and to the
five-pound note. What we do know though is that to pursue her career in Health & best of your ability. Both men and
Sharon was one of the first females to serve on Safety at Panalpina. Although not women should be judged equally on
board HMS Illustrious. Very impressive! successful in applying first time their ability to do the job not on their
round, her interest, work ethics and gender.
This was in the early 1990s and initiative resulted in the company
Sharon was deployed at sea for investing in her and putting her We’re sure that Sharon will live
seven months at a time, working in through the NEBOSH qualification. happily ever after as she sails forth in
logistics during the conflict in former her career with Panalpina.
Yugoslavia. This had previously been
un-heard of for a woman. It was a Having joined Panalpina in 1999 as Sharon says:
stormy start: every day at sea Sharon an Air Freight Import Clerk Sharon is
had to prove herself as capable now the company’s Health & Safety I feel that there has been a slow but sure change in
of doing the job and stepping up Manager. In the UK’s Health & Safety attitude towards women over the years, however we still
should there be an emergency on industry women make up only 30% have a fair bit of progress to make before we catch up. I
board. She also soon found that she of the workforce, taking home on would like to see more women in senior positions and to
needed a thick skin to cope with average a salary of £10,000 less remove the gender pay gap.
some of the sexist and negative than some of their male counterparts
comments from her male colleagues. for the same role. Sharon believes Women seem to have become more confident in the workplace and are more
that Health & Safety tends to be likely now to speak up or apply for opportunities. Previously it may have been
As part of the Emergency Response seen as a masculine role, a result assumed that senior positions would be filled by a male counterpart, and
Team Sharon learned quite quickly of the majority of workers being maybe they would, however now it’s more a case of nothing ventured nothing
to roll her sleeves up and get on with ex-construction and armed forces. gained. I think women do still have to prove themselves capable because of
the job and sometimes to give as gender, especially in what’s perceived as a masculine role.
good as she got. It was only after
demonstrating that she could do a I also think women are probably their own worst critics and maybe we feel
‘man’s job’ that she started to earn that we have to work just that little bit harder to prove a point, but then why
the respect and support from her do we feel the need to do this, is it because of gender inequality? I think so, if
male colleagues. Fast forward 25 the workforce was 50/50 male/female we wouldn’t need to.
years and now it’s just the norm for
females to serve at sea. Sharon has Finally we need to remove stereotyping. Just because a female shows
certainly played her part in helping authority it doesn’t mean she is being aggressive. And I hope that when
to change perceptions about women my daughter is at a working age we don’t need to have discussions about
serving in the forces. equal pay for women.

2 3

The story of Bev McCarthy

Warehouse Supervisor

Once upon a time a little girl called Bev felt Bev says:
drawn to caring and teaching because
working with people was her absolute As a woman I just want to be treated the same as
favourite pastime. She could often be found anyone else; there should be no disadvantage or
daydreaming of a career that would let her do this. advantage based on gender. I feel that as a company
But alas, this wasn’t to last long as Bev has found Panalpina is very good and supportive with its female
herself working in the logistics industry and is now employees and I’ve never personally felt hindered if I
right to be proud of her status as the only person in wanted to do something. Accepting a woman as a
her circle of friends and family to operate a forklift. worker in the warehouse is positive. I also don’t think
As the first woman working in the warehouse, Bev the men had expected that a woman would make a good manager, but
is a pioneer among women - bravely treading where when Rachel led the function she did it well.
no other woman has trod before her. How on earth However, I don’t think that we’re 100% equal quite yet. I feel that our voices
did that happen? perhaps are not heard equally and it is still my perception that a man would
be chosen over a woman for a promotion, even if they were both equally
Although in her early career Bev One very chauvinistic male would balanced in skills and experience.
started to follow her dream job of a never look Bev or any other female Over the last couple of years work has been more challenging, but I feel
teaching assistant within a special in the eye. She believed that this that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I feel that I’m fully in charge.
needs school the lure of the logistics was because he thought women The management style has made the biggest difference, in a good way.
industry was just too much for her to were inferior and certainly shouldn’t
fight so she did the right thing and be in the warehouse. She found it 5
surrendered. particularly challenging when she
was made his supervisor and he
But it took her nine years of working wouldn’t take instructions from her
in the industry before she saw sense or another woman working with her
and joined Panalpina. Even then it because of their gender.
took two long years of temping in
the warehouse before she became Bev is certain that Panalpina is
permanent. At that point there were definitely the place for her. It’s fast
other women working with her, but paced, there are constant challenges
they were office based – clearly not and everyone works together to
as brave as our Bev! These days make the company successful. Like
she feels far less out of place as working as a teaching assistant,
other women have followed her logistics is a tough but rewarding
lead and started to work in the job, although in different ways.
warehouse – definitely a positive
step for womankind. When she made the decision to
join the industry Bev had wanted to
At first the men she worked with do something as a polar opposite
seemed to just see Bev as a poor to what she had done previously.
little woman rather than ‘one of She certainly achieved that and is
them’ and would puff up their chests now living happily ever after in her
to exert their manly status over her. alternative dream career.

4

The story of Yvonne Riley more about the supply chain and work and was happy to take on
Project Manager – Cross Trades shipping than he did. photocopying and similar tasks
as it kept her busy. When Dave
Once upon a time there was a little girl After a short stint as an import Kenton became the new Head of
called Yvonne who dreamed of becoming delivery booking clerk and PA for Oil and Gas he recognised Yvonne’s
a beautiful ballerina. But poor Yvonne, the MD at Birkart Yvonne joined potential and in true ‘knight in
despite being tall with long elegant legs, was far Panalpina in November 1997 as an shining armour’ style rescued her
too clumsy. Luckily, she also quite liked the sound Administrator/HR in Oil and Gas. from these menial tasks helping
of nursing. So how did she end up as Panalpina’s She found that her responsibilities, other people and asked her to sort
Project Manager – Cross Trades? dealing with logging holiday out a problem account: “Qatar
and sickness, plus travel for the Petroleum”. Yvonne has lived happily
When she first left school Yvonne To add insult to injury, poor managers didn’t keep her busy ever after.
got herself a job at the local Evening Cinderella didn’t even get to go to enough so she asked for extra
Gazette in the role of runner. In the ball! One of the most important
those days women did not become annual events at the time was the Yvonne says:
reporters - their roles were in industry’s Annual Shipping Dinner to
sales, cleaning or the canteen. which women weren’t invited until The difference in the way women are treated in the
Yvonne found that the way her the end of the 1990s. Even then, only logistics industry, from when I left school to now is
male colleagues spoke to women a handful of companies allowed their enormous and I think it’s generally been slow to adjust
was often derogatory. They rudely female employees to attend. to equality. The government has helped by introducing
nicknamed her ‘legs’ and, when laws for equality. You can no longer choose someone just
making conversation, were most Yvonne’s first job in London was because they are a man, it is the best person for the job.
likely to say “go and make us a cup for a cosmetics company where
of coffee”. she dealt with a number of foreign Shipping is traditionally a man’s world and when I first joined all
companies and was generally treated the managers and supervisors were men, but I must say there is no
After a couple of years with the very well. However, those based discrimination now at Panalpina. I feel that the company is going in the
newspaper Yvonne’s career was in the Middle East did not want to right direction and there are quite a few women in managerial roles. The
saved by her brother persuading her deal with women, despite her boss first woman to hold a managerial role was Lynne Wilkinson who became Air
to join PSA, the shipping company informing them that she knew far Freight Manager around 12 years ago.
he worked for. Although she hasn’t
looked back, as a woman the way We then had a female manager in Oil and Gas, Sharon Keverne, who lost
she’s been treated throughout her out on the Country Head of Oil and Gas to a man who was quite new to the
career hasn’t all been plain sailing. company, even though he had learnt everything from Sharon who was far
Yvonne initially replaced another more experienced, a very good manager and well-liked by customers.
woman who was leaving to have
a baby, but at the end of her sixth It was harder for me in Projects, I had to fight and was doing the job for
month contract she was taken on several years before being given the appropriate job title, while the man
permanently and stayed for ten actually holding the title was not doing the job.
years. Her role involved making
bookings, typing, issuing documents, Historically women did not want to join the industry, but it’s good to see that
but despite doing the same as the there are now more women in Air Freight.
male Shipping Agents she wasn’t
recognised as such, being seen as
‘just a typist’!

6 7

The story of Katerina Cosford This was so different from her someone who was more senior,
Overland/Caspian Manager experience in Russia in the 1990s which was always a man. She didn’t
when she’d find that men she spoke find this in the UK and was delighted
Once upon a time a baby girl called Katerina to on the phone would just want to to discover that women had better
was born in Russia. As she grew up speak to her manager. They would opportunities and were all able to live
and went to school she just couldn’t question her ability and her opinions happily everafter.
decide what she wanted to do with her life. Her always had to be supported by
mind was always racing and her dreams just
kept flitting from one career to another until
she eventually discovered and fell in love with
telecommunications.

So Kat set off to worked as a Logistics Supervisor Kat says:
Moscow to study in Moscow for a customer of
telecommunication Panalpina’s. When Panalpina heard I think that the road and rail industry is very male
engineering. She that Kat was on her way to the dominated as it requires drivers and warehouse staff and
also studied English, UK they were determined that she these roles require physical strength which men have
which wasn’t should join the company, which she more of. Also, international drivers are away from their
did as soon as her visa and all the families a lot so it doesn’t appeal so much to women who
common in Russia boring bureaucracy and paperwork often prefer to stay at home and look after their family.
in those days, but had been sorted out. However, it’s good that when women come back from maternity leave their
this proved to have jobs are there for them and that they can come back part time.
been a great idea. Kat was based in LHR for 18 months
Little did she know as sales support and business We should try to attract more young people to the industry. Graduates don’t
that she’d end development, looking after Central normally know much about the industry and don’t realise how exciting it
Asia focusing on road freight as she is. Panalpina needs to be more proactive and make more connections with
up marrying her had knowledge of the market locally. universities as it is never mentioned. We need a wider network, not just in
Prince charming, She then worked in Oil & Gas for 18 the industry, but throughout the country, so people become more aware of
who would months before the company asked Panalpina and what we do.
whisk her off to her to move to ABZ as the Oil & Gas
Northamptonshire. industry was really reactive at the The logistics industry probably attracts more men as it’s seen as masculine,
So romantic…. time. Aberdeen proved to be even but this is a misconception as women do have equal knowledge for the roles,
better than Northamptonshire and which in the majority of cases do not require physical strength.
Back to Kat’s career story. Because Kat loved living there.
she spoke English Kat was offered Finally, I’ve learnt during my years in Panalpina that women communicate
a job as administrator in a logistics Just as we thought this story couldn’t and make decisions based on gut feeling and emotions, whereas men
company. She fell in love all over get better it has! Kat was pleasantly apply logic as they see things in different ways. It’s important to keep your
again! Much to her delight she found surprised when she started working in emotions to one side so as to think more and not feel as much. We can’t look
that logistics was a large as life the UK as she discovered that women back, but instead we have to be more strong headed and apply more logic to
job which requires quick decision were treated completely equally to situations. If you have the knowledge, respect of other people and help and
making, thinking and team work men! If women had opinions or views lead people, irrespective of gender, you will succeed.
which Kat absolutely loves. She was men wouldn’t undermine them, they
in her element! would support them and the teams
actually wanted to work for her.
Before setting off on that romantic
voyage to Northamptonshire Kat

8 9

The story of Lynne Wilkinson
Regional Cluster QHSE Manager &
Regional Quality Manager North Europe

Once upon a time there was a young more flexible, maybe because she’s Once she’d looked after General
lady named Lynne who wanted to be a ‘been there, done that and got the T Exports for a couple of years, Lynne
journalist and had been accepted on a Shirt’ to prove it. wanted to do something different, so
university journalism course. However, much pestered her Business Unit Manager
to her parents’ dismay fate had other plans for Lynne was clearly destined for for an alternative job. She was given
Lynne. Before starting university she thought she stardom. When she joined Panalpina, a new role for Compliance Training,
should save some money and found a job with she was employed as a clerk, and then after a few months she was
Every Worldwide. Lynne loved that job so much as the department and workload asked to head up the Oil and Gas
she stayed with the company and didn’t take up grew she approached the manager exports on an interim basis. She
the university place. Her parents really shouldn’t to suggest that he needed an didn’t want to do this permanently
have worried so much - like many people, they just assistant manager. Lo and behold, as it was too similar to the role
weren’t aware of the great opportunities that the she was given the job! A woman! she had done previously. It wasn’t
logistics industry would provide for Lynne. Clearly recognising her potential her long before the Head of BPT role
manager was very supportive and became available, which Lynne was
She started off working in air the management team. Despite put Lynne forward for a Women in given, at the same time joining the
exports, where all the managers being conscious of being the only Business course. management team. And now we
and supervisors were male, despite woman on the team Lynne never felt expect her to live happily ever after.
the workforce being made up of discriminated against in this role and She was also given the role of
60% women. Although she wasn’t thought of her MD as a mentor. Air Exports Manager, despite her
aware at the time, looking back competition for the role being male.
Lynne realises that there were So how did Lynne become a female
instances where men were favoured pioneer? Could she be the ‘iron lady’ Lynne says:
over women for these roles, even of logistics wielding
though the women often had more an all-important We need to understand why not many women put
experience and knowledge than their handbag? Her themselves forward for the Country Management
male counterparts. strong character Team and why Panalpina has only ever had one female
certainly seems Business Unit Manager.
When, after a couple of years of work, to have helped
her office was closed Lynne once to prevent her Generally men seem to look at job descriptions and look
again considered university. But by male colleagues at the things they can do while women look at the things they can’t do. I’m
then logistics was in her blood so she seeing her as a guilty of that myself. Luckily I was approached to apply for my current role.
decided to stay in the industry. pushover. She Had it been advertised I may not have applied as I didn’t know how to do
remembers that everything on the job description.
Lynne joined Panalpina in March people used to refer to her
1996 and hasn’t looked back! During as a hard or tough manager but is I think that we’re moving in the right direction at Panalpina, but a mentoring
her 22 years with the company she sure that, had she been male they process would be helpful. We should also consider asking people who we
has made history, by becoming the would have described her as ‘strong’ would expect to apply for a role but don’t, why they didn’t consider it.
first female manager in the London instead. These days she assures us
office and the first woman to join that she’s mellowed and become

10 11

The story of Rachel Wilton in at 6am each day and studied all first time ever. Today she believes
Country Head of Marketing & Sales of the routes to make sure that she there are six women – she says that
wouldn’t make mistakes and to earn she knows that’s not a lot, but it’s
UK & Ireland the company more money. And all a start and something she’s proud
the hard work she put in quickly paid of. The language has definitely
Once upon a time a young lady called off, with Rachel soon becoming the improved since the women started
Rachel loved caring for people and aimed drivers’ favourite person, to the point and the company has now installed
to become a nurse when she grew up as that they were upset when she was a female toilet in the warehouse -
s he loved the idea of working in the medical eventually promoted and left that role. there had never previously been a
world. However, she wasn’t to become Florence need for one!
Nightingale the second as Rachel realised that the Rachel stayed with this company for
reality of working in the medical profession might nine years, moving on into a sales Rachel has clearly enjoyed her
not live up to her childhood dreams. role before managing the whole career so far and is proud of what
Bristol branch, then the company’s she’s achieved, against all odds. Her
Instead, Rachel joined the logistics and then sending the information newly opened Cardiff branch. When personal satisfaction is a lot higher,
industry at age 24 and hasn’t looked to the drivers. The management she left in 2004 there were still very having started from the bottom
back since. Her first role was with a agreed, but the drivers and office few women even though it was and working up. She says that, like
same day delivery company based staff weren’t happy about a woman becoming more acceptable for anyone she has bad days of course,
in Bristol, made up of a group of doing this role, making comments women to work in this environment. but ultimately she loves the industry
self-employed drivers who were such as “a woman can’t handle with its constant changes and
sent jobs by the office to manage directions”, “women don’t know In 2006 Rachel joined Panalpina’s challenges.
incoming delivery requirements how to drive”, “women can’t handle sales team. But her heart still
from banks and solicitors. She had stressful situations” etc. Rachel took belonged to the operations She fell into logistics as a career
previously worked in a bar where this in her stride, never taking the department as she loved the and she is certain that the
the drivers and office staff regularly insults personally as she was sure challenges that attracted her to the satisfaction she gets from working
went for lunch and asked about any that if any other woman were to do logistics industry in the first place. At in an environment that is incredibly
jobs they had. the role she would receive the exact no point has she felt that Panalpina challenging and generally male
same reaction. wasn’t encouraging her in the role, dominated that has taken her out of
Rachel started doing part time likewise there was never a question her comfort zone is so much greater
admin work in their office post room. Always one to rise to a challenge, that a woman should be in this than she’d get caring for a thousand
This was before email (remember these reactions gave Rachel more role. However, in both internal and patients. The only thing that has
that?) so there was a high volume of motivation to do the job and to make external meetings she was always worried Rachel was business travel
paperwork. She really enjoyed the sure that she excelled at it. She went the only woman. Just like Snow on her own. As a woman she felt
job, finding it to be fast moving, very White and the dwarfs… more vulnerable than a man normally
black and white and simple but also would, especially in countries where
very high pressured with challenges. While working as the organisation’s the laws are tougher against women.
She also remembers it being a totally first Country Head of Logistics
male dominated environment, from for UK & Ireland Rachel was She would definitely not change her
drivers to top management. responsible for bringing women into career and expects to live happily
the warehouse workforce for the ever after in this amazing industry.
After working there for a while,
Rachel asked if she could train
to be a controller, which involved
jobs coming in from customers

12 13

Rachel says: The story of Bobbie Penfold, Air Exports

The supply chain organisations within healthcare etc. used Customer Services Co-ordinator
to be hugely male dominated. As a woman I was never
threatened or intimidated by this but it was very visible, and Once upon a time there was a little girl called
I often felt different and the odd one out. Throughout my Bobbie who loved animals, especially dogs.
career I’ve felt the need to demonstrate that I can work hard She dreamed of one day being a vet, but when
and get my hands dirty by unloading trucks etc. but this is a she found out how long she’d need to study before
part of me and I would have done this regardless of other people’s opinions. qualifying she quickly changed her mind to working
One of the reasons I joined Panalpina 12 years ago was because there was as a kennel maid, surrounded by dogs. Doing this, she
a female CEO and I thought that this was very unusual. Now I feel there is might not be a medical saviour, but she would certainly
less female representation at the top but there are far more women at the be able to save the dogs in her care from Cruella De Vil!
higher end globally. Panalpina has more progressive attitudes towards women Colonel, Captain and Sergeant Tibbs wouldn’t be
in logistics than in my previous companies and I can see that the logistics needed while Bobbie was in charge, oh no.
department is more male/female balanced.
We are lucky that there are good female role models in Panalpina and with But this wasn’t to be! Bobbie joined a that shared a building
more women in higher positions others should be motivated to achieve the manufacturing company when she left with Panalpina. When
same. school and found herself working in an their office was closed
To attract more women to the industry we need to represent it as fast moving office until she took a career break to she boldly knocked on
and exciting, rather than being about trucks and warehouses. It’s about bring up her children. Panalpina’s door and
showing them how important our industry is to the healthcare and retail asked if they had any
environment and that it’s about problem solving and making things better, not Bobbie’s first job in the freight jobs. This was in July
just about manual work. industry was in the 1970s, once her 1982, when Panalpina
Young people generally, not just women, need to be made aware that there children had started school and she consisted of a small
is a structured career ladder and that people can progress quickly and make was looking for a part time job near office with four people in imports, four
an impact if they work hard. We also need to let them know that there are home. In those days there were lots of in exports and someone in accounts.
opportunities to move around the world and learn about different cultures. forwarders around her home and they All the managers were men, women
The difference a supply chain can make to a business and everyday life always advertised jobs externally. She earned less money and were expected
proves you don’t have to be a doctor or lawyer to make an impact. was quickly snapped up by a savvy to make tea as this was seen as a
company and given a temporary role ‘woman’s job’. She was taken on
14 as typist/import clerk. immediately as a clerk/typist and,
despite the lack of dogs at work, has
After six months Bobbie was offered lived happily ever after.
more money by another company

Bobbie says:

I think women are treated well at Panalpina, we now have
women in managerial positions and it definitely isn’t a ‘man’s
world’ anymore.

In terms of flexibility at work, when I worked at MSAS I was
allowed to take my children into work if they were off school.
On a more negative note, I found that the people I dealt with in
the Middle East could be very abrupt, but I think that it is just
their way and although it took me a while I just got used to it.

15

Move over Spice Girls, the Panalpina Girls
have much more girl power

Sharon Howard, Health & Safety Manager..................................................2
Bev McCarthy, Warehouse Supervisor.........................................................4
Yvonne Riley, Project Manager – Cross Trades............................................6
Katerina Cosford, Overland/Caspian Manager............................................8
Lynne Wilkinson, Regional Cluster QHSE Manager &
Regional Quality Manager North Europe....................................................10
Rachel Wilton, Country Head of Marketing & Sales, UK & Ireland.............12
Bobbie Penfold, Air Exports Customer Services Co-ordinator..................15