How to be an ally?
ISWAN launches allyship guidance to build safer cultures at sea. New resources released by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) give practical steps for fostering a culture of allyship between seafarers.
ISWAN is launching two new guides for the shipping, cruise, and superyacht industries that set out how building a culture of allyship can make life and work at sea safer and more inclusive for all.
The resources, which were co-sponsored by The Seafarers’ Charity and The UK P&I Club, form part of ISWAN’s global campaign: ‘Safe at Sea…it takes all of us!.’
The campaign aims to improve women’s personal safety at sea by highlighting the role that men seafarers can take as allies in support of women colleagues.
How does allyship look like in the maritime industry? Click here to find out.
The first guide is designed to support seafarers to be good allies to one another, whilst the companion guide for maritime stakeholders explores what employers, manning agents, management companies and other key stakeholders can do to foster a culture of allyship at sea.
For teams, a culture of allyship can help to build healthier, safer and more productive work environments.
One group for whom allyship can be particularly valuable is women seafarers who, especially on merchant vessels, regularly experience being the only woman on their vessel or team. The challenges facing women who embark on maritime careers have been widely documented: from higher incidences of abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence (ABHDV) to a lack of appropriate protective equipment or sanitary facilities, women face additional barriers to a safe and rewarding career in maritime. Read more about it here.
