Advancing Women in the Boating and Marina Industry

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” SDG 5

The recreational boating sector has historically been perceived as a male-dominated environment, and this is still largely reflected in leadership roles. Images from international marina-related conferences, uniting leaders of national boating associations and federations, often depict a predominantly male presence. However, while incremental, the tide is beginning to change.

The Current Landscape

Recent initiatives and studies are shining a clearer light on the issue:

Underrepresentation in Leadership: The ICOMIA Gender Mapping Survey (late 2024), based on 50 respondent organisations, revealed stark figures: only 28% of senior staff, 33% of entry-level staff, and a mere 5% of CEO/Board Chair-level staff in the marina industry are female. Out of 30 harbour masters surveyed, only three were non-male.
Wage Gap & Segregation: The groundbreaking Soundings Trade Only 2024 Global Workforce Study, based on over 700 individual respondents, found that women's salaries are up to 18% lower than men's, with this disparity widening at the highest leadership levels. It also highlighted occupational gender stereotyping, with men predominantly in sales and product roles, while women are often found in marketing, administration, and customer service.
Perceptual Barriers: Critically, 91% of men and 86% of women exhibit at least one bias against gender equality, according to the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) 2023 Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI).
Signs of Change: Despite these challenges, there are positive developments. 2024 saw the creation of the ICOMIA Diversity Committee, the first Women in Nautica conference, the first studies on the matter and increased industry dialogue. ICOMIA has now joined with the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO) to work together on diversity.

Understanding the Barriers: Types of Segregation

Direct and indirect gender discrimination can manifest in various ways within the industry:

Vertical Segregation: This refers to limiting promotion and career opportunities based on gender, where equally qualified men and women may not receive equal consideration for advancement.
Horizontal Segregation: This highlights how certain types of positions are disproportionately filled according to gender, often reflecting underlying, unquestioned beliefs about who is "suited" for specific roles.
Work-Life Reconciliation: The "double" or "triple" burden of unpaid domestic and family care disproportionately affects women. Practices that ensure inclusivity in meeting schedules and communications are crucial to support women's career development.

Strategies for a more inclusive future:

Incorporating a gender perspective into marina operations is not inherently complex, yet significant effort is needed to accelerate the rate of change, even where mandated by law. The following suggestions may be helpful:

Leadership Commitment: Are women equally represented at decision-making levels? This is a critical question for every organisation.
Data-Driven Strategies: Conduct gender audits
Training: ensure full participation at all levels and develop comprehensive gender equality strategies.
Visibility and Role Models: Actively showcase and promote women in leadership and traditionally male-dominated technical roles (e.g., as skippers, in technical repair, taking lines for arriving boats rather than solely at reception desks). These images convey powerful messages to aspiring female employees.
Fair Employment Practices: Prioritise attracting, developing, and promoting women into senior and managerial roles, ensuring all appointments follow equitable and inclusive processes. Conduct comprehensive pay reviews to identify and correct any gender pay gaps or other discrepancies.
Inclusive Workplace Culture: Create and implement Codes of Conduct to prevent discrimination and ensure appropriate health and safety policies that also consider mental well-being. Foster a culture that actively supports career development for women and addresses the "double/triple working day" issue by considering work-life balance in scheduling and communications.
Outreach and Attraction: Address the industry's perceived inflexibility and lack of representation for young people. Develop educational resources, share best practices, and engage in digital storytelling (e.g., "day in the life" content, career journey clips on social media) to showcase diverse career pathways and make the industry more relatable. Partner with local schools and provide access to business leaders for mentorship.
Positive & Protective Actions: Learn from initiatives like World Sailing Trust, which identified how product design often failed to account for distinct physical characteristics of the female form. Support training and guidance from projects like WINBLUE and WIN-BIG that foster diversity in the Blue Economy.
Collective Action: Coordinate efforts among various groups carrying out diversity work, as emphasized by the ICOMIA Diversity Committee's focus on developing guidelines, sharing best practices, and gathering data.

In summary, achieving true gender equality means ensuring men and women have the same levels of rights, responsibilities, and opportunities in marinas. If not, it's time for collective, intentional action to move forward.

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