Chaitaly Mehta, Head, FFFAI Women’s Wing and Director, EKF Global Logistics in a candid chat with CARGOTALK shares women participation in this field has increased in the past few years. She shares the association’s plans for work trips across India and internationally.
CT Bureau
Tell us about the initiatives taken by the FFFAI women’s wing in the last few years to boost the trade?
FFFAI Women’s Wing has since the inception in the last term of 2021-2023 under the leadership of Immediate Past Chairman Shankar Shinde and now under our new Chairman Dushyant Mulani, we have done some fantastic work. From educational working field trips to webinars to trainings to participation in events organised by World Bank and other institutions/ organisations, the ladies have travelled the length and breadth of the country along with empowering themselves. We have grown in the past two years and continue adding on new members almost every month. The value from the field trips has been immeasurable for ladies who have been empowered with knowledge and practical experience, which is helping them in their own work. The checklist I had created at the beginning of the inception is almost done. With these visits, the members have been motivated to take on business in these regions which they had not done before. Having the World Bank as part of the some of the initiatives have been good too. By word of mouth of our existing women members along with the FFFAI general members, ladies are finding merit in joining us. Not only members but even members of other trade associations and some of the government organisations/bodies have joined us in our visits and come back enriched, an example is of our now famous Bombay Port Visit (BPT).
As the Head of the women’s wing, how do you strategise to take the association forward?
There are several plans in the pipeline but unless they do not come to a fruition, it would not be prudent to disclose them. But what I can say for now is that in 2024, we will have an international trip and now next month, we will have our International Women’s Day Celebration with a very special guest, fingers crossed. 2024 will be a rocking year for FFFAI Women’s Wing and I am excited for the same.
Do you feel women are being treated equally in this industry today?
Yes, cannot deny there have been men and there still are with what transpired with me last week that show not all men can accept women with power and authority. Having said that for a few people the industry cannot get a bad name. However, people in charge of infrastructure across stakeholders have not gotten the memo because we still lack infrastructure, which is women friendly. Meeting women across the world across diverse industries all have their own stories and journeys with one thing common—there has been resistance, women have proven why they have a right to be part of the industry and change has happened.
We have some phenomenal women leaders in our industry who deserve their own Wikipedia pages with beginners and newcomers being taught of them. I also think everyone should stop thinking of the Logistics Industry on basis of gender and consider this industry gender neutral. It is proven beyond doubt that the Logistics Maritime and Transport industry need both men and women. The industry cannot function with just one anymore in current times.
What are the key objectives of the women’s wing?
FFFAI Women’s Wing was created with the objective to close the gap between the women and work issues / difficulties that they could be facing in running their companies or teams where they might have difficulties in getting guidance, solutions and practical know how.
The idea was in Logistics especially the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarding side one key issue has always been Operations for Women. I have gone through that myself, so the endeavour was to give all the practical working knowledge, first-hand experience and arm them with the requisite knowledge and practical experience more importantly the access which many do not get or have. I have been blessed and privileged to have access to everyone and everything and I wanted that our women fraternity should have the same. Never again should a woman be ridiculed for her lack of operational knowledge and experience.
What are the crucial pain points?
- Airport infrastructure and inadequate facilities
- Labor management
- Capacity issues
- Compliances and regulatory requirements and their complexities
- Growing competition from other modes of transportation
- EDI and ICEGATE issues with frequent breakdowns
- Downward markets with collapsing demands, reduced margins and rising competition for every stakeholder.
- Geopolitical issues
- Route planning problems
- Recession that plagued the industry in 2023.
