Women vs Stigma: Does Logistics Only Belong to Men?

The logistics industry has long been a male realm. There are many assumptions and misconceptions about the roles women can take in this industry. 

However, in recent years, there have been efforts and initiatives by logistics companies and their female leaders to change this status quo.

The Business Nature of Logistics

Believe it or not, women are indeed underrepresented in the transportation and logistics sector. In Europe and Central Asia, only 23% of logistic company employees are women, and, often, these women are only involved in low-paying jobs, such as administration, catering, and cleaning. On the other hand, men still dominate in the technical and management roles.

Co-founder of iThink Logistics, Zaiba Sarang, also emphasized that gender inequality still exists in various forms, ranging from unequal salaries to underrepresented leadership positions. 

These gender biases and stereotypes can limit women's growth and career opportunities, especially when they still have to struggle to achieve work-life balance due to weak support systems and societal expectations on women.

What's more, the lack of security and adequate infrastructure at warehouses and ports seems to reinforce the view that logistics is a "male job". Meanwhile, some companies have hired women just to comply with gender equality norms. In fact, these female employees are not even trained to take on more challenging jobs within the organizations.

Fortunately, on the other hand, companies with more advanced technology have started hiring women to manage more complex operations.

Women in Transportation and Logistics: Is It Unprecedented?

Globally, women made up about 41% of the supply chain workforce in 2021, according to a Gartner study. Only around 15% of it were in the upper ranks across the companies.

However, the exact percentage will differ from country to country and from company to company.

According to Noni Sri Ayati Purnomo, President Director of Blue Bird Group, 50 percent of Blue Bird Group's senior management are women. She added that technological advances in the transportation service industry have truly increased the participation of women.

Yet, out of the 40,000 cab drivers employed by the corporation, only 120 are women. Noni asserts that this is due to the general perception that it is unsafe for women to drive taxis.

Meanwhile, according to Mari Pangestu, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, in Indonesia, only 1% of the total workers in the transportation sector are women.

Top Indonesian Women in Logistics

Seeing how uncommon it is to see women in the technical parts and field roles of the logistics industry, it's guaranteed that some changes need to be made.

Siti Choiriana, Susana Riana Sari, and Eka Sari Soerbakti are three of many women in Indonesia's logistics industry who have taken steps to fight against the status quo.

Susana Riana Sari

Susana Riana Sari, currently the Director of PT. Transaka Dunia Cargo, has been working in the transportation and logistic services for over 20 years. She is also the founder of Indonesia Women in Logistics and Transportation (WiLAT) in 2020.

WiLAT Indonesia has been collaborating with a number of logistics company associations and organizations to build better networks and maximum results in MSME development fields.

Several methods they use are through bazaars, talk shows, vocational training, and many other activities to empower women and girls in developing their businesses. Not only wanting to open a path for career women, especially in logistics, WiLAT also commits to advance Indonesian MSMEs and help the government in decreasing unemployment.

Siti Choiriana

Siti Choiriana, who has been promoted to Director of Courier and Logistics Business PT Pos Indonesia in March 2021, has her own projects to empower more women in logistics.

One of them is the Oranger Mawar Program.

PT Pos Indonesia has stated that the Oranger Mawar program was proof of the full support of this state-owned company to empower women in Indonesia. Siti Choiriana herself also explained that this women's courier program does not look at women's educational background, experience, and social status.

Oranger Mawar was formed in August 2021 and launched in November 2021. In the beginning, as many as 1,700 female Oranger Mawar couriers were already spread throughout Indonesia. In 2023, the target is to reach 10,000 female couriers.

Eka Sari Lorena Soerbakti

Eka Sari Lorena Soerbakti is, no doubt, one of the most powerful Indonesian women in the logistics industry. Eka is the head of the largest land transportation company in Indonesia, namely PT Eka Sari Lorena Transport (LRNA).

With an initial capital of only IDR 12 million, Lorena Transport Group is now a company with a value of more than IDR 4 trillion.

Apart from focusing on the public transportation business, Eka also contributed ideas to develop the freight transport business, which led to the birth of ESL Express, and served 33 provinces in Indonesia.

In 2010, Eka Sari Lorena was also elected as Chairman of the Central Board of Land Transport Organizations (DPP Organda), serving the 2010-2015 term. Not only that, she also serves as director of PT Ryanta Mitra Karina and PT Prima Sari Boga.

Logistics is a dynamic industry that is constantly changing to follow the advance of technology and the evolving market needs. Therefore, Eka believed that despite the stigma, women are actually very suitable to thrive in this ever-changing ecosystem and that they will bring the logistics industry forward, especially with the recent implementation of digital systems.

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