Columbia Group calls for greater focus on retaining women at sea as second She Beyond Conference takes place

Columbia Group has called on the maritime industry to create a future where women can thrive, progress and lead at sea, as it celebrated the second She Beyond Conference in Manila, held as part of Crew Connect Global.

The event brought together female seafarers to share experiences, build connections and explore how the industry can create more opportunities for women throughout their maritime careers. Building on its inaugural conference, She Beyond forms part of Columbia Group’s wider commitment to supporting its people, from their first steps into maritime through to senior leadership positions.

The conference comes amid continued concerns over the industry’s gender imbalance. According to the latest IMO–WISTA Women in Maritime Survey, published in May 2025, women account for just one per cent of seafarers employed by the organisations surveyed, highlighting the continued need for greater recruitment, retention and career development opportunities.

Claudia Paschkewitz, Director of Sustainability, Inclusion and Diversity at Columbia Group, said: “We have spent years talking about attracting more women into maritime, but recruitment is only the beginning. The real measure of progress is whether women have equal opportunities to stay, progress and build sustainable careers.

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