News

Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann from A.P. Moller – Maersk recently won the DEI Award 2023, and for her, a strong focus on diversity, equality and inclusion is an essential part working with safety onboard the shipping giant's many vessels.

In connection with Copenhagen Pride in mid-August, Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann from A.P. Moller – Maersk was awarded the DEI Award 2023 for ’her contribution to elevating diversity to a new level within her organization’, as stated in the comments from Danish Shipping, who is behind the award.

Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager, Marine People Strategy in Maersk, and it is precisely in this area – DEI – that the jury has emphasized that she has created change.

»A huge con­gra­tu­la­tions to Trine and A.P. Moller – Maersk for winning our DEI Award 2023. Trine was one among many excellent nominees, and I am genuinely happy and proud to witness the tremendous efforts and changes sweeping across the shipping industry in recent years,« says Anne W. Trolle, Director of Employment Conditions, Recruitment & Training, at Danish Shipping

For Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann, the award is symbolic of the entire journey she and her colleagues on her team, Cultural Transformation, have embarked upon, and a recognition of which she is obviously proud, and as she points out makes her work easier, not only internally in Maersk, but also across the industry.

»It is so important that Danish Shipping focuses on this agenda, because it is an industry-specific issue we are dealing with here. Everyone has a responsibility, and we must share the experiences we make for the benefit of the entire industry,« she says.

The work on diversity, equality, and inclusion of minorities of all kinds is thus not "only" important on a human level, it is also something that makes a difference to the safety on the light blue vessels with the seven-pointed star.

»It's important that we talk about creating a good and safe working environment that is also safe. The few women on the ships have helped push that agenda; that now it makes sense to talk about a safe working environment without sexism, without bullying and harassment, even though in reality it has always been,« Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann says.

She further emphasizes how the award is also welcome because it recognizes that Maersk works to create a good working environment for all minorities, regardless of what they look like, what gender they have and where they come from.

»And it is important as a boost to all our colleagues who have supported us from the start. They can see that all the many meetings and small and large changes to our processes make sense and pay off. So, in that sense, it's extremely important to connect our people to the cause. My colleagues in the Philippines have paid just as much attention to the award as those here in Copenhagen who attended the ceremony,« she adds.

Utrygge folk giver flere risici

2023 marks the second time Danish Shipping hands out the Diversity Award, which is presented to a shipping company or an individual who has made a special effort to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion in the shipping industry.

This year's other nominees were Molslinjen, which in just a few years has increased the number of female ship assistants fivefold, and Hafnia for the initiative "Maritime Culture Lab", where four ships sail with a crew of 50 percent women to create knowledge about how to better support the ambition of more women on the ships.

Finally, Neele Pawlowski from Clipper was nominated for being one of the initiators of the network Women in Shipping Denmark. And even though it was difficult to choose between the four candidates, and everyone deserves to be celebrated and noticed, Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann is the real winner, Anne W. Trolle emphasizes.

»Her initiatives are both very concrete and manageable, often leading to new and positive outcomes. Additionally, she is persistent and treats all employees – whether they work on land or at sea – with great respect. This is why she wins the Danish Shipping´s DEI Award 2023,« Anne W. Trolle says.

Earlier this year, UFDS visited Marseille Maersk in the Port of Aarhus, and the psychological working environment was both part of the talk and quite literally on the poster as part of the campaign 'On Our Respect Radar'. The development pleases the director of UFDS, Jacob Munch.

»It may seem difficult to equate these slightly softer values about the psychological work environment with physical safety onboard the ships, but there is an unmistakable connection. A crew that feels good both individually and together and respects each other is also better at handling emergencies, and at taking care of each other in general,« he says.

Trine Lundgaard Hoffmann has also noticed this development gain momentum during her two years at Maersk HQ. Equating psychological and physical safety has become much more common in the business world in general, she believes, and this is important.

»We know from research and studies that if you don’t feel safe in a context, there is an increased risk that you won’t speak up if you are pushed into a situation that is not safe or comfortable, and there is a significantly increased risk of errors, which can be fatal at sea,« she says.

»If you can succeed in creating a good working environment, then there is an increased focus on safety and people perform better, we know this for a fact,« she says.