Embracing a Culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Maersk: Nanneke’s Journey
Hi! My name is Nanneke Visscher. I am a Regional Head of Product Development, Lead Logistics and Cold Chain in Europe and on top of that I am also the lead of MIX NEC (North Europe Continent) and co-lead for MIX Europe. MIX, Maersk Inclusion for Excellence, is a company sponsored and employee led ERN (Employee Resource Network) that focusses on activating a true culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace. Our team functions as ambassadors and enablers of the DEI journey our company is on, on a level our local employees see, feel and experience it every day.
Back in 2011, I joined Maersk because of its global reputation in the market, and to me it seemed like a gateway to a world of endless possibilities. And now, after being a part of this incredible organization for over 11 years, I can confidently say that Maersk has truly lived up to my expectations. In my current role, I own the product development strategy for Lead Logistics and Cold Chain products in Europe which involves building a strategic and commercial go to market plan, new value propositions and new products which I find dynamic, excitingly challenging, and incredibly rewarding.
The community we have at Maersk contains a unique breed of people who all bring a unique set of skills, experiences, perspectives and sense of adventure, which all comes together under our cohesive purpose.
However, what truly sets Maersk apart and makes working at Maersk even more exciting is the incredible diversity of people within the organization. The community we have at Maersk contains a unique breed of people who all bring a unique set of skills, experiences, perspectives, and sense of adventure, which all comes together under our cohesive purpose. It is this diversity & inclusion that fuels innovation, creativity, and drives us forward as a company and on a personal level.
I experienced first-hand the inclusive culture at Maersk. Twice, during both of my pregnancies, I made significant job promotions. This is a testament to the fact that Maersk is a place where opportunities are based on merit, performance and talent and diversity is genuinely valued. Exactly as it should be.
Joining MIX was a natural step for me. I am an action-oriented person by nature, and I believe in making a difference, so I when we started MIX NEC and MIX Europe, I happily took on the challenge of leading the teams.
In my role of leading MIX NEC and co-leading MIX Europe I have the honour to work with a fantastic group of people and facilitates their development as a team in both the NEC Area specifically as for all MIX groups around Europe. MIX in NEC was founded by myself alongside 7 other like-minded colleagues in 2020. As a group, MIX is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Maersk, aiming to provide awareness and help create a more diverse and inclusive working environment at Maersk. We aim to help people feel heard, represented, and valued. We create a sense of belonging.
The motivation behind establishing MIX in NEC was to go beyond the traditional focus of gender diversity and embrace the broader concept of DEI. We wanted to create an inclusive community that could drive the necessary actions to foster DEI within Maersk in our direct working environment. The DEI themes we currently foster are; Culture Inclusion & Religion, Diverse Abilities & Psychological Safety, Pride & LGBTQIA+ and Power Women Network.
With MIX we achieved amazing things
With MIX we achieved amazing things. For instance, as MIX NEC, we were the first area to organize events to celebrate Pride in every country with events in Zurich, Vienna, Warsaw, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Antwerp. Building on this success and adhering to the clear ask of our colleagues in NEC, we are gearing up for an even bigger Pride celebration in 2023. Each event is unique, showcasing the vibrancy and inclusivity that Maersk embraces. This year the Maersk Pride theme is “Stronger Together!”
The Power Women Network
Last International Women’s Day, we launched a NEC version of the Power Women Network. PWN is a network of brave women and allies who want to make a real change on inclusive leadership and equitable career progression leading to better performance for Maersk. This network provides the opportunity to create a safe space for women to meet, share and help each other overcome the barriers to career progression. Amongst other things we do this by hosting workshops empowering participants by interactively educating them on strategic development topics they choose and for example our monthly Power Hour session, which is a role-modelling session featuring some of our most senior female leaders such as Susanna – our Global Chief People Office, Ingrid - our Global Head of DEI and Naomi – Our Global Head of Sales Excellence who talk about their career journey, struggles, learnings and experiences to inspire and empower our community within Maersk. The overwhelming positive response from all featured senior leaders when I asked them to participate while already being incredibly busy demonstrates the strong inspirational mentality they have and wish to spread across Maersk and its future generation of leaders. They join in on the mission we have as a MIX team “Improving life for all” by prioritizing and committing themselves to the cause and paving the path for generations to come.
We are breaking down barriers, opening doors for people, and giving them the courage to stand up and speak out.
At Maersk, DEI is not just a buzzword; it is deeply ingrained in the company values. Maersk understands the importance of DEI and the commitment to DEI is evident in the cascading of the DEI message through different layers of the organization both from top down as well as bottom up.
However, change does not happen overnight. We acknowledge that changing behaviours and mindsets takes time, especially when it involves a global movement of transforming how we interact and work with one another. Therefore, Maersk has developed a genuine and actionable strategy for our DEI mission and a phased and realistic approach accompanied by measurable goals. In this process, Employee Resource Networks (ERNs) like MIX play a vital role in ensuring that the focus remains not only on data, such as the gender balance in job levels, but also continues to be on our people, who in the end are the most valuable asset we have as a company.
I consider myself fortunate to be in the frontline of our DEI journey and will continue to work hard, make the difference and drive what I believe in.
Join an organization that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion.
If you are looking to join an organization that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, I encourage you to consider Maersk. Together, we can continue breaking barriers, fostering a sense of belonging, and creating a future where everyone can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.
To know more about careers at Maersk and DEI, please check below:
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