As corporate members of the superyacht industry key association, MYBA, we are delighted to confirm that “The Diversity & Inclusion Pledge” was signed last week: “a commitment by “She of the Sea” and signatory organisations to work together to build a diverse and inclusive yachting industry.”

Addressing imbalances within the superyacht industry has always been a concern for us and this pledge is a wonderful opportunity to combine our efforts with other industry leaders in order to address the issue. Signing the pledge was an initiative brought to the table by Gaye Joyeau-Bourgeois and one that was embraced by the MYBA Board, which voted unanimously in favour, as it represents a clear vision of a high performance, competency focused yachting industry, regardless of gender, race or any other factors.

The pledge states “We are committed to building practices and cultures that actively facilitate, cultivate and celebrate diversity and inclusion, at all levels, throughout our organisation, and our industry”.

Certification statistics from the MCA show that there are just 60 MCA yacht certified female captains and officers in a global superyacht fleet of more than 10,000 people. That means we have a long way to go before we redress the current situation in the superyacht industry but we are prepared to work collectively, and patiently, for the positive change that is critical to the sustainability of our industry.

Balancing the boat, however, is not solely about realising the potential of women at sea. It also means developing better pathways for the large and ever-growing female participation, at all levels, within the brokerage industry, many of whom are our Members. It is only if we combine efforts from both the shore side and crew sectors, that we will see a widespread change that benefits us all.

We hope that we will have all of you on board with us!