IAWA, ALTA and Copa Airlines promote gender equality in aviation

Organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), participants will share meaningful thoughts on what the airline industry needs to be more diverse and how to best establish the path for the next generation of trained aviation professionals.  

José Ricardo Botelho, Executive Director & CEO of ALTA, commented that “we urgently need to promote more and more meetings to talk about diversity and inclusion, generate concrete ideas and commitments on how to attract more women to aviation, support their training and career development and achieve even more inclusive work environments ”.

According to a new survey from IAWA, the International Association of Women in Aviation, and Oliver Wyman, more than half (59%) of women working in leadership positions in aviation have considered leaving the industry. Women are more likely to be expelled due to negative experiences, while men who leave the industry do mostly for the lure of better opportunities.

The survey found that the industry has made no progress in closing the gender gap in leadership positions, with one-third of the women surveyed reporting that it takes them longer to reach leadership positions relative to their peer group. By comparison, 92% of the men we surveyed advanced faster or at the same pace as their peer group.

Additionally, industry men consider their companies to be doing a good job of offering effective and accessible programs to promote gender equality. Women, on the other hand, do not find these programs as effective or easily accessible.

"Women report that they are struggling throughout their careers in today's aviation culture," added Bobbi Wells, IAWA president. “Our study shows that, compared to men in the industry, women report more negative experiences, slower career advancement, and fewer opportunities to take on high-level or challenging roles. It is time for aviation leaders to change these dynamics if we are to attract and retain the most talented workers, regardless of gender. "

There is a great need to take action so that the participation of women in the aviation industry is not reduced. This scenario begins to change in Latin America and the Caribbean, with programs of diversity and inclusion initiatives such as the recently launched ELEVA program of Copa Airlines, whose objective is to promote a culture that respects, values ​​and includes diversity, promoting that all its employees feel that they can grow and be successful.

Copa Airlines' ELEVA program is based on three pillars: Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, and its work focuses are: strengthening a culture that respects and fosters diversity, equality and inclusion in working life, and in all its processes ; have greater participation of women at all levels and in non-traditional roles; promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas; and promote more diverse teams.

“With the signing of Commitment 25 for 2025, we reiterate and reinforce our intention to continue implementing best practices and actions that promote equal opportunities between men and women, that promote a balance between the personal and professional life of women and that provide them with tools that allows them to grow and develop to achieve their goals, ”said Pedro Heilbron, executive president of Copa Airlines.

Commitment 25 by 2025 (25by2025) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global voluntary initiative of the aviation sector to improve female representation in the industry. In addition to Commitment 25 for 2025, Copa Airlines is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, a signatory of the Principles of Female Empowerment (WEP's), an active participant in the Gender Parity Initiative of the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES ), from Panama and in 2020 the Airline received the certification in the Gold category of the Seal of Equality "Yes Gender" led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).