Mentoring Women in Supply Chains: Enough Waiting, It’s Time to Lead
Kate Howells, Senior Consultant
For a long time, supply chain and logistics were industries where women were present – but often in the minority. Many of us who came through the ranks learned to navigate environments that weren’t always designed with us in mind. We built resilience, developed thick skin, and fought hard for our seats at the table.
But here’s the thing: that chapter doesn’t define the future.
Today, supply chain is changing – and companies like Viksu are proof that progress isn’t just possible, it’s already happening. We now have women in senior leadership, strong female voices shaping strategy, and a growing recognition that success isn’t about competing with each other, but lifting each other up.
From “I Had to Fight” to “Let Me Help You Up”
Historically, mentoring could sometimes feel transactional – or worse, hierarchical. Some women felt they had to adopt the same tough mindset they encountered early in their careers: “I had to fight to get here, so you should too.”
That’s not the culture we want anymore.
What we need now is hand-holding, encouragement, and advocacy. Women supporting women. Leaders actively pulling the next generation forward and saying, “You belong here – and you don’t have to do this alone.”
At Viksu, this mindset is already taking root. With female leaders across the business and a culture built on collaboration, mentoring is no longer about gatekeeping experience; it’s about sharing it.
Mentoring Goes Both Ways
One of the most powerful shifts we’re seeing is the recognition that mentoring isn’t a one-way street.
Senior leaders don’t just “give back” — they learn. Younger professionals bring new perspectives, different expectations, and lived experiences that reflect the modern workforce. Listening to what they need helps leaders shape better workplaces, better policies, and better pathways into leadership.
That mutual exchange – where both mentor and mentee grow – is where mentoring becomes truly transformative.
Building the Pipeline Earlier
If we’re serious about changing the future of supply chain, we need to start earlier.
Too many young people – especially young women – simply don’t know that supply chain is a career option. It’s rarely talked about in schools, colleges, or universities, yet it offers exciting, dynamic, and meaningful careers across technology, operations, strategy, sustainability, and leadership.
That’s why outreach matters. Going into schools, engaging with universities, supporting apprenticeships, and sharing real stories from real people in the industry can change perceptions overnight. When students hear, “You don’t need to know everything on day one – you can learn, grow, and build a career here,” doors open.
And when companies actively participate in that conversation, they don’t just talk about inclusion – they demonstrate it.
There’s No One “Right” Way In
My own journey into supply chain wasn’t planned, polished, or predictable – and that’s exactly the point.
I didn’t leave university knowing I wanted to work in logistics. I learned on the job, built experience across different sectors, and developed skills through hands-on roles, supportive managers, and opportunities to move across functions. From operations to solutions design, from project management to consulting, every step added another layer of understanding.
Supply chain rewards curiosity, commitment, and adaptability – not perfection.
You don’t have to arrive with all the answers. You just have to be willing to learn.
Enough Waiting – It’s Time to Lead
The future of supply chain depends on the choices we make now.
If we want more women in boardrooms, leadership teams, and decision-making roles, we must actively create those pathways. That means mentoring, sponsorship, visibility, education, and – most importantly – belief.
Belief in the next generation. Belief in collaboration over competition. Belief that the industry is stronger when everyone has a voice.
At Viksu, the message is clear: we’re done waiting for change. We’re building it together.