The International Forwarders & Customs Brokers Association of Australia (IFCBAA) Sydney Women in Logistics Breakfast recently brought together around 150 transport, logistics and supply chain professionals to recognise the contribution of women across the industry and explore topics including workforce participation, leadership, wellbeing and inclusion. Industry Skills Australia’s (ISA) Industry Engagement Manager for Transport and Logistics, Chris Greentree, attended the event to engage with industry stakeholders, identify emerging workforce priorities and strengthen sector relationships.
The breakfast featured presentations from two keynote speakers who shared insights into career development, resilience and sustainable performance in the workplace.
Raffaella Olah, Founder of RoLogic, shared insights from her 30-year career in the supply chain industry. Her presentation highlighted the importance of resilience, perseverance and strong support networks in navigating career progression and overcoming personal and professional setbacks.
Attendees also heard from somatic life coach and yoga teacher Elena Chovancak, who presented on self-care, personal capacity and sustainable performance. Using the analogy of a ship and its cargo, Elena explored the importance of setting boundaries, managing competing priorities and recognising individual capacity. A key message from the session was that a lack of capacity should not be mistaken for a lack of ability.
One of the most engaging discussions throughout the event explored how workplace culture and language can help create more inclusive and accessible career pathways across the transport and logistics sector. The conversation highlighted the value of fostering environments where people from diverse backgrounds feel supported to participate, contribute and progress into leadership roles.
The discussion strongly aligned with Industry Skills Australia’s Increasing Diversity across Transport Supply Chain Industries project, which is examining current diversity gaps, systemic barriers and the effectiveness of existing initiatives across the transport supply chain. By supporting a more diverse and inclusive workforce, the project aims to help industry attract, retain and develop talent while strengthening workforce participation and long-term sector sustainability.
During the event, Chris met with Simone Peacock, recently appointed Chief Executive Officer IFCBAA, to discuss potential areas of collaboration between IFCBAA and Industry Skills Australia. Discussions focused on shared interests across customs broking, freight forwarding and broader supply chain workforce initiatives.
Events such as the Women in Logistics Breakfast provides opportunities to identify emerging workforce priorities, strengthen industry relationships and explore potential areas for future collaboration.
Read more about our project focussing on increasing diversity across transport supply chain industries here: Increasing Diversity across Transport Supply Chain Industries – Industry Skills Australia
