International Women’s Day (IWD) is coming up on Wednesday 8th March, and the theme for this year is #EmbraceEquity. To celebrate, we spoke to two influential women forging their ways in the busy and constantly shifting world of international trade.
Business West will also be hosting a panel event on 8th March for IWD to celebrate the region’s female entrepreneurs and women in business, focusing on the importance of embracing equity in the world of work. To sign up, click here.
Pamela Munro
Founder and sole proprietor, Rossi Shipping
Pamela Munro is the founder and sole proprietor of Rossi Shipping, an agency which specialises in equine ATA Carnets. Before starting Rossi Shipping in late 2020, Pamela worked in vehicle transportation, mostly moving vehicles from the UK into the EU. As the equestrian world is a close-knit community, news of good service travels fast. As a result, Pamela has an established reputation within the world of equestrian competition and a steadfast client base.
Her current role within Rossi Shipping involves liaising with clients looking to take their horses overseas for events, races, and competitions. She then obtains ATA Carnets on behalf of her clients, and works closely with the Carnet team at Business West to do this.
We asked Pamela about why she thinks it’s important to celebrate IWD within the international trade business. She said:
“International Women’s Day is a global celebration and a focal point in the women’s rights movement. When I decided to start my business in international trade, I noticed that it was a very male dominated area of work.
"However, having toured Europe as a show jumper, an area in which women compete in the same classes as men, I realised that it was important for women to be on an equal playing field in the world of international trade, too.
"Therefore, I think it is important for the successes of women in international trade to be acknowledged and celebrated in order for us to progress.”
We also asked Pamela what her advice would be to women who are just starting out in the international trade business.
“My advice would be to prepare, learn your market, and obtain the correct credentials. For example, being a member of the BIFA (British International Freight Association) and making contacts in the industry is essential for the foundation of any international trade start-up.
"Another piece of advice is to specialise and focus. A mistake I made when I started out was trying to offer too many services all at once. Now that the business has matured, I have narrowed it down to focus solely on Carnets for equine transportation. This focus has allowed me to offer a high-quality, bespoke service in a field that I have a lot of experience in.”
A highlight of Pamela’s international trade career was when she received praise and positive feedback from her very first ATA Carnet clients. This was important as it affirmed all of the time and effort she had invested into the business and motivated her onwards.
Alexandra Baldwin
Import and export manager, Kerry Ingredients
Alexandra Baldwin is the import and export manager at Kerry Ingredients, one of the world’s largest ingredients manufacturers. She has been in the industry for nearly 19 years, and in this time, has worked in a variety of areas of international trade, including transport booking, payment terms, letters of credit, and credit control.
When asked about the importance of celebrating IWD, Alexandra told us she believes that IWD is crucial in bringing about further progression and change:
“Dedicating a whole day to celebrating women allows us to look at what has been achieved so far, but it also allows us to highlight further opportunities for progression.
“IWD ensures that companies and organisations continue to be held accountable and continue to provide opportunities for women. IWD encourages discussions, brings people together on a global scale, and emphasises to women that they should be bold and confident in communicating their goals and ambitions. It’s time for us to be proud of ourselves!”
We also asked Alex about what advice she would give to other women beginning their careers in international trade. She said:
“My advice would be to know your strengths, believe in yourself, and utilise the resources around you. International trade is complex and difficult, so make use of all the courses and qualifications available to you, as they are great opportunities for learning and networking.
“It is also important to read as much as you can and keep abreast of all international trade news.”
A highlight of her career was the completion of her Level 5 Diploma in International Trade, within which she achieved the highest score for an assignment for the entire 2018 student intake. As a result, Alexandra went to the Mansion House in London to accept a prize from Lesley Batchelor CBE, who was the Director General of the Institute of Export at the time.
#EmbraceEquity
The theme of this year’s IWD is #EmbraceEquity, which seeks to inform people about the difference between equity and equality, as well as to promote the discussion of gender equity.
The IWD website states that “whilst EQUALITY means that every individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities, EQUITY recognises that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”
We spoke to Pamela and Alexandra about their thoughts on #EmbraceEquity.
Alexandra said:
“There is certainly no point offering everyone the same pair of shoes – the shoes have to be the correct size for each individual. Equity is the first step towards equality, and it’s important to adapt resources to ensure that different people benefit in the ways that make sense.”
Pamela said:
“As a woman, I have not experienced any negativity in this area of work and have always been met with support and encouragement. I believe that women should be judged on their ability and professionalism and should not be disregarded because of their gender.”
For more information about International Women’s Day and #EmbraceEquity, head to the IWD website.
Are you looking to export overseas?
Business West is a leading Chamber in the UK for providing export documentation services.
In the past five years, we have processed 200,000 export documents and helped 995 companies achieve £5.46bn of export sales.
If you need support with export documentation for trading overseas, please get in touch with us at ezcert@businesswest.co.uk.
If you would like to find out more about our ATA Carnet services, please visit our ATA Carnet webpage or email the team at carnets@businesswest.co.uk.
- Log in to post comments