International Women’s Day 2023: DigitALL – Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality

The ongoing digitalisation is changing the way logistics companies work. As a company driving digitalisation in logistics, Saloodo! is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workforce. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we would like to focus on the topic “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” and provide insights into the experiences and perspectives of our female team members.

In this article, we will present two inspiring interviews with women in leadership positions, but also technical professions. They will give us their insights and experiences on digitalisation in logistics and how they use their positions to drive gender equality in the industry.

Be inspired by their stories and learn how we at Saloodo! are driving digitalisation in logistics by focusing on women’s talents and perspectives.

Dr. Antje Huber

First introduce yourself, some words about you, how do you came to Saloodo!?

My name ist Antje Huber. After my studies and my dissertation, I was initially self-employed with a management consultancy. I then joined Deutsche Post in Corporate Development and, after a stopover in Tokyo/Japan, I took care of innovation and strategy issues at Deutsche Post. Finally, I switched to DHL Freight to become SVP Strategy & Marketing, and am now, since February, CEO of Saloodo!

Is there anything you would do differently knowing what you know now regarding your education?

I grew up in the eastern part of Germany – had a solid school education and after the wall came done started university. During this challenging time it was not easy to decide for the right university and study, I decided for Business Administration and I am happy that I did it. It offered me a lot of development opportunities.

What does it mean to be a woman in your position, also in regards to innovation and the possibilities that you have nowadays?

Since my childhood it was normal that women were working and taking also leading positions. I my self had the possibility to take leading positions during school, university and after university.

What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your field to empower her even more?

Solid education, live in foreign countries, follow you interests and get qualified also outside university. Take opportunities – be brave, stay curious and open.

What are the key takeaways in leading a diverse, young team like in Saloodo!?

The team is very important to me. I am sure that “a fair team can win games but a great team wins championships.” In this respect, my first priority was and still is to give every team member the opportunity to develop and to increase employee engagement even further. I also see a great challenge in connecting the diverse team that works on 4 continents. The employees of Saloodo! (we call them Saloodo!nauts) are always curious to discover and learn new things and push borders. As a leader of such a motivated team you need to constantly challenge your people to get the most out of them and make them and yourself happy.

What are the initiatives implemented by you in your organization to encourage more women participation?

The most important issue is to create transparency about all the great women we have at Saloodo!. We support younger female colleagues through personal coaching and push the exchange of experiences with experienced female colleagues. Our goal is to strengthen them overall and support their learning journey. Of course, we also benefit from the many global initiatives of our parent company Deutsche Post DHL Group, which we adopt and transfer to the situation at Saloodo!. For example, sharing learning opportunities and personal experiences through our Circles initiative. The aim is to always look at the issue both quantitatively and qualitatively in order to give women a fair chance and make equality a reality.

What is the most important lesson you learned you would tell your younger self or your daughters to achieve higher empowerment in regards to gender equality?

First of all, I need to say it’s about being excited about what you are doing. Always stay curious and use your energy for the job. Secondly, jump into the cold water, try new things and see what you like, what not. And most of all: Believe in yourself, in your skills and look for a network, maybe of other females, that is supporting you in your job.

In the second part, we interview Sheeba Malik, responsible for QA in the Development Team. Sheeba was recently appointed team leader. We are looking forward to her interview.

First introduce yourself, some words about you, how do you came to Saloodo!?

I am 28 years old, born and brought up in India. I am a traveler and I also like to play video games in my free time. It was my dream to work and live in Europe. So when my husband got a job offer in Köln, I left my job in India and came with him back in October 2021. When I was searching for a job, I read about the open position in Saloodo which matched my skills. It seemed to be a new and interesting domain where I had never worked before. I joined as a tech team member and I am currently leading one of the Tech teams.

Is there anything you would do differently knowing what you know now regarding your education?

I would not change anything regarding my education. I did my Bachelors in Computer Science and I could not have chosen a better course which would have played an important role to take me in my current position.

What does it mean to be a woman in your position, also in regards to innovation and the possibilities that you have nowadays?

Although innovation and technology always offer new opportunities, many stereotypes still exist. In some places, women’s ideas are under-represented in technology. I fought for presenting my ideas lots of times in my overall experience.

What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your field to empower her even more?

I will just advise you to give your best. Never stop learning because in tech you always need to keep yourself updated with new technologies. Ultimately, your hard work will pay off.

When did you realize your interest in tech and how were you encouraged to find your way into it?

In the place where I was born, becoming an engineer or doctor are still only considered as the safest and respectful occupation for girls. Since my family could not afford a medical degree, I had to choose engineering. Initially I had no interest in tech. But while I was doing my degree, I explored all the possibilities and growth which encouraged me to keep learning and get more involved. That’s when I got my interest in the tech world.

What lesson have you learned from your personal way and what advice would you give women that want to make progress in the tech world?

I would like to share 2 tips which I have learned personally : Never stop expressing your thoughts and never let self doubt get in the way. There can be times when you may be the only woman in the team or project. But you should not give in to these thoughts. Trust yourself. Excellence is the best way to defeat sexism but don’t fear failure.

Looking back on your career, what one thing would you have changed in your working environment to break the bias a bit more?

I would have created a team of women to guide other team members towards the biases that they feel in the work environment. It is very important in a workplace to value individual differences and that each person feels included, respected, and fairly treated.

What is your opinion on this year’s key topic “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” – would you agree that digital innovation and advanced technology improve gender equality?

Digital Innovation and advanced technology provides immense opportunities for all genders. But somehow, growing inequalities are becoming increasingly evident in the context of digital skills and access to technologies. Globally, the number of women who use the internet is far less than men. If women are unable to access the Internet and do not feel safe online, they are unable to develop the necessary digital skills to engage in digital spaces, which diminishes their opportunities to pursue careers in technology. Hence, the need for inclusive technology and digital education is very crucial for a sustainable future.

Sheeba Malik

At Saloodo! we are actively committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity where everyone has the opportunity to develop talents and contribute to our mission. We are grateful for the perspectives and contributions of all our team members, especially the women who shape our company and the industry. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we want to continue to celebrate and support women in leadership and technical professions, but also work together towards a more equitable and inclusive future.