Lessons and connections extend beyond the trip

Participantes acompanharam passagem de navio pelo Canal do Panamá e conheceram funcionamento da estrutura que permite travessia entre os oceanos Atlântico e Pacífico (Adobe Stock)

For lawyer Flávia Takafashi, president of the Comitê Mulheres a Bordo, the first international experience exceeded expectations and showed that the initiative can produce results that extend beyond the four-day program.

“I was certain that the mission would be greater than the mission itself, and that has now been confirmed. We had four days of a very intensive technical agenda, with discussions involving major leaders from the Panama region. We had the opportunity to see the Panama Canal up close and understand the full scale of what it represents for global logistics and transportation”, said Flávia, who was a director of the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq).

Connections that remain

For Grupo Tribuna Vice President Renata Santini Cypriano, the first international edition fulfilled the proposal of combining knowledge with closer ties among industry professionals. According to her, the participants’ own interest in discussing possible new destinations is also an indication of the initiative’s positive reception. “If they are suggesting other places, it means they enjoyed our mission”, she said.

The connections established during the four days were also highlighted by the participants. For Paula Bertelli Chaves, Communications, Marketing and Social Responsibility Manager at Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP), the bonds created during the trip are among the outcomes that remain even after the program has ended. “A very strong connection and a beautiful sense of sisterhood are created. It is a learning experience that continues even after the trip”, she said.

In Béatrice de Toledo Dupuy’s assessment, the experience also prompted reflection on the role of women who have already reached leadership positions in creating opportunities for others. She is Executive Manager of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at Santos Brasil.

“I am returning with new learnings, connections and, above all, the certainty that reaching leadership positions is not enough: we need to pave the way for other women to reach them as well.”

The first international edition of Mulheres a Bordo thus concluded with an outcome that goes beyond the technical visits carried out in Panama. By bringing together professionals with different career paths around strategic operations for global trade, the mission created opportunities for knowledge exchange, professional interaction and the development of a network that aims to contribute to having more women occupy leadership and decision-making positions in the maritime, port and logistics sectors.