Sanjam Sahi Gupta | Founder | Maritime SheEO
Sanjam Sahi Gupta is the founder of Maritime SheEO. Maritime SheEO was established in 2019 and operates virtually globally in the maritime industry.
It offers a bouquet of services focusing on the business case for diversity. It aims to create solutions that can impact the maritime and allied industries – with a focus on diversity & inclusion (D&I), leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship and competitive advantage.
In an interview with Elite X, Sanjam Gupta gives an insight into how her company and its operations.
EliteX: Thank you for doing this with us Sanjam. Can you please tell us in detail about the services your company offers?
Sanjam Gupta: We work with organisations to create a level playing field for women and an environment conducive for women to rise to leadership positions. Our team of experts employ D&I initiatives to address and eliminate unconscious bias, conduct gender sensitisation programs and help with the smooth transition of women from ship to shore positions.
We have conducted important research to highlight the business case for diversity. Our goal is to increase the participation of women and eliminate all forms of biases in the Maritime Industry. By highlighting the best practices in the Industry, we aim to build a robust list of resources for the industry to use related to diversity, and create recommendations and guidelines for increasing the capacity of women in the industry by promoting diversity, inclusion & open-mindedness.
EX: The tagline of your company is to create the next generation of female maritime leaders and through your motto, you’ll seek to create a more inclusive and diverse maritime industry by promoting the advancement of women through various initiatives. Can you throw light on the initiatives taken by you’ll for the same?
SG: The initiatives include providing mentorship programs, organizing networking events, and offering educational resources and training to help women achieve their career goals.
EX: “A little bit of good can turn into a whole lot of good when fuelled by the commitment of a social entrepreneur.” What is that commitment that fuelled you to become a social entrepreneur?
SG: As a social entrepreneur I was most motivated to drive change in the maritime industry. I think my ambition for me was to find something that I want to change in the world. So, I would say that I haven’t had big ambitions of becoming someone or whatever, but I have had big ambitions of changing things. I found my calling. Today I’m in a unique position where people listen and I can make a difference and I feel that puts a huge responsibility on me.
There will always be times when one has to prioritize one over the other. While I’m very driven and motivated there are times it’s important to give priority to family and personal life. It’s a decision or tightrope one needs to find one’s balance.
– SANJAM SAHI GUPTA
EX: The maritime industry comes with waves of challenges. How do you manage to stay afloat through these challenges?
SG: I’m extremely passionate about creating a more diverse and equitable maritime industry. Each day I get up and challenge myself to do more, so the motivation comes from within. For the setbacks and challenges, I have some great mentors who always pull me up and get me charged.
The biggest accomplishments I would say are making a difference in the lives of women working in the maritime-by giving them a platform to highlight their contributions. One of my most cherished moments is winning the Sandhvik Gender Award for my outstanding contribution to gender equality.
-SANJAM SAHI GUPTA
EX: “Networking is the No. 1 unwritten rule of business success.” Do you agree with this statement?
SG: Yes, Businesses are built due to relationships and the power of networking is immense. For me that has been the very foundation for my work and the goodwill created has helped me take Maritime SheEO ahead.
The success of our organisation lies in the awareness we create to foster a more inclusive maritime industry. Through our research, we have created valuable data that proves the business case for diversity. –SANJAM SAHI GUPTA
EX: “Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise and we can give our love, or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give”. How is Maritime SheEO exercising the above expression in practice?
SG: Maritime SheEO is working to raise awareness about the contributions that women make to the maritime industry, and highlights the challenges that women still face in this field. It is also helping to build a more equitable and sustainable future for the maritime industry by providing a supportive community and advocating for gender equality.
My advice for entrepreneurs is to go for their dreams and have the ambition to change something they feel will improve the world around them.
-SANJAM SAHI GUPTA
