If getting a new patch signifying that a girl scout understands the supply chain industry will help women take jobs in the industry, then I’m all for it.
DHL Supply Chain embraces this idea and on July 28th announced a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA to do just that.
“We are proud to expand our relationship with Girl Scouts of the USA," said Scott Sureddin, CEO, DHL Supply Chain, North America, in a release. "Entrepreneurship is a pillar of the Girl Scout experience and we’re excited to show Girl Scouts the ins and outs of supply chain and logistics while exposing them to career paths in the industry. We want to build on their aptitude for logistics and, through mentorship, show them real examples of women and men who have built successful careers in the field.”
“We continue to look for innovative ways to engage our employees in supporting the company’s diversity equity inclusion and belonging efforts. Our robust Women in Supply Chain Employee Resource Group will play an integral role in executing the volunteer program and partnership with local Girl Scout troops,” he added.
The logistics company and the Girl Scouts will collaborate on developing and piloting the skills training program with at least 10 councils from 2023 to 2024. The patch program will become available to Girl Scout troops across the United States in 2025 and 2026.
The company has long supported Girl Scout councils throughout the U.S., including providing local mentorship opportunities in several cities including Columbus, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan. As the company looks to expand its support of the organization, it has committed $1 million.
“Girl Scouts offers girls opportunities to explore subject areas they might not be encouraged to in school and learning all about career pathways in supply chain and logistics enables them to see the possibilities that are out there to become leaders in a field they may have never imagined,” said Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, in a statement.
Given the need for future talent, DHL has been active in the talent search on a number of fronts. Financially the company announced its DHL Supply Chain Future Leaders Scholarship last year. It provides scholarships, to 11 universities for students studying supply chain management, IT, packaging, or finance programs. Additionally, the company contributed to four U.S. University Supply Chain Centers of Excellence which bolster student programming and support faculty research in supply chain.
Their hands-on approach includes mentoring, which the company has done for over 10 years. In 2022 alone, its program provided 237 students a 10-12-week intensive experience, including professional development, a collaborative capstone project, and networking.
A highlight of the program is allowing students to work on current business issues and then present their findings to business leaders at DHL Supply Chain’s North America corporate headquarters. This tacit has proven successful as at the end of this program in 2002, more than half of students accepted full-time positions with the company post-graduation.
