Geoquip Marine is proud to have a diverse global team of experts with women equal to men in supporting our onshore and offshore activities.
From the Protected Species Observers (PSOs) capturing vital marine life data on our fleet of integrated geotechnical survey vessels around the world, to the experts working throughout our onshore offices and laboratories, women are making a vital impact not only in our company, but across the industry.
Geotechnical engineering can sometimes be perceived as a male dominated industry, but I’m proud that we are helping to change the tide in that respect. Geoquip Marine has a growing number of female employees across our global operations, with many of them working offshore across our fleet as geotechnical engineers and PSOs in diverse and challenging environments. Equality is very important value for us as a company and investing in the right people and developing the right talent – regardless of gender or background – is something we take very seriously. For instance, from 2020 to 2021, our female workforce increased by 293% – a really encouraging statistic!
The passion, dedication, and pride I see in the women working around me is inspirational, and we want to make sure those contributions don’t go unrecognised. From how we present our company in our recruitment process right through to the messaging we present in our marketing activities, creating visibility for these women and the diversity that powers our offshore geotechnical services is incredibly important.
As our Environmental Project Manager, I’m fortunate enough to be working with a team of talented women who bring a huge amount of experience, skill and insight to our work at Geoquip Marine. My work with our teams of PSOs has enabled me to share my passion for marine conservation with a group of likeminded men and women and seeing their collective commitment to protecting the marine environment and creating a truly sustainable future for the company – and the planet – is inspirational.
Geoquip Marine Employees shown in photos: (Left) Kaya Baber; (Right) Morgane Belleville
Geotechnical engineer Zuzana Lednarova is one of many passionate women I’m fortunate enough to work with who thrives on making a difference in preserving our marine life. She sums up her enjoyment of her job when she says, “I always gain a sense of freedom being out in the open ocean. Endless shades of blue surround me, and the beautiful sunsets and sunrises always remind me why the long days are worth it. I feel fortunate being the first to see soils and fossils from 60m-100m below the seabed.”
Zuzana speaks for all of us at Geoquip Marine when she says, “The offshore industry has a bright future for gender equality.”
Martina Montali, PSO, echoes this sentiment when she says, “The ocean has always been a safe place in my life and offers me many learning opportunities. I feel so accomplished knowing I’m working hard to protect the environment.”
Our shared dedication to the environment is matched by our desire to showcase the diversity that makes Geoquip Marine the success it is in our industry. Morgane Belleville, who works as a Lead PSO on one of our vessels, agrees with this sentiment and the need to judge an individual on the content of their character and their strengths as an individual.
“The quality that makes a valuable person is not his or her background, degree, gender, age, or nationality,” she comments. “What matters is their personality. For each position there is a person who fits in. So, it’s up to the HR people and the managers to discover how to develop and use the skills and the personality of all team members and make them work perfectly all together as a whole. Like the parts of a machine that fit together and work perfectly!”
Geoquip Marine Employees shown in photos: (Left) Lea Yusheda Anak Gindi, Hanis Bahrin, Nuria Meza, Martina Montali, Katia Silva and Maisa Lima; (Right) Zuzana Lednarova
Nara Pavan, another one of our valued PSOs, thinks of the industry like a machine that improves when you listen and change the right settings: “I’d remove the bias button and increase the volume on equal rights,” she adds. “I would change the respect variable on this industry, allowing women everywhere to be treated the same way as men.”
Equality is a goal we should always strive for, and while we have plenty of ground to cover as a society. I’m overwhelmed to be working in an environment that recognises and values the women that impact every corner of our offshore geotechnical operations.
Maisa Lima, another one of our Lead PSOs agrees: “I love working offshore with Geoquip Marine. We can show our professionalism and are treated equally to men to do our part for environmental conservation for a positive impact.”
As does Lea Yusheda Anak Gindi, one of the Lab Technician’s working offshore on our vessel, the Geoquip Saentis. “There is always something new to learn every day. I enjoy meeting new people in our industry from all over the world. Working with Geoquip Marine is rewarding as it provides exciting experiences and opportunities.”
At Geoquip Marine, we are aiming to exemplify a better way. We show rather than tell.
Claire Gold, Environmental Project Manager at Geoquip Marine
Geoquip Marine Employees shown in photos: (Left) Christable Quartey, Wendy Wong, Emma Crowley, Ankita Dave, Claire Gold, Shakira Green, Alannah Shambrook; (Right) Claire Gold
