By Lilian Makau
As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day theme ‘Accelerating Action’ Standard Chartered Tanzania continues to bolster its position as an organisation that values the contribution made by women across our society.
Standard Chartered has always been at the forefront of empowering Tanzanian women towards realising their leadership and prospects potential through offering them opportunities across different levels in the organization. With Women representing over 50% of the total workforce, holding 50% of independent board membership and comprising 31% of the C-suite, these figures underscore the organization’s strong commitment to valuing and advancing women’s contributions at every level in our business and in the country’s financial sector.
Our global commitment to women empowerment is set to come to fruition in May this year when our independent Non-Executive director Maria Ramos assumes her position as Group Chair, replacing Dr. José Vinals who is retiring from the board. Ms. Ramos’ appointment is a testament of our ongoing commitment to establish a cohort of women leaders that have a strong influence on the future of our bank.
Implementation of our strong gender equality culture has been the main driver towards this milestone. This has been complimented by a robust talent management strategy that prioritises professional development amongst our female staff.
We are proud partners of the Female Future Program, an initiative by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) that is grooming upcoming generations of female business leaders. The program was introduced in 2015 with the aim of strengthening gender equality in the workplace, improving women’s representation in decision making and drawing women to key positions in both the public and private sector. Since its inception, Standard Chartered has supported over 22 women through this partnership, including seven individuals in 2025. All these participants harbour the capability to challenge the status quo within their respective organisations, influence change and inspire their peers to scale new career heights.
Additionally, all the executive talent development programs and trainings must have 50:50 representation reinforcing our commitment to providing equal opportunities for talent to develop, advance and excel. Our Fair Pay Charter further ensures that there is equal pay for work of equal value for our men and women in the same hierarchy and business level. It is with this standard that we strive to ensure that the gender pay gap is reduced by proactively correcting any pay differences that arise over time.
In addition to the above, support for our female colleagues goes beyond training and development and extends to supporting them with access to comprehensive medical and social support for menopause, endometriosis and other complex health issues that may arise. At Standard Chartered Bank, every woman has the fundamental right to dignity & Well-being. in addition to targeted programs responding to women’s health needs, we also provide access to free sanitary products, ensuring comfort, accessibility, and respect for all female employees. We foster an inclusive environment where every woman is empowered to be her authentic self, supported b y a strong network of resources and care.
Our parental leave benefits of 150 days of maternity leave gives new mothers ample time to raise their families without worrying about job security. Additionally, returning mothers have access to a fully equipped lactation room and two hours of lactation breaks each day until the child is 11 months. Combined with flexible working arrangements, this support enables women to pursue both their careers and family aspirations without compromise.
Our GOAL project which is part of our Futuremakers initiative is also helping teenage girls from low-income communities to learn new skills and improve their chances of securing employment or starting a business.
Gender equality transforms the trajectory of organisations, increases innovation and boosts company morale – the perfect blueprint for higher profitability. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us strive to break down the barriers that prevent women from maximising their full potential and highlight the benefits that come with it.
Lilian Makau is the Head Human Resources Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
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