- Danoffice IT
- ESG
- Article
Balance in the industry and balance in the workplace. At Danoffice IT, we work tirelessly on our ESG goal to achieve a better gender balance both within our own organization and the industry as a whole. Therefore, we have launched an initiative to put powerful women in the spotlight through a series of biographies through which these women will share their respective journeys to a career in the IT industry.
The next woman up is our Logistics Specialist, Hanne Schacke Hansen, who has a reach across the world through her work as a result of her specialty and experience
An Important Shift
Having a purpose in your work life is important to Hanne and this is why her commitment is unwavering. “Becoming a freight forwarder back in the eighties was quite the feat,” she says and adds: “The EU did not exist back then and the rules, or lack thereof, were very different back then. In addition to that, it was a very tough industry in which to be a woman. Especially if you have dreams of having a family because we work far too much. Therefore, moving from one side of the table to the other to specialize in logistics and shifting to the IT industry became an important choice for me to make.”
Through the years, Hanne has worked with all forms of logistics. Anything from a small shipment to large global projects, yet the latter category is where she has landed and works in her everyday work with the large global NGO’s and aid organizations. “At Danoffice IT, I am constantly aware that my customers are helping others in the world. In that way, my and our joint efforts to bring the shipments out and make them happen suddenly become very important. We are an important strategic piece for the organizations who are working to help others and need to do so through a tight web of laws and regulations.”
MyRoadToIT
Together with the campaign in the IT industry called MyRoadToIT, our series of mini biographies is centered around 3 standard questions to which women in the Danish IT industry provide their unique responses. Here are the “three standards” for Hanne:
– What do you do in the business these days and which difference do you feel you contribute to?
“My job has evolved to a place where now, I am a part of managing the large projects and shipments to global NGO customers which is my primary field and my specialty. Strategic logistics has changed a lot in the more than 18 years that I have been part of it. In the beginning, it was mostly contract customers and more fragmented, but since then, we have gotten really strong in the market. We have very large projects through which we deliver complete solutions which is a big difference from before and changed what I do every day.”
I am part of controlling our logistics. I am part of making sure we do things right. I am part of making sure we get everything wrapped up. There are a lot of balls in the air and somewhere along the way, this became my domain. I truly feel that we make a huge difference. I feel that we are making a difference down to the last link. We help the employees in the aid organizations or NGO’s because THEY need to help people, so I feel that we reach these people in the work that we do. When I think about what I do, I always think about how privileged I am. The fact that I, and we, live the way we do and how privileged I am because I am part of making a difference.”
– Why do you find it interesting to work in the IT industry and what motivates you in your work?
”Because everything is changing all the time. It is fun to be a part of and help drive development forward. We are also constantly having to be innovative and come up with solutions. That helps keep us on task and that is truly a driving force for me.”
”I always have a good relationship with my customers and my colleagues. I am motivated by knowing that I am a piece of a large puzzle. I am definitely a team player, and I enjoy the team spirit we have at Danoffice IT. I am motivated by the fact that we are able to do so much more than we were 18 years ago when I started. That is a great omen for the future.”
– How did you end up in the IT industry?
”I ended up in this industry by chance. Back in the happy eighties, the freight forwarding industry was hectic and quite frankly, I was working too much. I had a good friend who worked at Danoffice IT and said to me: If you want to switch jobs, now is the time! After that, it just all fell into place and that is nearly 18 years ago now.”
”I have seen the industry and Danoffice IT itself grow and blossom and I have seen the ups and downs of the industry. It has been an exciting journey.”
“Men and women are equally important here. I am convinced that companies that have an equal division between men and women have the best balance and operate the best. It creates a dynamic that you cannot achieve otherwise. It is humorous that our logistics team at Danoffice IT is one of the few teams with more women than men. However, it is only a slight bit slanted to the female side, so we still have a good balance. But in the organization as a whole, we could certainly use more women so I hope that more talented women will look to the IT industry and logistics, and then look in our direction,”
Hanne Schacke Hansen, Logistics Specialist at Danoffice IT, concludes.
Did you find Michala's experiences insightful?
Make sure to also read about Henriette Normann-Ekegren's journey as an ESG Manager at Danoffice IT in "Women in DOIT #1."
You can also learn about Account Executive, Michala Severin's inspiring 25-year journey as a woman in the IT industry, highlighting the vital contributions and diverse paths of women shaping the tech world.
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Women in DOIT #1Henriette Normann-Ekegren, ESG Manager at Danoffice IT, shares her journey in the IT industry and the importance of gender balance. Read about her work for a more diverse future in tech. -
Inspiring Women in DOIT #2Discover what has made Michala Severin successful in IT for 25 years at Danoffice IT? Read her inspiring journey!
