Survey reveals persistent gender discrimination in supply chain profession

Coinciding with Women’s Month in South Africa, leading supply chain industry body SAPICS has released the findings of its latest Women in Supply Chain Leadership survey. The results, drawn from responses by both men and women, reveal troubling disparities in perceptions of workplace equity and suggest that gender discrimination remains entrenched in the profession.

One of the most concerning findings is the sharp difference in how men and women perceive fairness at work. While 89% of men believe that career advancement opportunities are equal across genders, only 57% of women agree, with more than one-third of female respondents strongly disagreeing. This disconnect raises serious red flags: “If male leaders don’t see a problem, it’s harder to solve one,” warns SAPICS.

The gender pay gap and perception divide

The survey also highlights stark disparities in how pay equity is perceived. While 63% of men believe salaries are largely equal, only 25% of women share that view. Worryingly, 45% of women suspect that men are paid more for doing the same work. SAPICS has labelled this the “salary suspicion gap”, which it believes reflects poor pay transparency and the enduring reality (or perception) of a gender pay gap.

“Men’s general confidence in equality contrasts sharply with women’s widespread suspicion of disparity. This underscores the critical need for organisations to proactively ensure and clearly communicate equitable compensation practices,” SAPICS says.

Pay transparency itself remains an issue. While three-quarters of men believe their organisations have transparent pay policies, only a quarter of women agree. This suggests not only a gap in practice, but also a dangerous lack of trust.

Misguided assumptions about challenges

Another revealing insight is the mismatch in views about the barriers faced by women. Nearly half (46%) of men cited “family commitments” as the greatest challenge for female leaders. But only 10% of women agreed. Instead, they pointed to limited opportunities (41%), a male-dominated industry (33%), and gender bias (29%) as their most significant hurdles.

SAPICS says this underlines the importance of grounding support strategies in reality, not assumptions: “If we’re trying to fix the wrong problems, we’re wasting time and reinforcing inequality.”

Discrimination still widespread

The 2025 SAPICS Women in Supply Chain Leadership survey shows little progress in addressing gender discrimination. Almost two-thirds of women report witnessing or experiencing discrimination, compared to just 17% of men. These are not isolated incidents, SAPICS notes, but rather evidence of systemic issues and fundamentally different workplace realities. Additionally, 85% of women reported encountering resistance when leading male teams. While this marks a modest improvement from 2024 (when the figure was 96%), it remains unacceptably high.

Gender equity is good business

Despite growing global awareness and compelling data linking gender diversity to improved business outcomes, the survey results indicate that significant work remains. “Gender equity is not just a box-ticking exercise. It makes good business sense,” SAPICS asserts.

A global study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, involving 21,980 companies across 91 countries, found that more women in senior management correlates with a 15% rise in profitability for the average firm. Similarly, McKinsey & Company has consistently found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are more likely to outperform those in the bottom quartile.

Research published in Harvard Business Review shows that diverse leadership teams generate more revenue from new products and services. Meanwhile, a study by the American Psychological Association concludes that gender-diverse teams are better at complex problem-solving – often due to different perspectives and a more collaborative approach, which challenge groupthink and fuel innovation.

Call to action 

Based on its findings, SAPICS is calling on supply chain leaders to listen carefully to the lived experiences of women in the workplace. “We must start by acknowledging the disconnect in perceptions and experiences across genders,” the organisation states. “Then, businesses must recommit to actively addressing discrimination, and ensure safe, trusted reporting structures. Transparency and accountability around pay and promotion are non-negotiable.”