The Women in Marine Mammal Science (or WIMMS) initiative was formed to establish a global community of marine mammal scientists whose aim is to ensure that women can realize their full career potential in this field. The WIMMS initiative stemmed from a 2017 workshop, organized in association with the Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, that sought to identify the barriers to success faced by women and to present strategies that individuals and institutions can implement to break these barriers down.