Women in Transport is proud to have received continued support from one of the country’s biggest employers and an organisation at the heart of British transport – Network Rail.
Network Rail, which owns, develops and looks after Britain’s rail infrastructure, has renewed its sponsorship of Women in Transport for another year, further demonstrating its commitment to gender equality.
Women account for just 16.9% of the UK engineering workforce, according to figures published in May last year by charity Engineering UK. So, Network Rail is working hard to create an environment where women can thrive. It has a range of schemes to support female staff, including early careers support, family-friendly policies, its Women in Leadership development programme and Allies for Inclusion self-service training session.
Meanwhile, Inspire, its employee network for women and gender equality, has supported colleagues for more than 10 years and now counts more than 2,700 members from a wide range of roles across the company.
Inspire has helped drive significant progress towards gender equality at Network Rail. It’s been behind the supply of free period products at work sites and the rollout of female PPE, and was integral to Network Rail being named in the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality list five times – most recently this year.
Figures demonstrate progress – women account for 21% of staff at Network Rail as of this year, up from 14% in 2014. But there’s much more to do to ensure gender equality – and, ultimately, equity.
Emma Knight, director of external communications and engagement at Network Rail, said:
“We know we won’t shift the dial on gender equality by working in isolation. It takes consistent effort and strong partnerships across the industry.
“Our collaboration with Women in Transport, including a recent event led with our Inspire network, brought together voices to share experiences, support mentoring and open up opportunities for the next generation. That’s the kind of practical, collective action that makes a difference – and why this partnership continues to matter.”
As well as corporate sponsorship, Network Rail is bringing new members to our community, with many coming from frontline roles, including customer-facing and operations colleagues.
In March, it held its first Inspire and Women in Transport collaboration event – a panel discussion and networking session in Milton Keynes on the theme of inspiring the next generation.
Sonya Byers, CEO of Women in Transport, said “We’re delighted by Network Rail’s continued support, empowering women across the UK transport sector. This partnership is supporting our ninth annual Advance mentoring programme, connecting women with cross-sector mentors.”
“Network Rail also champions our 2025 Equity Index, a crucial initiative for sector-wide equity. This report, based on data from 100 transport organisations, offers the most comprehensive snapshot of gender equity in UK transport. Despite identifying stagnation or decline in inclusion, pay equality, and leadership since 2023, we showcase rail’s leading practices and provide clear recommendations to advance gender equity across the sector as a whole.”
For more information about career opportunities at Network Rail, visit networkrail.co.uk/careers
Does your organisation match our values of empowerment, equity and advocacy? Become a corporate partner and support the Women in Transport mission.