As part of International Women's Day which is being held today, Wednesday, 8th March, female colleagues working for Hull Trains have been taking part in an #EmbraceEquity pose to help promote a diverse workforce.
To raise greater awareness of the differences between equality and equity, the pose is being encouraged everywhere today to show solidarity.
Equality is defined as providing everyone with access to the same tools in the workplace, whereas equity recognises that sometimes, this isn't enough, and in order to succeed individuals may require different resources.
Hull Trains has a long history of employing a diverse workforce. Today, 47% of its employees are female, there is a 50/50 split on the executive board, and 27% of its drivers are women with all of them having been promoted internally. That is the highest percentage in the UK rail industry where, according to 2021 statistics, the industry average is 6.5%.
Louise Mendham, Service Delivery Director, explained: “Since joining the team in 2008, I have experienced first-hand how Hull Trains enable pathways for women to progress and it has always been a priority to listen to individual needs and provide tailored support so that everyone gets the same opportunities to succeed.
“We have an incredible team here and things like gender, race, and sexuality have never been a barrier for any colleague. We recognise that people join us with different needs, so it is important to allocate exact resources and opportunities on an individual basis.”
A prime example of this is Hull Trains' approach to flexible working which has undergone a step change in its approach to flexible working since 2015. A total of 15% of all colleagues working in office and onboard roles are taking advantage of this to support a healthy work/life balance.
Louise continued: “We want to inspire people from all backgrounds to come and join the railway industry and awareness events like International Women's Day are a great way to spread the message and break down barriers.
“We have a woman in every role we offer here at Hull Trains, and we regularly champion them to help retain and attract further talent to the team, especially individuals who probably didn't see the railway as a career option for them.”
Further information about International Women's Day and how to #EmbraceEquity can be found at www.internationalwomensday.com
