Go-Ahead sets goal to double female representation across bus operations

In addressing the long-standing lack of gender diversity in public transport, Go-Ahead is taking steps to encourage women to take up positions in its bus companies. Its efforts include:

• Setting a company-wide target to increase female representation from 11% to 20% of the bus workforce by 2025
• Establishing a “Women in Bus” employee network, open to all, to support, develop and empower female colleagues
• Creating female-focused recruitment campaigns, open days and training opportunities
• Continuing to build its high quality bus driver apprenticeship programme

Go-Ahead employs 14,000 people in its UK bus companies. Historically, very few women have worked in front-line roles in public transport – an issue common across both bus and rail.  Go-Ahead’s companies are implementing recruitment campaigns and creating initiatives to showcase opportunities, in the aim of doubling the number of women in their workforce over the coming years.

Go-Ahead Group People Director, Siobhan Morrison, said: “Women and men of all ages and backgrounds travel on our buses.  We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our passengers and communities, so there are great opportunities for women to work in our bus businesses.  Equality is at the heart of our culture and we are committed to attracting more females into roles throughout the business.

“Go-Ahead places a premium on an inclusive and diverse workforce and research has shown that women are more likely to aim high where they can see women in leadership positions.  Go-Ahead has recently appointed Elodie Brian as its first female Chief Financial Officer, so we are challenging stereotypes and leading the way in securing skills from the widest possible talent pool”.

Go-Ahead’s Women in Bus network will provide visible role models to colleagues, and create a forum for women to raise issues, share experiences and support each other.

The network will be used as a forum for discussion on relevant policies, and it will bring women together to share learning and work experiences.  It will be open to both women and men - from front-line colleagues to supervisors, engineers and senior executives. Support from male colleagues will be integral to the success of the network.

Go-Ahead CEO, David Brown, added:

“We are proud to be the first company in the bus sector to create a female colleague-led network spanning across our business.

“We want to encourage change within our industry – attracting more women to the profession and equipping our female colleagues to progress their careers.  We are committed to removing the obstacles that block women from reaching their full potential and to having a workforce as diverse as the public we serve.”

Contact: communications@go-ahead.com 

Case study: Caroline Welch, Apprentice Manager at Go-Ahead London (more information on request)

Caroline Welch  said: “I work hard to pave the way for future generations of women so they can have seats at the table. I try to be involved in every stage of the recruitment process and make sure I am physically present at recruitment events. I like to show, using myself as an example that it is possible for women to excel in this industry. We need to work harder to attract women to industry by making it clear that it can be flexible for mothers and caregivers and make it trendy and appealing to young women who want a steady career for life”