A Woman’s Place is Behind the Wheel

It is with delight that over the years I have been writing more and more about women in haulage. Shamefully, it was not that long ago that a female was a rare sight in the transport industry. Things are changing fast – women now play vital roles as managing directors, logistics coordinators and HGV drivers in companies up and down the country. Now in its 10th year, the Freight Transport Association’s annual Everywoman in Transport and Logistics Award is approaching and the nominations have come in fast and furiously!

The event, held in June, is a gala evening focusing on recognising the diverse roles that women in haulage, transportation and logistics companies now play. A nomination for this prestigious award has a ripple effect of benefits. Both individual and company profiles are raised and the spotlight also encourages interest in potential careers within the industry for other women.

The freight and transportation sector has faced many new challenges in the recent years that their previous industry leaders had not anticipated. Women are now the driving force behind problem solving regarding the rise of e-commerce logistics, reducing carbon emissions, as well as the overall shortage of quality employees throughout the sector.

Award Categories

Each category is broken down to recognise both effort and achievement. According to nomination guidelines, awards will be given to acknowledge these two areas under each category:

"Above and Beyond – Celebrates a woman who has truly gone above and beyond her role to help drive the organisation's success. This is awarded to a woman at any stage of her career, in recognition of her commitment to going the ‘extra mile’.

Leader – Celebrates a woman operating in a senior role within her organisation. She will be making a significant contribution to the strategic direction of the business."

Highlighting the Specifics

The awards event tries to break down the industry into recognisable categories to truly highlight the success that women have brought to the business.

The Freight Award – This award recognises the talent behind the innovators tackling the challenge of increasing more freight on our roads/seas/air/rails within its limited capacity and with minimal disruption.

The Infrastructure Award – Recognising the individuals promoting the improvement of rail and road infrastructure including planning, development, logistics and operations.

The Passenger Award – The challenge of improving the customer experience has risen in priority over the years. Women in haulage and logistics companies now play a prominent role in this vital and difficult field.

The Warehousing Award – Recognising the leaders who are both improving and innovating better warehouse operations. This is seen either through analytics or technologies that minimise costs and improve processes.

The Supply Chain Award – Innovators leading the way by improving the supply chain process with advances in technology, analytics and customer service are recognised with this award.

The Industry Champion Award – This final award acknowledges the effort and achievements of an individual who have played a vital role in attracting, recruiting and retaining women in haulage, transportation and logistics companies.

Getting There

This year’s event is being held at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square and is sure to be an exceptional evening of celebration. Guests are recommended to book their table as soon as possible through the award’s website to avoid missing out. According to the ceremony’s manifesto the luncheon will include the opportunity to:

• Witness the reveal of future role-models and leaders in the industry
• Network with renowned companies in your sector that champion gender diversity
• Enjoy a fine dining experience at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London, in the heart of Mayfair

Women in haulage, logistics and transportation companies are bringing new and exciting changes to an ever-evolving industry. Join the FTA in celebrating these achievements and find out where the future is headed.

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange is the leading service for matching haulage jobs with available vehicles. They also provide expert articles on topics like women in haulage and other issues in the freight industry. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.