A parliamentary roundtable discussion hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Women in Transport highlighted the benefits of incorporating equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into health and safety strategies.
Pictured from left to right: David Whitehouse from West Coast Partnership, Stephen Morgan MP Shadow Rail Minister, Ruth Cadbury MP Chair of the APPG, Huw Merriman MP and Minister for Rail and HS2, Jo Field President of Women in Transport, and Katrina Lorenc mobile crane operator from HS2 Ltd.
On Monday 4th March, the APPG for Women in Transport hosted a roundtable discussion in Parliament on the link between equality, diversity and inclusion and improved health, safety and wellbeing outcomes, particularly on transport construction sites.
The day heard from the Minister for Rail and HS2, Huw Merriman MP, and the Shadow Minister for Rail, Stephen Morgan MP, as well as from industry perspectives including the West Coast Partnership and HS2 Ltd.
Commenting on the day Rail Minister Huw Merriman said:
“I’d like to thank the APPG for Women in Transport for the constructive conversation last week around overcoming the underrepresentation of women in transport and how the industry is seeking to improve diversity.
“Although progress is being made with HS2 getting closer to its target of a 40% female workforce and Network Rail reducing its gender pay gap, as women still on average make up just 16% of the industry, it is clear a lot more needs to be done.
“I look forward to continuing the conversation around how we can build on this, and how the Government can support the sector to improve further.”
Stephen Morgan MP, Shadow Minister for Rail, said:
“With women accounting for just 16% of the rail industry, much more needs to be done to improve the diversity of the workforce at all levels. We need a long-term strategy to make jobs in rail more attractive, valued and safer for everyone.
“We are committed to eradicating gender inequality, ensuring equal pay for ethnic minorities and strengthening hate crime legislation for LGBT+ people. So we’re keen to work closely with the industry to achieve these goals.”
The roundtable also outlined some of the systemic barriers faced by underrepresented groups, including issues of accessibility and macho workplace cultures.
Reflecting on the gender diversity of the transport industry Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the APPG for Women in Transport, said:
“In such a male-dominated sector as transport, it’s good to see the industry taking steps to create a safer and more diverse workforce.
“It was interesting to hear that more inclusive workplaces are safer and that improving safety and wellbeing also helps improve recruitment and retention of a more diverse workforce.”
Participants highlighted the need to learn lessons from other sectors and to ensure a joint effort to address these challenges.
David Whitehouse, Head of Safety and Security at West Coast Partnership, said:
“When I took up the role of Safety Director five years ago the diversity within the workforce needed to be increased and there was work to be done to ensure that a more diverse workforce was encouraged. I am proud to say that the industry is diversifying itself and opening doors to individuals from all backgrounds.”
Pamela McInroy, Senior Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at HS2, who has trailblazed the approach to view equality, diversity and inclusion as part of health and safety, said:
“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at HS2. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone is valued and protected.
“Our approach puts equality, diversity and inclusion as an essential part of our health and safety strategy, and has resulted in measures such as ensuring inclusive PPE and translating health and safety briefings. By championing a culture of inclusivity, we not only enhance safety but also foster a more productive and resilient workforce.”
The discussion will inform a guidance document for the industry which will be published by the APPG for Women in Transport and include examples of best practice.
The event was kindly sponsored by the West Coast Partnership and hosted by Ruth Cadbury MP as Chair of the APPG for Women in Transport.
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