ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 64
FEATURE
WOMEN IN AUTOMOTIVE
also a thriller fan, you know you don’t
the achievements of women in the
want to go to a dark car park alone to
automotive industry.
charge your car.
Women at the Wheel is a collaborative
"We need to make sure that charge
network aimed at driving diversity and
points are in well-lit areas, with CCTV,
inclusion across the automotive industry.
and are accessible. Convenience is
The Deloitte spokesperson says: “Our
key. Charge point operators should
network includes people coming from the
work with women drivers and get their
OEMs and manufacturers or sales and
perspectives.”
marketing teams, to engineers, to HR,
When there are fewer women in a
and IT. So we have good representation
room, their concerns are less likely to be
across the spectrum.
recognised and raised in the design and
“We have a cross-learning experience
implementation of products.
and we also do quite a lot of thinking
As Erin Baker, editorial director at
around panels for discussions; for
Autotrader, pointed out in the same
example based out of this research that
panel discussion: “We need greater
we have done, a lot of people think one of
representation in the industry. Until
the very important factors to help women
that shifts, I don’t know what is going
develop their careers in our industry is
to change."
having a really good
The spokesperson
sponsorship and
Communication
from Deloitte says
allyship.
that there is a lot
“Based on this
and openness [must] research,
more apprehension
we've been
around EV adoption
following up with
include everyone
for women, with
different panels and
in the conversation, events that are still
range anxiety being
a specific concern.
talking about what
not just those
They advocate for
sponsorship means.”
more inclusion when
Having male allyship
directly affected"
bringing solutions
when endeavouring
to customers, and
to champion women
greater consideration of the specific
within a male dominated industry is
concerns women have over EV adoption.
particularly important. To this end,
Having women to raise and advocate
the Deloitte spokesperson shares their
for solutions is vital. The spokesperson
thoughts on what it means to be a good
from Deloitte explains that, otherwise,
sponsor: “It should be male and female.
“you're just making cars for men.”
"We believe that we can have a talk
about diversity among an all-female
Value of community
audience, but it won't change anything.
Industry networks are a popular
It'll become an echo chamber.”
way for niches within a larger
industry – particularly when it comes
Progress together
to underrepresented groups – to
The issue of representation, diversity and
communicate about the sector.
inclusion can be a divisive one.
There are already women-focused
It is emotive, both for those who feel
groups that have been created and
locked out of an industry, and for those
maintained by men and women in the
who feel accused of bias and benefitting
sector who want to champion the cause.
from the status quo.
Resources include 'Women in the Driving
The answer to this issue is, for the
Seat', a podcast discussing women in the most part, communication and openness
automotive sector and hosted by Baker.
– this must include everyone in the
Another is the Automotive 30% Club,
conversation, not just those directly
comprised mostly of men and founded
affected, but allies and sponsors from all
by Julia Muir.
groups and parts of the market.
The club aims to share best
In increasing the representation of
practices on how to increase female
women in all roles, businesses will benefit
representation. Women with Drive has
from more diverse problem solving and
similar ambitions, specifically celebrating
better sales figures. i
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AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS Q4 2025
