WOMEN IN RAIL AWARDS 2025

“LNER is proud to be Headline Sponsor for the Women in Rail Awards 2025, as part of its ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. LNER aims to lead the way in creating a more inclusive rail industry with initiatives as varied as having free period products on trains and at stations to its involvement in the “Never Mind The Gap” programme, helping women wanting to get their career on track after time out of work.

LNER has a 44% female workforce and 13% of drivers are women. While both figures outperforming the UK rail industry the company recognises there is still much more work to be done.

By sponsoring the Women in Rail Awards 2025, LNER reinforces its vision to become the most loved, progressive, and responsible way to travel, while supporting initiatives that empower and inspire women in the sector.”

With 37 locations and 6,000 employees, Alstom is the UK and Ireland’s leading supplier of new trains and train services, and a leading signalling and rail infrastructure provider. Alstom have built just under 40% of the UK mainline train fleet; as well as the entire fleets in service with London Underground and Dublin Luas. Half of all UK rail journeys are made on an Alstom train, while its portfolio of smart products is the widest on the market.

“Alstom is proud to support the Women in Rail Awards, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and diverse rail industry. We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for driving innovation, improving business outcomes and ensuring the long-term success of the rail sector. By supporting this event, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in rail and help to inspire the next generation of female leaders.

“The Women in Rail Awards aligns with Alstom’s core values of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity. We recognise the importance of creating a supportive environment that empowers women to thrive in all roles, from engineering and operations to project management and leadership. As a company at the forefront of technological advancements and sustainable mobility, we are committed to fostering talent that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.”

“Through our partnership with the Women in Rail Awards, we aim to highlight the achievements of women who are shaping the future of rail and encourage others to break down barriers. Together, we can create a more balanced and innovative industry that supports the aspirations and potential of all individuals, regardless of gender.”

-Charlotte Briers, Rolling Stock Performance Lead and Chair of Voices of Women at Alstom

We are BAM. We use the skills, knowledge, and experience found across BAM to help our clients find the right solutions to their biggest challenges.

We deliver and enhance buildings and infrastructure across the UK and Ireland. Our approach is client-focused. We build strong relationships with our clients, understanding what they do and their biggest challenges, to develop solutions tailored to them.

Our vision is to build a sustainable tomorrow. We use the skills and experience found across our business to develop projects which are innovative, sustainable and value-driven. No matter how complex, we leave no stone unturned to deliver the right solution for our client.

Working together, we will find the right answer.

“We’re proud to sponsor the Women in Rail Awards Apprenticeship category. Promoting gender inclusivity in apprenticeships is crucial for fostering diverse and equitable workplaces that attract new talent.

At BAM, people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe diverse teams deliver the best results for BAM and our clients. Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect runs throughout our employee experience. There’s more than ‘one version’ of brilliance. We welcome a wide range of skills, experiences, and new perspectives. Put simply, at BAM we want people to get the support they need to be themselves.

Working with our social sustainability team and partnerships such as Women in Rail, we target 30% female representation in our apprenticeship roles, building from a baseline of 25%.

We’re proud members of Women into Science and Engineering (WISE). Since becoming a strategic partner in 2020, our relationship with WISE has grown significantly. Using WISE resources, BAM’s Gender Action Network guides and supports us. Our objectives include creating a safe environment for our members, supporting family leave and returners, and greater representation within our professional memberships, while educating people about gender equality.

Meet the women at BAM making a real impact!”

East Midlands Railway (EMR) operates over 450 train services daily, offering a blend of fast Intercity routes and vital regional connections. These services link South Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and London St Pancras International, as well as towns and cities across England. At EMR, our vision is to drive the East Midlands toward a brighter future. We aim to connect cities, support communities, and create easier, more accessible journeys for everyone.

 “At East Midlands Railway (EMR), we are proud to support Women in Rail because gender equality is at the heart of our We Embrace Diversity value. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to delivering the best service for our customers and communities. Supporting Women in Rail aligns with our commitment to creating an environment where women feel valued, empowered, and inspired to pursue careers in the railway industry. By supporting initiatives like Women in Rail, we are helping to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and encourage more women to consider careers in our industry. Through mentoring, networking, and development opportunities, we aim to support women at all stages of their careers, ensuring they have the tools and confidence to succeed. EMR is committed to driving meaningful change, and our partnership with Women in Rail is a vital step in building a fairer and more representative railway for everyone.”

Greater Anglia provides intercity, commuter and rural services across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, including the Stansted Express service. We’re responsible for over 2800 employees, operate about 1,300 train services per day and manage 134 stations. In the last few years we’ve transformed rail travel in our region, replacing every single train with a brand-new train offering a better travel experience, with air conditioning, plug and USB points, fast, free wifi and improved accessibility. Our new fleet has also helped us deliver record-breaking and industry-leading performance results, as well as raise customer satisfaction standards. We’re passionate supporters of Women in Rail and committed to helping all our colleagues realise their career aspirations.

“Greater Anglia (GA) is proud to support and, for the second consecutive year, sponsor the Women in Rail Awards. We recognise the essential role Women in Rail plays in improving, equality, diversity and inclusion within our industry and the platform it provides us all to share best practice. In particular, the colleagues that you meet and hear from at the Women in Rail Awards are a motivation to all of us in the work that we do.

We are honoured to sponsor the Inspirational Woman of the Year category at this years’ Awards. Here at GA, we have many inspirational women across the company, who lead our colleagues, look after our customers and achieve remarkable results each day. For us, this award showcases colleagues who – whether they know it or not – are role models to others and will have their own story to tell on their journey. The nominations within this category provide shining examples of the many inspirational females we are fortunate to have within our industry who have a positive impact on others.”

With our 3,500 employees in the UK and our global HQ in London, Hitachi Rail is a cornerstone of the UK’s rail industry. Operating across 20 sites across England, Scotland and Wales, we leverage an extensive network of depots, maintenance centres and our factory in the North East. This infrastructure enables us to deliver world-class solutions in signalling, digital maintenance and telecom systems. Our skilled and diverse workforce is the heart of our operations, driving innovation, delivering results of our customers and nurturing the next generation of rail talent across the UK.

“Hitachi Rail is proud to sponsor the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Individual Award and show our full support for the 2025 Women in Rail Awards. At Hitachi Rail, we are committed to accelerating the pace of change and harnessing the benefits a truly diverse and inclusive workforce can bring.

Under our DEI framework, BeYou, we have launched 4 networks to support people in marginalised groups, including the Women’s Network. Our mission is to start the vital conversations that need to take place to highlight actions that individuals can take to contribute to Hitachi’s vision for social innovation, not only within our organisation but also in their day-to-day lives. Under the framework, we have created a community that involves networking events, inspirational speakers, mentoring opportunities, awareness training and initiatives that look at inclusive design and the status of our policies.

Looking for partnerships with our customers, suppliers and industry bodies is also a key part of our framework, as we believe that it is through partnerships and collaboration that we can collectively have the most impact.“

KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) operates the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) under franchise for Docklands Light Railway Limited, part of Transport for London.  It is the busiest light railway in the UK and carries 122 million passengers a year; more than many heavy rail operators. KAD comprises c865 employees working to deliver the operations, customer service, engineering and project services for the railway.  The DLR serves a total of 45 stations.  The train service operates through a number of diverse and varied boroughs in east and south east London, connecting residents from Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham and Tower Hamlets to the heart of London’s financial districts in Canary Wharf and Bank and popular tourist attractions at Greenwich and Tower Gateway.

“KeolisAmey Docklands are proud to sponsor the Women in Rail Awards again this year and to be a part of the UK rail industry’s commitment to gender balance, equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Women in Rail has been an invaluable resource in our equality, diversity and inclusion work at KAD. From the findings of the Industry Survey report informing our outreach and recruitment, to the cross-company mentoring programme being an important element of our Women in KAD Development Programme, we are grateful for the platform Women in Rail provides to support good practice across the sector. 

This year we are pleased to sponsor the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team Award and look forward to joining colleagues at the ceremony to recognise and celebrate all those who have contributed to the Women in Rail agenda over the past year.”

Transport UK is a dynamic UK-based private sector group operating Greater Anglia, West Midlands Trains, and East Midlands Railway, operating Merseyrail in partnership with Serco, and operating 11% of London’s bus routes. Led by a dedicated team of industry experts with unrivalled experience in the sector, Transport UK is playing a vital role in shaping the future of integrated public transport.

“Transport UK is proud to support the Social Value Award at the Women in Rail Awards for a second year. Our support stems from our commitment to fostering social mobility and creating social value within the UK rail industry. This year, we launched our Social Values Charter that lays out our commitments. This award recognises organisations implementing effective social value programmes whilst actively engaging with local communities to ensure broad access to rail industry careers.

“With an extensive operational reach across various communities, Transport UK inherently understands the significance of connecting people with work, school, their loved ones, and recreation. As a major employer with over 12,000 diverse staff members, we set industry standards in promoting inclusivity and sustainable practices. We will continue to advocate for and implement policies like the Living Wage and promoting sustainable transport options. We also take a dedicated approach to diversifying our pool of applicants for our apprenticeship programmes, to welcome in incredible talent and improve diversity across the sector from the bottom up.”

“Transport UK are also proud to support Women in Transport, Women in Engineering, Women in STEM, Women in Bus and Coach.”

West Midlands Trains is ran by owning company Transport UK and is made up of two networks West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway.

West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill. London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston.

“West Midlands trains is proud of the invaluable contribution women make both across our organisation and the wider rail industry. We actively want to recognise and support this celebratory event of women who have and continue to positively challenge the status quo in a male dominated environment to break down barriers, open opportunities and inspire females to pursue a career on the railways.”