The north’s biggest train operator given special recognition for improving gender balance, equality, diversity and inclusion

The north of England train operator, which employs close to 7,000 people, including c.1400 women, was recognised by judges for its work in improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the rail industry. 

Northern was picked out of 300 nominations and shortlisted entries in the awards ceremony dedicated to celebrating the contribution of women to the UK rail industry. 

The Women in Rail Awards aim to showcase and reward individuals and companies (large and small) who have made a significant contribution to improving gender balance, equality, diversity and inclusion within the UK railway industry. 

Northern launched a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy in 2020 with the aim of creating a culture where everyone who works for us or travels with us feels included and valued. 

Judges from the Women in Rail Awards were pleased to see that EDI in Northern is not just a HR task but that it involves commitments from everyone within the business.  

50 colleagues volunteer from across the business to advise on how equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything Northern does and the group have spearheaded continuous EDI based learning and development, raised awareness of key issues and helped to introduced workplace policies on Menopause, Domestic Violence Support, Becoming a Parent and Transgender Support.   

Northern also has a blind sifting policy, meaning information on CVs that could indicate a person’s background or gender is removed to ensure there is no potential unconscious bias. This has led to an increase in new recruits into Northern from ethnic backgrounds. 

Emma Yates, Northern’s Programme Director commented: “The Women in Rail Awards is a very important occasion that celebrates the contribution and opportunities for women across the UK rail industry. 

“We have worked extremely hard to make sure that we are an equal, diverse and inclusive business for both our customers and our colleagues, and it is fantastic news that the judges gave us special recognition for our work in this area. 

“We are continually working on our strategy to attract the best and most diverse people into Northern and we will work with all our communities to let everyone know that Northern and the rail industry is a great place to be with opportunities for all.” 

The Women in Rail event is attended by a cross section of the UK rail sector, including key stakeholders and decision makers, infrastructure providers, operators, manufacturers, rolling stock companies, technical consultancy companies and suppliers, to name only a few. 
 
Northern was also shortlisted for the Women in Rail Social Inclusion award for its work with young and diverse communities in West Yorkshire and in particular Bradford, which has the youngest population in Europe. Northern have worked with the National Citizen Service to educate communities on the benefits and huge variety of opportunities working within the rail industry.  

Northern’s commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Mobility was one of the reasons that attracted Tahira Bibi, the UK’s first female Pakistani train driver to the industry.

She commented:  “Representation in any industry matters because it shapes how people from minority backgrounds are viewed by wider society and how they view themselves. Representation allows people to feel validated and create a team environment where ideas are diverse, perspectives are varied, and everyone feels different.”