The UK’s largest municipally-owned bus operator, Lothian Buses has operated in Edinburgh for more than 100 years. As one of the region’s largest employers with over 2,500 staff, (approximately 1,700 of whom are drivers), the company is acutely aware of the role it must play to steer towards social change that provides equal opportunities for women.
“Working in transport offers a really exciting and varied career path for women,” says Lothian’s first female Managing Director, Sarah Boyd. “Fostering a culture change that is more inclusive of women attracts, retains, and empowers female talent.”
Sarah got her start in the bus sector through the Stagecoach graduate scheme and she now has more than 20 years of experience under her belt, with the last decade spent at Lothian as Head of Operations, Operations Director, and now Managing Director as of August 2022.
“Representation of women in the bus and coach sector is something I’m especially passionate about,” she says. “More than half of bus customers are women, yet representation in the industry itself is considerably lower. That’s why it’s great to see that the wheels of change are turning as evidenced by Women in Transport.”
Improving the representation and visibility of women working across the industry will help to promote diversity and gender parity, and showcase the industry as a forward thinking, rewarding career opportunity.
In the ten years preceding 2021, Edinburgh’s population grew by 10.2% from an estimated 477,940 to an estimated 526,470 people*. In the same period Scotland's grew by 3.4%, so we know that Edinburgh is bucking the country’s average. This would indicate that there is a huge opportunity for us to harness the talent and skills of women and girls choosing to make Edinburgh their home, and Lothian’s hope is that by showcasing the business as a supportive and inclusive company to work for, this can be achieved.
As part of the Corporate Membership Scheme, Lothian’s Women in Transport working group are excited about the prospect of meeting other like-minded women at networking events, through mentoring and volunteering opportunities, to support individual professional development alongside while championing change within the industry.
Sarah added: “If we can embed that change early and make representation of women a priority, it will ultimately lead to women having equal access to a career in the industry and a workplace designed to support their needs. That’s something we should all be striving for.”
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