Charter for Women in Road Transport

Quick wins

• Adopt fair, inclusive recruitment and selection practices that remove barriers for women at every stage. This includes crafting gender-neutral job descriptions, conducting interviews that focus on skills rather than stereotypes. Anonymising CVs can depict a positive push to proactively reach out to qualified women candidates, minimising unconscious biases related to gender, ethnicity or age and creating a more equitable hiring process.
• Job advertisements should explicitly mention any available flexible work arrangements (e.g. adjustable work hours, remote work opportunities, part-time roles), supportive work-life balance measures, and parental leave policies that can improve the attractiveness of the profession to women.
• When equally qualified candidates apply, organisations are encouraged to give preference to women in order to correct structural imbalances in traditionally male-dominated areas of road transport. To reinforce this commitment and provide mutual support, it is recommended to onboard at least two women simultaneously, a practice demonstrated by some IRU members to enhance their sense of belonging and improve long-term retention. Such an approach, sometimes referred to as affirmative action, remains firmly merit-based. It is employed only when candidates' qualifications and experience are demonstrably equivalent and is best implemented in the final stage of recruitment to address deep-rooted barriers and foster a more diverse workforce.
• Actively showcase women as role models by featuring their achievements in company communications, events or speaker series, and mentorship programmes.
• Organise, where appropriate, events to present company jobs to young women and girls and also engage parents, as they often influence their children’s professional choices.
• Establish dedicated social and networking events for women – such as informal "women in transport networking" or after-work meetups – can significantly boost women's retention.

Taking it further

• Offer regular, targeted training for all managers, recruiters and colleagues – especially those who will work closely with new hires from minority groups, covering gender bias awareness, proactive diversity management, respectful communication and inclusive hiring practices.
• Put in place return-to-work and mentorship programmes to help women re-enter the industry and advance their careers smoothly. Additionally, by including an optional gender question in standard exit-survey processes, employers can analyse departures through a gender lens. This helps identify any disparities and inform targeted improvements without singling out women for separate interviews.
• Run outreach campaigns promoting the industry's positive impact on society.

Quick wins

• Ensure that women returning from maternity leave or other breaks retain their accrued status and easily access refresher courses to update their skills, when needed.
• Anchor re-entry to existing training obligations where they exist, aligning its timing with the employee’s return from leave so it doubles as their re-entry refresher, rather than commissioning a separate programme. Where no such scheme applies, hold a short, informal skills check-in instead, covering any changes to vehicles, routes, regulations, or procedures during the absence.

Taking it further

• Ensure that all workers – regardless of gender, age or background – have the same opportunities to enter, validate and advance through vocational and technical training where needed.
• Include a mandatory gender-awareness and unconscious-bias segment in every training programme, with dedicated sessions for senior leaders. These modules should challenge stereotypes, spur discussions, and build an inclusive culture. Every training should address gender specific needs where necessary to ensure that both genders have equal access to learning.
• When possible, offer paid apprenticeships, on-the-job training and "positive-action" skill-building workshops specifically aimed at women technicians.
• Establish mentor/buddy networks to reinforce formal training, share career guidance and expand professional connections.
• Offer targeted leadership and mentorship initiatives – such as intensive leadership bootcamps, peer-mentoring circles and senior-sponsor partnerships – that equip women with the strategic skills, organisational insights and professional networks needed to progress into higher-level, better-paid roles, while addressing structural barriers to advancement.
• Maintain gender-balanced representation on training committees.
• Share successful case studies and/or courses to inspire wider adoption across the industry.

Quick wins

• Employers should not discriminate based on gender when it comes to remuneration, salary increases and bonuses. Therefore, employers should:
  • Reassess their remuneration policy and include anti-discrimination and equality aspects in the assessment.
  • Assess and compare the value of work on objective criteria such as educational, professional qualifications and required training, the skills and responsibilities inherent to the position, the nature and complexity of the work, and externally sourced benchmark data for comparable roles, undertaken and the nature of tasks involved to prevent or identify and tackle possible pay discrimination based on gender-biased pay scales.
• Employers should reduce the impact of maternity and paternity leaves on the variable part of the salary.
• Employers could reduce the impact of the attendance/presence criterion in the calculation of the annual or performance-based "bonuses"/variable parts of salaries.
• Employers should make available to employees the rules and criteria (e.g. national laws, collective agreements, and sectoral or company rules) used to determine the variable components of remunerations, such as payments in kind and bonuses. In case of discrimination, all these measures improve the prospects for successful employees' claims. This transparency would help companies to avoid discriminating in pay.
• Employers should enable employees to obtain information on the pay levels applicable to their category of workers (e.g. professions), for the same work or work of equal value, broken down by gender.
• Employers should make available means of redress/complaint to employees.
• Employers could inform employees how to challenge a situation if they fear that there has been discrimination (e.g. responsible person/department).
• Employers should disclose salary ranges in job postings or upon request, so pay isn't set through opaque individual negotiation.

Taking it further

• Embed equal-pay and non-discrimination principles in all people-management training.
  • This could be done by including modules on the legal and business case for pay equity, and on how implicit bias can skew recruitment, performance reviews and promotion decisions.
  • Ensure HR professionals, recruiters and line managers complete this training regularly (e.g. annually), with refresher sessions whenever policies or pay frameworks are updated.
• Introduce structured, merit-based decision frameworks, defining clear, role-specific selection and evaluation criteria (skills, experience, competencies) in advance of any recruitment, promotion or salary-review exercise.
• Use standardised scorecards, blinding CV screening and/or automated recommendation tools to generate "short-lists" or pay proposals strictly on those criteria can help minimise ad-hoc manager judgments.
• Audit decisions periodically (e.g. quarterly) to check that outcomes align with the pre-set criteria and to identify any unexplained disparities.
• Complement training with targeted awareness campaigns.
• Run periodic internal communications (posters, intranet features, lunch-and-learn sessions) to keep equal-pay goals and inclusive leadership top of mind.
• Share anonymised case studies showing how structured processes have mitigated bias and improved diversity outcomes.

Quick wins

• Frame childcare and family support as a universal benefit, not limited to parents of very young children, recognising that caregiving needs evolve over time and may include care for older children or other dependents.
• Involve employees in planning flexible schedules and workload adjustments to address their personal needs, ensuring their availability to every employee and across all roles, where possible.

Taking it further

• Where feasible, provide on-site or nearby childcare facilities, or offer subsidies or reimbursements for childcare expenses. These benefits should be available to all employees – regardless of gender – to promote shared caregiving responsibilities.
• Put in place shift-scheduling options, job-sharing schemes, part-time roles, and reduced-hour contracts to accommodate individual preferences.
• Offer inclusive parental-leave packages, including maternity, paternity, shared parental, and carers' leave, and negotiating additional family-related provisions as appropriate to your national context is highly recommended. Flexible options, such as phased returns or extended unpaid leave, can be valuable additions.
• Establish formal career-break or re-entry programmes to support employees returning to work after extended leave.
• Leverage social-dialogue forums to advocate for work–life balance improvements and align them with customer expectations.

Quick wins

• Require people in leadership roles to always model respectful behaviour.
• Provide multiple reporting options (e.g. hotline, email, trusted HR contacts) where possible. Employers should respond swiftly and fairly to incidents, investigating every report with urgency and impartiality.
• Commit to confidentiality and protection against retaliation for anyone who comes forward. Creating safe spaces for employees to share experiences builds a supportive community and reinforces an inclusive culture.

Taking it further

• Adopt a clear, enforceable anti-harassment policy.
• Define unacceptable conduct (e.g. unwanted advances, demeaning jokes, sexist remarks) in concrete terms.
• Explain that certain behaviours may violate national or regional laws.
• Affirm zero tolerance: all incidents will be reported, investigated and, where warranted, disciplined.
• Detail progressive disciplinary steps – ranging from warnings to termination – to ensure consistency and fairness.
• Communicate the policy widely (staff handbooks, intranet, posters) and, where appropriate, share its existence with customers and partners to demonstrate your commitment.
• Train managers to recognise, address, and resolve complaints promptly and impartially to prevent inappropriate behaviour, sexual harassment and sexist behaviour.
• Offer support services – such as counselling or legal advice – to anyone affected.
• In light of an incident, employers should adopt interim measures (e.g. temporary reassignments) to ensure the safety and comfort of those involved, as well as follow through with appropriate corrective actions and communicate outcomes to relevant parties.
• Collect data on reported incidents, investigation timelines and resolutions. It is a good practice to publicise aggregate results and improvements to maintain transparency and trust, as well as regularly assess the effectiveness of policies and procedures through surveys, focus groups or audits.
• Hold training sessions or workshops for all employees on identifying and preventing harassment and discrimination that include specific modules on bystander intervention and unconscious bias.
• Codify in writing that any form of sexual harassment or sexist behaviour will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. This can be done by embedding it in the company's values, performance evaluations, and/or leadership objectives.

Quick wins

• Supply personal protective equipment (PPE) in a wide range of sizes and designs that fit all body types, ensuring safety and comfort for everyone.
• Have sanitary facilities in buildings that support standards for privacy and security, considering men and women perspectives.
• Maintain clear reporting channels for any incident and respond swiftly with support and corrective action.

Taking it further

• Conduct health and safety risk assessments from a gender perspective, analyse the results and adopt necessary measures.
• Organise mixed-gender teams for high-risk night shifts or areas to improve security and occupational safety.
• Pilot reserved, well-lit parking zones close to terminals for women (including pregnant employees) working late or overnight.
• Map routes and depots to pinpoint violence hotspots; survey women staff for firsthand risk reports.
• Provide all employees – especially women – with security training and raise awareness internally and with the public of staff safety concerns.
• Extend medical check-ups and occupational health services to account for gender differences in health behaviours, symptom progression and treatment responses.
• Adopt risk assessments for pregnant women and suitable alternative duties during pregnancy.
• Ensure women drivers (taxis, buses, trucks) have secure access points, communication devices, and emergency protocols, particularly during late hours. This should go beyond standard H&S measures.
• Maintain clear reporting channels for any incident and respond swiftly with support and corrective action.

Rest facilities at stops and terminal stations

Quick wins

• Use imagery, language and role models in all communications that showcase women in driving, technical and leadership roles.

Taking it further

• Provide properly fitted PPE and vehicle controls that have been assessed via body mapping studies.
• Publish clear, confidential reporting channels for gender based harassment, plus rapid-response investigation teams.
• Train all staff, including managers, on violence prevention and de-escalation techniques; install panic buttons/radios in vehicles.

Safe and secure truck parking areas

Quick wins

• Mark and reserve a cluster of bays closest to the security office and restrooms for women drivers.

Taking it further

• Ensure that all walkways between trucks, restrooms, dining and security posts are brightly lit, and covered by cameras.
• Provide lockable, women-only restroom blocks stocked with sanitary supplies, mirrors, seating, and charging points.
• Create separate "quiet rooms" or lounges where drivers can rest, nap, or de-stress, with gender-neutral and women-only options.
• Use visible signage ("Women's Safe Zone") and ensure real-time monitoring (e.g. app alerts when spots free up).
• Station trained security staff (men and women) on patrol, with regular foot-and-vehicle rounds of all lots.
• Make a "late-shift safety buddy" available to drivers who wish for company when walking to their vehicle after hours for safety reasons.
• Place QR-code stickers in women's restrooms and lounges inviting anonymous suggestions on safety and amenities.
• Integrate feedback channels with your HR or facilities team for rapid follow-up and visible "you said/we did" updates.
• Host periodic focus groups with women driver associations to co-design improvements before rolling them out widely.
• Sponsor mentoring or "ride-along" days where prospective women drivers visit well-equipped parking facilities.
• Require all carrier partners to use only safe and secure truck parking areas that meet your gender-inclusive benchmarks or provide higher pay/pass-through fees when they do.
• Run referral bonuses when existing women drivers recommend a colleague who signs with you, tied to their use of these facilities.
• Ensure scheduling staff are aware of women drivers' preferences and always route them to equipped safe and secure truck parking areas.
• Incorporate secure parking area safety training into drivers' onboarding curriculum.