Agenda Railway Industry Women shapes the railway industry, makes women experts visible and connects experts throughout the whole sector. -- Ruth Boyer and Lara Spendier, presidents of the network Agenda Railway Industry Women
In the Austrian railway sector, the network Agenda Railway Industry Women (Agenda Bahnindustrie Frauen*) marks a pioneering step towards gender equality. Founded in November 2020, this initiative is characterised by its strategic blend of scientific research, robust networking and advocacy championing a more inclusive railway industry. The network aspires to significantly elevate the representation of women in the sector, aiming for a 25 % female workforce and a 30 % female share in management positions by 2030.
Despite women constituting 46 % of the labour market, their presence in the EU’s railway sector lags at 21.4 %, with Austria at the lower end (12.8 %). A 2023 study commissioned by the network unveils that merely 13.7 % of Austria’s railway industry workforce are women, with an alarming 25 % of companies lacking gender equality initiatives.
The Agenda Railway Industry Women network is set on altering this status quo by:
- raising awareness through honouring projects that expand the railway industry to include the perspective of women with the Agenda Railway Industry Women Award;
- enhancing the visibility of female experts and role models in all areas of green mobility;
- providing mentoring and career development for women;
- commissioning research studies and collecting and analysing sex-disaggregated data.
The network has already made notable impacts – establishing itself as a vanguard for women in the railway sector, aiding member companies in defining and achieving gender equality objectives and enhancing sector-wide awareness through its inaugural study and award ceremonies. The network’s success hinges on its dual focus on empowering women and underpinning initiatives with rigorous research, bolstered by political and sectoral support to advance its cause.