Tiger Trailers, one of the UK’s leading HGV trailer and rigid bodywork manufacturers, has joined Women in Transport as a corporate member, as the Winsford-based company’s CSR and ESG teams continue to strive to bring about positive change in the transport sector and in communities and the environment in general.
With women making up 47% of the general UK workforce but only 20% in the transport sector, the Cheshire manufacturer chose to become a corporate member of Women in Transport because the organisation focusses specifically on the employment, career development and retention of women in the industry.
Tiger Trailers’ employee base of approximately 280 people is currently comprised around 8% women, across both its office functions and in factory roles. Men can enrol in Women in Transport and an initial four male members of the trailer-builder’s workforce have done so a week after the membership was announced through internal communications and a launch event with cakes, posters and video presentations in the canteen, followed by an update posted on the company’s LinkedIn channel.
Claire Shenton, Tiger Trailers’ HR Manager, says: “Organisations such as Women in Transport are crucial in shaping the future for women working in traditionally male dominated industries. I am so proud of the four men in our business who have joined us in membership so far, as they all recognise the importance of having women in the workplace, and I am looking forward to us all collaborating in both the development and the retention of women within our manufacturing roles.”
Women in Transport is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers women in the industry to maximise their potential in predominantly male careers. They offer a free mentoring programme which matches people all over the country, presenting a fantastic opportunity for career development.
It is proven that businesses who foster strong collaboration between male and female staff perform better, and benefit from diversity of ideas, attitudes, and approaches.
Sonya Byers, Chief Executive Officer of Women in Transport, comments: “Women in Transport is delighted to welcome Tiger Trailers as a partner. It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm and passion from the Tiger Team. The commitment to making a difference is clear from the actions that Tiger are taking across their corporate social responsibility initiatives including this new partnership. We look forward to working together to attract more women into roles where they are currently underrepresented, supporting our new members through the opportunities we offer for career progression and networking and collaborating on industry wide initiatives on diversity and inclusion in transport."
Various members of Tiger Trailers’ team, including Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Alison Cartwright, HR Manager Claire Shenton, and Health & Safety Officer Holly Heaton, have already attended a number of Women in Transport events and taken away insightful experiences, such as a roundtable hosted by Kier Construction discussing the barriers mothers face in the workplace and how employers can make meaningful change to remove them.
Tiger Trailers is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of articulated semi-trailers and rigid bodywork. Based in Cheshire and soon celebrating its 10th year in business, the firm builds the complete range of vehicular products, with customers supported by its Tiger Finance, Tiger Parts and Tiger Rentals business units. The manufacturer’s ESG initiatives are evidenced through tree planting for each product sold, and the installation of solar panels and rapid EV chargers at its Winsford factory, while the firm’s CSR activities include working with various charities through Cheshire Community Foundation and The Prince’s Trust, with the Tiger Safety Team also delivering its ‘STOP, LOOK, BE SEEN’ road safety programme into schools.
