Last month we covered the comments from Wayne Bryant CEO of GPC Asia Pacific around the challenges of getting enough technicians and the benefit of increasing the number of women in the industry as we are currently leaving a large untapped talent pool. Well, it turns out New Zealand is already on to this with the team behind Women in Automotive New Zealand launching the Women in Automotive Accord.
Currently, women make up less than 17 per cent of the overall automotive workforce, and the goal of the Women in Automotive Accord is to increase that to 30 per cent by 2030, as well as grow the number of women in senior leadership positions.
All automotive businesses are being encouraged to join the Accord and collectively help to achieve the goal.
Natasha Callister, co-founder of Women in Automotive New Zealand says, “To make a significant and lasting impact we knew we needed to craft a mechanism for bringing organisations on the journey and for measuring collective progress across the industry. The Accord is our framework for that.”
Businesses who sign up to the Accord will commit to seven principles aimed at creating diverse, inclusive workplaces which attract, retain, and grow top female talent.
“It’s well-established that a more diverse workforce has many benefits – not least to the bottom line,” Natasha says. This is a sentiment shared by Chanelle McDonald; General Manager for Passenger Vehicles at Volkswagen New Zealand who says, “Females bring unique traits to the workplace that can help drive engagement, open-mindedness, and collaboration. Being a woman in automotive, or any industry for that matter, allows a whole new way of thinking which is a catalyst for innovation. With diversity in a workplace, whether gender or cultural, it drives businesses to unlock their full potential.”
As well as living up to the seven principles, signatories will be required to report and present their progress at an annual Automotive Accord Summit. Women in Automotive will help signatories develop an action plan and provide tips and support along the way. Fees to belong to the Accord are tiered to reflect the size of the business.
“That means any business, from a multi-national to a mum-and-dad operation, can play a part in driving positive change, and can learn from what’s working in other businesses,” Natasha says.
Over 100 people from the automotive industry attended the launch of Women in Automotive on 17 May 2023.
Founding committee member, Natasha Callister, was inspired to launch Women in Automotive based on her own career experience in male-dominated industries: “I know first-hand the challenges women can face, but also the tools, support frameworks and strategies that can help progress careers into senior levels,” explained Callister.
“Our purpose is to bring together organisations of influence behind a co-ordinated and aligned effort to deliver on the ambition of increasing the participation of women across the automotive industry, and advance women into senior leadership roles.”
Natasha added: “We know that business owners want to understand how they can make their vehicle dealerships and workshop environments more inviting and comfortable; they understand that increasing the representation of women is not just the right thing to do but it also makes smart business sense.
“We also know that the women currently working in the industry simply love what they do and want to help other women join them.”
At the launch a number of people shared their own experiences of working and recruiting in the automotive industry via a panel, convened by Natasha.
The attendees were invited to “Stand with Women in Automotive” by joining the pledge and use the resources on this website.
