Stagecoach celebrates the achievements of its female talent

Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, is celebrating the achievements of its female team after three of its leaders were added to the ‘Women to Watch’ Indexes in one month, with a fourth named as one of the top 50 most inspirational women in Gloucestershire.

UK Managing Director, Carla Stockton-Jones was included in 2021 Role Model for Inclusion Index arranged by Women in Hospitality, Transport & Leisure (WiHTL). Role Models for Inclusion are individuals who are striving to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging within their organisations.

Last year, Stagecoach became the first major private sector multi-modal transport business in the country to appoint a woman at its helm, with Carla becoming UK Managing Director. The organisation have also increased representation of women at its Operations Board to 42%.

WiHTL also run a ‘Women to Watch’ Index of which two senior leaders were included for 2021; Fiona Doherty, Managing Director for Stagecoach West Scotland and Sharon Vye-Parminter, Health, Safety and Environment Director for Stagecoach.

Fiona was added to the list for leading her team through the pandemic and her active participation on the Glasgow Bus Partnership. Fiona has also been elected Chair of ‘Glas-Go’ which aims deliver a simple to use, fast, smart, integrated bus network encouraging modal shift for both residents and visitors travelling to and from the City of Glasgow.

Sharon was included in the Women to Watch index for supporting the business through the Covid-19 crisis as well as launching the Stagecoach Sustainability Strategy which has clear aims and objectives for diversity and inclusion and a roadmap to becoming a net zero business.  She is also an avid supporter of diversity & inclusion, championing talented females in her own team and has recently taken up the role as Co-Chair of the Women@Stagecoach network, Stagecoach’s employee network supporting females and female issues across the whole business.

As part of SoGlos, Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director for Stagecoach West was recently named in the top 50 most inspirational women in Gloucestershire for her services to business. Rachel has developed from a graduate trainee in 2007, to Managing Director with responsibility for 1,500 employees and more than 500 buses, facilitating over 44 million journeys each year.

Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive of Stagecoach, said: “I am extremely proud that four of our female leaders have been added to these indexes in the last month. This celebrates and recognises the commitment each of these women have made to ensuring Stagecoach is successful, equal and an employer of choice.

“We actively promote diversity and inclusion through a variety of ways, from strategic objectives such as targeting 40% female leaders and 25% of employees from ethnic background by 2026 and through our employee lead networks. Diversity and Inclusion continues to be extremely important to our business and whilst we have made some good progress, we know that there is still work to do. The new targets we have set as part of our sustainability strategy will help to make sure that we continue on this positive journey and play our part in helping to transform diversity in the transport sector so that we continue to have a strong pipeline of Women to Watch.”

ENDS