For a strong female role model, Charlotte Whitfield needed look no further than her own family.

Our customer experience director recalls how her mum worked her whole life to support her family.

“She took some challenging roles, including teaching in prisons,” says Charlotte. “She and my dad shared all the housework and childcare, fifty-fifty. So, I grew up with that idea that equality should be the norm.”

In the wider world of course, the path to true equality is still being travelled.

Huge steps have been made in recent years, but even at the current rate of progress, true gender equality is still generations away, according to the World Economic Forum.

It’s why this year’s International Women's Day on 8 March was themed around Accelerating Action.

With ARL also committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for all, that's something Charlotte is determined to deliver as a senior female leader.

“I was based in bus depots, and was very much thrown in at the deep end, including learning to drive a bus,” Charlotte recalls. “For a month, I drove a route in Manchester. That experience was something I’ve kept front of mind in my role at ARL. It’s important to understand the daily challenges frontline colleagues face.”

TRAILBLAZING WOMEN

As well as a grounding in customer service and operations, Charlotte’s early days in the transport industry also brought home the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated workplace – and the value of role models.

“A lady called Nikki Allder at First Bus taught me a lot about leadership skills. She came into my life at a time where I was struggling with a role and provided valuable support. More recently, Claire Mann at TfL has been an amazing mentor.

MORE ACCESSIBLE

Having built her career to senior level, she is now determined to act as a role model for others.

“Things have improved, there are far more women in the industry now and conversations about equality, diversity and inclusion happen much more regularly/naturally,” says Charlotte.

“There are more support networks. There are fewer barriers around career progression – our reverse mentoring and untapped talent programmes have been very positive here. And businesses in general have become more accessible to women, whether related to childcare, or issues around the menopause.”

While change has been rapid, Charlotte agrees that International Women’s Day plays an important role in highlighting the change still needed.   

“International Women’s Day is another way we inspire others, especially young women, to set themselves new goals to achieve their aspirations.

“My advice to others is that even if you can't see yourself reflected in the leadership within a particular area, that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve or make progress. At ARL, there is so much opportunity. There is space here for everyone to achieve great things.”