by Women In Trucking Staff, on Oct 10, 2023 5:00:00 AM
ARLINGTON, Va. – Oct. 9, 2023 – Workplace cultures that are strong in diversity and inclusion have been linked in increased productivity, and companies in commercial freight transportation are increasingly formalizing diversity and inclusion (D&I) policies, according to the 2023 WIT Index. Developed by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), the WIT Index is the industry barometer to benchmark and measure each year the percentage of women who make up critical roles in transportation.
For the second year in a row, WIT has included in its 2023 WIT Index if participating companies have a formal Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) policy. Approximately 56.4% of companies confirmed their organization has a formal policy, showing a significant increase from 2022, while 19.3% say their company currently does not have a formal policy in place. Approximately 19.3% confirmed that their company is currently in the process of developing a formal D&I policy.
In addition, the percentage of female leaders in transportation companies continues to increase, according to the 2023 WIT Index. The WIT Index shows that 31.6% of C-suite executives in transportation companies are women, 36.9% of company leaders are female, and 28.4% of boards of directors are women.
“In recent years, many companies in transportation have made their D&I policies publicly available not only to provide transparency to potential job seekers on the importance of gender diversity to their corporate culture but also for customers and business partners,” said Jennifer Hedrick, president and CEO of WIT. “As a result, diverse and inclusive workplaces earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees and key stakeholders.”
Initiated in 2016, the WIT Index is based upon reported statistics by companies in transportation, including for-hire trucking companies, private fleets, transportation intermediaries, railroads, ocean carriers, equipment manufacturers, and technology companies. Data involving the 2023 WIT Index was confidentially gathered from January through April of 2023 from 350 participating companies of various sizes operating in the trucking industry. Percentages are reported only as aggregate totals of respondents rather than by individual company.
For more information on the WIT Index and to download a full executive summary of the 2023 WIT Index findings, visit https://www.womenintrucking.org/index.
Click Here for Prevalence of Diversity and Inclusion Policies
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About Women In Trucking Association, Inc.
Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generosity of Gold Level Partners: Arrow Truck Sales, Bridgestone Americas, Daimler Truck North America, FedEx Freight, Great Dane, J.B. Hunt Transport, Michelin North America, Navistar International, Inc., PACCAR, Penske Transportation Solutions, Ryder System, Walmart, and WM. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. For more information, visit www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.
