New THRC program spotlights employers leading the way in creating great workplaces for women
from Trucking HR Canada
OTTAWA, ON (February 18, 2025) — Trucking HR Canada is launching a new initiative at the Women with Drive Leadership Summit (March 6, Toronto) to recognize employers who are leaders in making their workplaces great for women.
The Women’s Leadership Accord celebrates companies taking concrete action to recruit, retain, and support women with policies and practices that encourage their success. These organizations are helping improve women’s career options as well as showcasing the sector as an attractive option for fulfilling careers.
The new initiative is being piloted with a number of fleets. They will receive their Women’s Leadership Accord certificates in special ceremonies at the Women with Drive Leadership Summit (Toronto, March 6) and Western Women with Drive (Calgary, April 30).
Employers can join the Accord in two simple steps:
Commit to the program’s overarching goals — gender equity, inclusivity, safety, and empowerment — and sign onto the Accord.
Earn their certificate by demonstrating what they have in place to support the Accord pillars: leadership, attraction and recruitment, retention, health and safety, and community engagement.
“We’re proud to be an inaugural signatory to the Women’s Leadership Accord,” says David Tumber, President and COO, Kriska Transportation Group. “Attracting women is important to our future viability — not just our company, but to the industry as a whole. The Accord is an easy
way to demonstrate what we’re doing to recruit, hire, train, and support women to thrive in their careers.”
This new Accord also provides a way to share that commitment with their staff, prospective employees, customers, and the industry as a whole.
“We’re excited to launch this new Accord at Women with Drive and highlight the great work being done to support more women in our sector,” says Angela Splinter, CEO, THRC. “Thanks to the efforts already underway from forward-thinking employers, women employed in trucking and logistics increased by 27% in 2021 over 2016 — that’s 26,235 women joining our industry who recognize the opportunities for fulfilling careers in the sector.”
Attendees at Women with Drive on March 6 can find out more about the Accord at a special breakout session. THRC offers a growing suite of free tools and resources to help employers attract, recruit, and retain women, support their career choices, and enhance the industry’s appeal.
“The Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada is proud to be a project partner on this initiative,” says Shelley Walker, CEO, WTFC. “It’s a meaningful way to support companies that empower women — and shift general attitudes about women in the industry and beyond.”
Trucking and logistics falls well below the national average for women in the workforce, with only 16%, compared to nearly half the general national workforce. Other sectors, with whom we compete for talent, are attracting women at a higher rate.
The Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada is a project partner.
Trucking HR Canada acknowledges the support of Women and Gender Equality Canada.
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Trucking HR Canada is a national, non-profit sector council and the trusted source for labour market intelligence and advancing industry-leading HR solutions for our national trucking and logistics workforce. We collaborate, partner, and work with a dynamic national-provincial-territorial network, including industry associations, government, and industry professionals to ensure Canada’s freight transportation network has the skilled workforce required for today and into the future.