Inspire – our employee network for gender equality

Inspire is one of our six employee networks, which help us support our workforce, particularly through efforts focussed on diversity and inclusion. 

Emma Evans, co-chair of Inspire, said: “Times are changing and Network Rail is moving with the times and is starting to be recognised as a business that takes gender equality seriously. I hope that this will attract more women will join Network Rail.”

Inspire has had great success in gaining support from colleagues in recent months. It’s grown to 1,250 members, up from 750 in May last year. 

Its strategy for the next year focuses on three main themes: challenging behaviours in the workplace, supporting colleagues in advice and career development and growing awareness of opportunities for women – and of Inspire itself. 

Emma said: “Covid challenged us to make flexible working work for office-based staff and we rose to that challenge. We now need to ensure that the progress made in changing attitudes towards flexible working is built upon; I’d like to challenge how we can offer more flexibility to front line staff, be that through job shares or other schemes.” 

Dom Mottram, a sponsor in operational implementation, is co-chair of Inspire and feels strongly that gender equality is an issue we must all get behind.  

He said: “[The Times Top 50 Employers for Women] is a great testament to the fantastic the work undertaken by the Inspire leadership team and the network membership in the last 12 months. The railway has a job for everyone. It is our duty and responsibility within Network Rail to make sure people know what a great place the rail industry is to work. It’s all about attraction, retention and progression.”