Yolande Pineda
Head of Corporate Communications, Stellantis Middle East and Africa
Highly Experienced Corporate Communicator
“When it comes to Leadership, I am a strong Believer in Managing with Love!”
“Mobility is key in people’s life. Access to mobility means access to education, access to work, access to social life! In this space, women leaders have a wealth of opportunities to drive innovation, sustainability, and inclusion.”
The biggest barriers preventing women from advancing to leadership positions in the transport and mobility sectors include gender biases, lack of mentorship, workplace culture, and limited access to opportunities, which companies can actively address through inclusive policies, leadership development programs, and equitable hiring practices.
I guess that women face the same barriers in the transport and mobility sectors as in many other high technology industry sectors.
Without going in details we can list the following :
- Bias and Stereotypes
- Lack of Mentorship and Sponsorship
- Workplace Culture and Flexibility
- Underrepresentation in Science and Technical Roles – Due to education system and dendency of families in selection
- Lack of Role Models and Visibility
The Mobility sector is among the sectors that are seen as being more male than female because they are heavily tapping into education profiles where men are more present.
According to data from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), only 13% of mechanical engineers are women. So in Industries that are heavy in Engineer skills needs this unbalance between men and women shows.
Yet, I would say this is changing very rapidly. More and more young Ladies study engineering and are contributing to change this picture. And I also dare saying that there are no barriers as long as the candidate profile matches the required skills and experience.
Furthermore, many automotive Corporations are taking Gender Diversity very seriously and have strong objectives to increase the percentage of females working in all the levels of the company: Factory, Operations and Leadership. This is for example a reality at Stellantis, where Diversity is at the core of the Company’s Mission Statement: Powered by Diversity we lead the way the world moves. This strong position strongly contributes to overcome obstacles for women to join the automotive Industry.
Research shows that companies with diverse leadership often perform better financially, and gender diversity at the top has been seen to positively impact innovation and decision-making in mobility companies.
Allow me to start by quoting the McKinsey’s 2020 Report: “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters”.
In this report McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than those in the bottom quartile.
This marks a significant increase from earlier years. In 2017, the difference was only 15%.
Some additional Statistics:
- Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability.
- In 2020, companies with greater gender diversity also showed a stronger likelihood of financial outperformance, not only in profitability but also in value creation.
I would like to underline that the numbers I mention speak the truth!
It is a fact that women and men have different ways of operating and that they are truly complementary. I do not want to paint a pink picture here but in my carreer that spans over 30 years of experience in Big Corporations, I have lived this reality daily.
The Automotive Industry is in the middle of a deep transformation, redefining MOBILITY. This transformation requires the full set of skills: Innovation and Creativity of course, but also Technical Expertise and Financial capabilities to ensure sustainability. So in this type of Industry you need talent capable of bringing value, agile and thirsty for change but also resilient to the waves created by the high level of transformation. And this is definitely a Great Space for Women!
The transport sector workforce remains heavily male-dominated, especially in technical and operational roles, highlighting the need for strategies to attract more women to these positions and create truly inclusive workplace environments.
We need to start by Build a Strong Pipeline Through Education and Awareness
This work starts at School. Promoting Engineering Careers to young Ladies. Demystifying that only men can be engineers… I see this happening, but maybe not rapidly enough!
Then, Recruitment Processes have to to Be Gender-Inclusive
Companies need to make sure that at equal competence level, they have to welcome more female candidates.
The third pillar is Retention and Work-Life Balance
Here Flexility is the King Word! Home office for example is bringing a lot of flexibility for Mums but also for Dads! Great working tools: virtual meetings, shared documents platforms, AI tools, anything that makes us all so much more agile, fast, efficient and that leads into our work being measured on an output basis rather than on a number of hours sitting in the office. And ultimately provide more happiness at work and improved Work-Life Balance!
International assignments are often seen as crucial for career advancement in global mobility, yet women in these roles face unique challenges that organizations must address to provide better support.
International assignments are often pivotal for career advancement, especially in global mobility roles, as they offer opportunities for leadership experience, cross-cultural exposure, and expanded professional networks. However, women frequently face unique challenges when taking on international postings that can limit their opportunities or hinder their success.
To better support women in these roles, organizations must address these challenges with targeted strategies and policies such as:
- Workplace Gender Bias and Cultural Norms: that will allow more women to be considered for expatriation
- Balancing Family and Career Responsibilities: that will allow to offer a Family Solution
- Flexible Assignment Structures: that can support double career management for couples
- Expatriate Community Engagement: that will offer a better environment for the entire family
As mobility markets evolve rapidly in developing regions, women leaders have significant opportunities to make an impact and drive innovation in these emerging spaces.
Mobility is key in people’s life. Access to mobility means access to education, access to work, access to social life! When you look at the African continent, many aspects of the new era of Mobility still need to be invented.
In this space, women leaders have a wealth of opportunities to drive innovation, sustainability, and inclusion.
By leading in areas like sustainable transport solutions, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and gender-equal policies, women can not only make a tangible impact on the mobility landscape but also contribute to building more resilient, accessible, and equitable cities.
Their unique perspectives and leadership can ensure that the benefits of these advancements reach all members of society, particularly women and marginalized communities, fostering greater economic development and improving quality of life.
Female creativity is a firm input to each product and experience design.
Women with backgrounds in technology and urban planning can advocate for the integration of smart mobility services into urban planning is a valuable perspective.