A ‘Women with Drive’ initiative has been launched in the UK by service business company, and owner of Manheim and Motors.co.uk, Cox Automotive.

Coinciding with Women’s Day yesterday, the initiative is designed to “accelerate its female talent and to raise awareness of the link between gender diversity and business performance”.

‘Women with Drive’ – open to both men and women – was launched by Manheim’s leadership team yesterday, with the help of Nathalie McGloin, the UK’s first female spinal cord-injured racer, and John Bailey, executive vice president, international at Cox Automotive.

Cox Automotive is aiming to position itself as an employer of choice for women in the automotive sector, and encourage more women to look at career opportunities in the motor industry.

Alison Fisher (pictured above), HR director for Cox Automotive in the UK, said: “The motor industry is undoubtedly a male-dominated sector, so we want to demonstrate the career opportunities that the industry presents for women.

“We aim to build high-performing and diverse teams within our business, so encouraging more female talent to enter the industry is incredibly important.”

‘Women with Drive’ will establish a network of team members to share knowledge, experiences, and expertise related to women in the workplace and within the wider automotive industry.

It will offer professional and personal development, peer-to-peer mentoring and networking opportunities, with its members serving as ‘talent ambassadors’ for Cox Automotive, in an effort to attract female talent into the organisation across all levels.

See also: AM100 groups and manufacturers unite to bring more talented women into the industry

Image: Nathalie McGloin speaking about her journey into motor racing