Aerospace sector delivers pledge for gender balance

• 50 companies in aerospace/aviation have signed up to the Charter.
• Members of the Charter include aerospace manufacturers, airlines, airports, trade bodies and others.

The Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter reflects the aspiration of the industry to see gender balance across all levels.

The Charter:

Commits organisations to supporting the progression of women in to senior roles in the Aviation and Aerospace sectors by focusing on the executive pipeline and the mid-tier level.

Recognises the diversity of the sector and that businesses will have different starting points – each firm should therefore set its own targets, where appropriate, and implement the right strategy for their organisations.
Requires organisations to publicly report on the progress to deliver against any internal targets to support the transparency and accountability needed to drive change.
Katherine Bennett OBE, Senior Vice President, Airbus, said:

“The launch of the Women in Aviation and Aerospace charter is a significant milestone. By signing the Charter, 50 UK firms are committing to driving change at all levels of our thriving sector.

“Such a widespread commitment to the Charter will make a genuine difference to gender diversity in aerospace and aviation; and I am delighted to be celebrating this at Farnborough. From the shop floor to the boardroom, I hope today is beginning of seeing more women in this brilliant sector.”

ADS Chief Executive Paul Everitt said:

“The aerospace industry is determined to achieve a better gender balance and making sure that women are represented at senior levels.

“Bringing together UK aerospace and aviation companies to launch this Charter is a significant commitment from our industries.

“A balanced workforce has been proven to boost productivity and morale so working towards gender equality is not only the right thing to do – it also makes good business sense.

“This Charter allows companies to set their own path to gender balance in their organisation, recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all policy; I believe this will help create more sustainable gender parity.”

Signatories of the Charter already include ADS, Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Bombardier, Easyjet, Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic, and many more.