Women in Logistics UK was established in September 2008 and quickly gained momentum, with 500 members joining in the first year; there are now more than 700 with numbers going up every day. The speed with which the group has grown is quite phenomenal. About 15% of our members are men who support women working in the industry, and we actively encourage more men to join.

Women in Logistics UK was formed with the aim to help increase the number of women in the sector, improve life for those women already working in logistics(and therefore retain their talents) and to address the gender imbalance issue.

Our objectives include

• providing networking events for members to attend,
• offering support and mentoring for younger professionals,
• providing advice and encouragement to those entering the industry and
• personal development and support for members through planned activities.

Most importantly we also have a great time, as our members will testify.

Women in Logistics UK held its first face-to-face meeting in January 2009, which was attended by 19 members (half the membership at that stage) and a steering committee was established. Progress since then has been amazing, with 4 further events being held in 2009 and the launch of our mentoring scheme in October 2009.

Members come from all areas of the professions including road haulage, supply chain and logistics, consulting, IT, HR, retail, manufacturing, third party, executive search, public sector and Logistics Management.

It is organised on a purely voluntary basis and is free to join – click on the "membership" tab to find out more.

Women account for just 22% of the logistics workforce in England, compared with 46% in other sectors, and women hold fewer than 10% of the managerial roles in Logistics. With the sector offering many rewarding and challenging careers, suitable for both men and women, there is no logical explanation for this imbalance. We have therefore set up a group to address this issue.