Trucking HR Canada last night welcomed 18 additional organizations as signatories to its Women’s Leadership Accord.

There are now 49 trucking organizations included. Each has “demonstrated excellence in concrete actions to recruit, retain, and support women, encourage their success, and showcase opportunities in our sector for a fulfilling career,” Trucking HR said.

The additions were welcomed at a reception in Toronto.

“Once again, leading organizations are making trucking and logistics a career destination – especially for women who have not traditionally considered careers in our sector compared to other parts of Canada’s economy,” said Angela Splinter, CEO, THRC. “The Accord recognizes and celebrates those organizations’ accomplishments — and also supports others who want to advance their workplace equity objectives with tools and resources they can use right away.”

Splinter told those gathered that the Accord, and Trucking HR’s Women with Drive initiative “is just one more tool in the toolkit to help you accessing the workers that you need.”

The Accord was launched a year ago “as a way to celebrate organizations like yours that are doing the right thing,” Splinter added.

To join, companies must: commit to meet the program’s four pillars of gender equity, inclusivity, safety, and empowerment; then earn the Certificate of Excellence by demonstrating everything they have in place to take action in the areas of leadership, attraction and recruitment, retention, health and safety, and community engagement.

Splinter acknowledged trucking has more work to do to attract women, especially as drivers. While the industry has grown the number of women in the industry by 27% from 2016 to 2021, they still account for just 20% of jobs in the trucking industry and only 4% of drivers are women.

“So, this Accord is about celebrating the good things that we’re doing and to help you do more,” Splinter concluded before presenting each of the new signatories with a certificate. “To help you separate yourselves from others out there and to help you recruit and retain more women into our sector.”

New signatories included:

• Brian Kurtz Trucking
• Cardinal Couriers
• Challenger Motor Freight
• Erb Transport
• Fortigo Freight Services
• GS Group 
• Home Hardware Stores
• J&R Hall Transport
• Joseph Haulage Canada
• One For Freight
• Rosedale Transport 
• Seaboard Transport Group 
• Steed Standard Transport
• Tandet
• Transpro Freight Systems
• United Van Lines (Canada)
• Wellington Group of Companies 
• Woodcock Transportation