The II International Women and Transportation Sector Forum has exceeded all our expectations with a fantastic reception. The event, which took place on February 22nd in Valencia, has highlighted the urgent need to promote gender equality and visibility of women in the road transportation sector, both nationally and internationally. An exclusive event that has sparked great interest and brought together leaders and experts from the sector to address the challenges and opportunities facing women in this fundamental industry. From the beginning of the session, the importance of giving visibility to the sector and highlighting the value of women, both now and in the future, was emphasized.
We kicked off the day at 10 a.m. with welcoming words from our CEO, Miguel Ángel López, who began by thanking the attendees for their presence and highlighting the decisive role that his mother, Maria Dolores, founder of the company alongside Fulgencio, his father, has played for the industry and for Andamur. He apologized for his absence from this forum due to an injury that prevented him from making the trip. Miguel Ángel took the opportunity to value and praise the role of women not only in the transportation sector but in all areas. He then handed over to Mr. Jesús Carbonell, Delegate of the Safety and Mobility Area of the Valencia City Council. After declaring himself a staunch advocate of equity and gender equality, he shared data and statistics that show that there is still a long way to go in favor of equality, especially in the transportation sector, where there is still significant room for improvement. He asserts that “no group composed only of one gender will ever be rich enough, we need to nurture and complete each other to achieve balance and success.”
A journey through the female perspective of the transportation world
Following him, Alejandra Nuño, a sociologist, inspirational speaker, advisor on sustainable growth, health, and strategy and innovation, offered an inaugural presentation that sparked deep reflection and “a journey through the female perspective of the transportation world.” Nuño, recognized as a Top Voice in LinkedIn Gender Equity 2022, Top Voice LinkedIn 2024, and nominated for the Top100 Women Leaders, presented innovative ideas and fresh perspectives that inspired attendees to rethink the role of women in this crucial industry. She firmly states that it is collaboration that allows us to build ourselves and poses a dilemma: “Do we really have a problem with female visibility in the era of increased visual consumption, in the era of AI?” She concludes her presentation by indicating that we are a collective that combines wills, embodies resilience, and works to achieve success, where education and integration serve as the seatbelt for safety.
On the Route of Diversity: Women’s Present in Transportation
At the forum, we enjoyed three roundtable discussions moderated by prominent leaders in the sector. The first table, titled “On the Route of Diversity: Women’s Present in Transportation,” was moderated by Ramón Valdivia, Executive Vice President of Astic International Road Transport Association. In this session, experts such as Adela López, CEO of Nisa López, Marivi Torralba, Counselor of Transportlive, Yolanda Águila, Representative of Atralme Almería Transport Association, and Bouchra Tanatu Charki, Manager of Satrani, shared their vital experiences and visions on the role of women in the transportation industry and addressed key issues such as what are the main problems in the sector and how the incorporation of women can help solve them. Through their discussion, we clarified that the keys to success are work, perseverance, effort, and perseverance.
Additionally, they pointed out that the sector is going through a period of significant challenges such as energy transition, digitization, high costs, among others, although they emphasize the uncertainty generated by generational turnover and the deficit of professional drivers, with women as the great solution, since with motivation and adequate training, they can drive the sector forward and counteract that deficit.
Destination Equality: Challenging the Future
After enjoying a lively and inspiring coffee break, which allowed us to exchange opinions and experiences, we held the second roundtable under the title “Destination Equality: Challenging the Future,” moderated by Eva Melenchón, Deputy Secretary of FROET – Regional Federation of Organizations and Companies of Transport of Murcia. In this panel, prominent figures such as Carmen Sicilia, Director of the Legal, Quality, and Sustainability Department of Corporativo Caliche Group; Lorena Ballester, General Manager of Chema Ballester Group; Ilona Wyszyńska-Zajkowska, Member of the Board of PTM Transport sp.z o.o.; and Ana Monteiro Souta, General Manager of ANTRAM – National Association of Public Transporters of Portugal, discussed the challenges and opportunities faced by women from a business perspective. In this discussion, they shared future perspectives for the sector and offered a strategic vision with specific issues in markets such as Portuguese, Moroccan, Polish, and Spanish.
Additionally, they proposed different solutions to attract female presence in transport companies. Once again, they emphasized the importance of visibility and informing about the opportunities offered by the sector, where preparation, training, and involvement are key. In the debate, they all agreed that it is necessary to create more and better opportunities, reviewing and improving hiring policies.
Life on Wheels
We concluded the day with a panel dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by women truckers in their day-to-day lives. Under the title “Life on Wheels,” the panel was moderated by Natalia Blanco, Manager of Apetamcor, Business Association of Road Freight Transport of Galicia, and featured the participation of those who experience firsthand the difficulties generated on the road on national and international routes. Four truckers who offered unique testimonies and experiences: Begoña Urmeneta, María Dolores Jiménez, Estefanía Burgos, and Alexandrina Santos.
This panel highlighted the challenge of dealing with gender stereotypes deeply rooted in the sector. Additionally, topics affecting both women and men were addressed, such as personal safety on the road when making stops in unfamiliar areas or where rest and service infrastructures are limited, as well as the need for secure parking.
Furthermore, they raised another recurring question, which is generational turnover and the need to find adequate formulas to train and incentivize new generations.
Another topic addressed was isolation and loneliness as emotional challenges faced on the road. The long periods of time on the road, often without company, can affect their mental health and overall well-being. And to this, we must add the possibility of balancing work and personal life, where they made a strong statement indicating that those who love their work as they do are capable of finding the most appropriate way to reconcile, although they add that there is no doubt that it is a profession with particularities and added complications in which significant improvements still need to be made. Even today, prolonged trips can affect their ability to maintain personal relationships, take care of their health, and enjoy a suitable balance between work and personal life, although their love for the profession and their enthusiasm have infected the entire audience, concluding the panel with the motto: “My profession, my passion.”
WOW is more than just a word.
Before concluding the event, Angeles Ruiz, our Director of Marketing, Customer Service, and CSR, surprised all attendees with her intervention. Angeles, after an emotional closing where words of encouragement and gratitude to all participants and attendees were not lacking, presented WOW, Women on the Way. As she describes it herself, “WOW is more than just a word. WOW embodies Andamur’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and diversity. It is an umbrella under which all our actions, projects, and programs designed to increase the visibility and empowerment of women in our field are housed.”
Additionally, she announced that the WOW Awards will be held in the next edition of this forum. These awards will recognize innovative management in the sector, outstanding careers, and exceptional dedication to life on wheels.
With this presentation, we concluded the event, which has highlighted significant realities of the sector and has generated a call to action to create more inclusive and fair work environments, recognizing that gender equality is essential to drive a safer, more efficient, and prosperous industry.
If you wish to see the complete event, you can find the video here.
