The transport and logistics industry’s most exceptional women have been recognised at the 2025 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards, in association with bp. The prestigious ceremony in London, attended by industry leaders, was the biggest to date and sold out. It marked the 18th year of this landmark programme celebrating women who are reshaping the sector through groundbreaking leadership, innovation and vision.
The awards aim to inspire the next generation of female talent to pursue careers in this dynamic sector by spotlighting the diverse pathways at every career stage. Despite progress being made to close the gender gap, women account for only a quarter (26%) of the transport industry’s 1.5 million employees and 20% of the two million people working in logistics and warehousing.
This year’s awards reflected the industry’s changing priorities, with a growing focus on automation and sustainability. It also introduced an exciting new Entrepreneur category, recognising visionary women carving their own paths in the industry. This recognition comes at a critical time as the sector continues to grapple with systemic challenges, including an 11% gender pay gap, while women also remain scarce in leadership roles in the industry.
Maxine Benson, co-founder at everywoman, comments: “This year’s cohort of inspiring finalists and winners demonstrates the huge variety of ways in which women are driving innovation and growth in this pivotal sector. From spearheading sustainability initiatives and automation projects to launching groundbreaking enterprises, these women are not just participating in the industry’s evolution, they’re leading it. Their inspiring stories demonstrate the wealth of opportunities available to the next generation of female talent.”
The everywoman Woman of the Year Award went to Heather Waugh, Rapid Deployment Train Driver at Freightliner, and the only female freight train driver in Scotland. Airdrie-based Heather’s extraordinary dedication to the industry sees her devote over 1,000 personal hours a year to promote and champion the sector in schools, events and on panels, and volunteer and fundraise for charity. All this is on top of working long, challenging hours in a job with no access to communications, meaning every activity is organised in her own time.
Instead of complaining about issues, she is committed to changing the system. She campaigned to improve conditions for women working in the freight industry by getting female toilets installed. After witnessing how drivers can struggle with their mental health she campaigned to get them better support. Heather remains a staunch advocate for mental health awareness and is a volunteer with Samaritans, supporting them with case studies and featuring in a video promoting their suicide prevention training courses to encourage others in the sector to sign up. Heather is on the steering group for Rail Wellbeing Live and has been appointed a trustee of Women in Rail.
When it comes to fundraising, Heather unites the sector to support good causes through the Railway Family Fundraiser, an initiative she launched. It has raised over £100,000 in just over three years through a variety of inclusive events involving over 60 rail companies. By rallying the industry, significant sums have been donated to Ukrainian Railways, a school in Cambodia, Andy’s Man Club, White Ribbon and Railway Mission.
The 2025 awards recognised outstanding achievement across multiple categories, including Apprentice of the Year, Industry Champion, International Inspiration, Male Agent of Change, Sustainability Champion, Tech Innovator and the new Entrepreneur Award. Additional categories celebrated dual winners, honouring both exceptional leadership and outstanding dedication that went above and beyond expectations.
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