First to double number of women it employs

First Bus is to double the number of women in its business in the next five years. Furthermore, in line with the FTSE Women Leaders recommendations, First Bus also aims to have 40% of senior leadership roles filled by women by 2028.

To reach this goal, First Bus is making three ambitious new recruitment pledges:

• All senior hires (roles that are Staff Manager and above), in their first interview, will face a balanced panel of female and male interviewers wherever possible.
• All senior hires (roles that are Staff Manager and above) will have a 50:50 split at shortlist stage where possible.
• First is to guarantee an interview for every female applicant to all driver and engineer roles, provided they meet the pre-interview criteria.
• The pledges come as First Bus seeks to attract even more women into the business after successfully doubling the number of women in the business over the past five years.

“Our ambition is that by 2028, 20% of our business will be made up of females” – Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus

Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus, said: “This latest milestone is only the next step in our journey, but I am proud we are now putting these pledges in place to help us achieve even more.

“Our ambition is that by 2028, 20% of our business will be made up of females. This would see us doubling the number of women in the business within the next five years, as we have done over the past 5 years. We want First Bus to be a place where our people feel welcome, can be their true selves and succeed.

“I’m proud of the work we’re doing and proud of the women who work alongside me in all areas of the business. We recognise that there is still more to do, and this is a challenge that we are not afraid to address.”

Louise Cheesman, Chair of Women in Bus and Coach, added: “It’s so important to see businesses like First Bus not only acknowledge the work they have to do to reach gender parity, but also to show real commitment to how they will achieve it.”

Sonya Byers, CEO of Women in Transport, said: “It is great to see the hard work paying off for everyone at First Bus as they continue to transform their business to attract more women than ever before. The pledges they are making have the potential to make a real difference and aim to attract even more women to join one of the UK’s biggest bus operators and into the Transport industry for a rewarding career.”