Autocar, SMMT and Ennis & Co celebrate those making the automotive industry more diverse and inclusive
JLR’s Barbara Bergmeier has been named the overall winner at the inaugural Autocar Drivers of Change awards. Held and judged in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Ennis & Co, Autocar Drivers of Change is a new initiative championing diverse talent in the automotive industry.
A sibling event to Autocar Great Women, these awards celebrate the automotive industry as a place that welcomes everybody. The 40 Autocar Drivers of Change winners are individuals who are driving change and promoting diversity in their business in whichever role they perform. They were named at an awards ceremony at the SMMT headquarters in London that featured a number of highly influential and celebrated speakers including SMMT CEO Mike Hawes, Bentley chief communications and D&I officer Wayne Bruce and decorated Paralympian Richard Whitehead MBE – along with the highly commended and overall winners. Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “The automotive industry is one that historically has not been especially inclusive or diverse, but there are brilliant individuals doing fantastic work in all sectors to reverse that trend. Drivers of Change seeks to highlight their achievements. “We were delighted by the amount of entries we received in the inaugural year of these awards, and by the demonstrable innovation and drive of everyone who was nominated.” Overall winner: Barbara Bergmeier, JLR strategic advisor and former executive director of industrial operations Bergmeier was nominated for her “tireless” efforts to "inspire inclusion through her actions, not words” in her role as a diversity, equity and inclusion sponsor. Having joined Britain’s largest car manufacturer in 2022, Bergmeier is recognised for the instrumental role she has played in JLR’s drive to unite supply chain, manufacturing and purchasing under one roof – a move that has contributed significantly to a drastic uplift in the company’s product output and profits. But in addition to her industrial responsibilities, Bergmeier is said to have taken her DEI sponsorship role “just as seriously”, as a committed advocate of mentoring, support and talent development programmes for colleagues of all ages, levels and disciplines. She enrolled herself in a reverse mentoring programme and has been a vocal advocate of this scheme, helping to roll it out across the JLR board of directors. She also took a leading role in JLR’s £3m development scheme for a new line of luxury workwear, which includes religious headwear and maternity clothes, and supported a groundbreaking new menopause policy that provides temperature-regulating workwear, fans, flexible working arrangements and additional breaks – helping to acknowledge and address a subject that is often considered taboo in the workplace. Before being named an Autocar Driver of Change, Bergmeier was named an Exceptional Leader by JLR’s Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Network for her efforts to improve the recruitment, development and progression of black, African and Caribbean women within JLR. More recently, Bergmeier launched the Automotive Women and Allies scheme as a series of events that will focus on empowering women from across the industry to drive automotive forward. The Drivers of Change judges also named five highly commended Drivers of Change who merit special commendation for all the work they are doing for DEI and driving change in the industry. They are: Warren Richards, head of direct sales, Audi UK Richards has played a pivotal role in supporting gender equality and fostering an inclusive culture at Volkswagen Group UK. He has consistently championed DEI efforts, co-ordinating teams, mentoring colleagues and advocating for minority groups. His leadership has directly contributed to significant progress, with VW Group UK now hosting a 46% female workforce and achieving Inclusive Employers Standard Gold accreditation in 2023. Jaskirat Singh, sustainability strategy and steering manager, BMW Group A passionate advocate for inclusion since before his professional career even began, Singh has established himself as a cornerstone of the BMW Group UK’s DEI initiatives. He has co-founded a mentoring programme for local schools, organised Black History Month events and worked to break the taboo around mental health in South Asian communities, hosting events with the MindsMatter network. Singh is also co-chair of the Embrace DEI network group, and has led the production of a new ‘Unplugged’ video series, where he speaks with colleagues on sensitive topics. Lisa Rowles, global HR strategy director, Horiba MIRA Rowles is a key member of Horiba MIRA’s senior leadership team, helping to drive transformation in people and culture. She led a company-wide programme to improve employer status, launching internal and external communications, reducing attrition by over 50% and enhancing talent recruitment in niche tech areas with a focus on diversity. Rowles has also developed comprehensive wellbeing initiatives and a Life Links network for team members. Louise Gardner, head of talent, diversity and inclusion, Stellantis Having recently transitioned from a 30-year career in commercial roles into an HR leadership position, Gardner uses her commercial acumen to bring a new dimension to the department – devising the ‘Together We Belong’ strategy, which has been well supported by her colleagues across the business. Stellantis has several thriving Employee Resource Groups as a result, including Women in Stellantis, an Armed Forces network, a LGBTQ+ community and the ‘Hot Flushes’ menopause group. Gardner has also helped to drive an upswing in diversity through Stellantis’s Early Careers outreach programme, launched a cross-company skill development scheme and introduced a new series of Emerging Talent sessions that provide a platform for colleagues to share their thoughts and perspectives. Mike Orford, head of PR and communications, Volkswagen UK Orford has been a source of inspiration to many, and stepped up in a very public way when Volkswagen Group UK established the ‘We Drive Proud’ Employee Network Group in 2019, taking on the role as sponsor, appointing a chair and proceeding to run the group from scratch. Orford has been the driving force behind a number of initiatives that have been fundamental to driving inclusivity and open conversations. These include setting up talks with celebrities including Michael Gunning, maximising publicity for the rainbow-liveried Tiny Cars at football’s European Championship and – a flagship project – VW Group’s sponsorship of the Milton Keynes Pride Festival, now in its fifth year. Company award: Stellantis The Drivers of Change awards also named Stellantis as the company that the judges deemed to have the broadest range of DEI schemes and the most deeply rooted appreciation and understanding of why they are so important. Entries were not accepted for this award, and judges voted based on the strength and depth of companies’ policies – and their support for DEI initiatives. From the calibre of the entries we received, and the scope and variety of the initiatives detailed therein, it is clear that there is a deep-rooted appreciation for DEI across the entire Stellantis network. This is a company that sets out to bring about tangible and meaningful change, and allows its employees the capacity and creative freedom to pursue their objectives in a way that works for them, facilitating the creation of exciting and innovative schemes including the Together We Belong and Talent for All programmes. For more on the awards and a full list of the winners, please visit the dedicated Drivers of Change microsite: https://www.autocar.co.uk/driversofchange
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