The transport and logistics industry’s ‘most exceptional’ women have been recognised at the 2025 Everywoman in Transport and 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 the programme celebrating women who are reshaping the sector through leadership, innovation and vision.
The awards aim to inspire the next generation of female talent to pursue careers in the 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, according to the Women In Transport and Equity Index 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 a new Entrepreneur category, recognising women carving their own paths in the industry.
Everywoman said 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, said: “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.”
Woman of the Year Award
The coveted Everywoman Woman of the Year Award was presented to Heather Waugh, rapid deployment train driver at Freightliner, and the only female freight train driver in Scotland. 
Waugh’s devotes 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.
She campaigned to improve conditions for women working in the freight industry by getting female toilets installed.
Waugh also campaigned to get better support for drivers struggling with their mental health, and is a volunteer with Samaritans, supporting them with case studies and featured in a video promoting their suicide prevention training courses to encourage others in the sector to sign up.
The 2025 awards recognised achievements 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.
The 2025 winners:
Apprentice of the Year – sponsored by Wincanton:
- Amelia Warren, mechatronics apprentice at Amazon
The Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by Amazon Freight Partner:
- Alisha Fredriksson, CEO & co-founder at Seabound
The Industry Champion Award – sponsored by BP:
- Rachel Gilbey, managing director at Wincanton
International Inspiration Award – sponsored by WCAworld
- Zofia Sobiech, deployment readiness manager at Amazon
Male Agent of Change – sponsored by Asda:
- Rob Fletcher, SRDC operations manager at PepsiCo
The Tech Innovator Award – sponsored by Amazon:
- Diane Gilpin, founder & CEO at Smart Green Shipping
Sustainability Champion Award – sponsored by DSV:
- Kate Samuels, policy officer at Sustrans
The Customer/Passenger Award – sponsored by PepsiCo:
- Above & Beyond: Carys Thomas, safety audit manager at Great Western Railway
- Leader: Laura Hay, senior director, global program Management at Trax Technologies
The Freight Award – sponsored by Maersk:
- Above & Beyond: Laura Morgan, general manager, head of Customs at DSV Road
- Leader: Chloe Docherty, director at AGI Global Logistics
The Infrastructure Award – sponsored by Go-Ahead London:
- Above & Beyond: Alina Lixandru, Associate Director at Atkinsréalis
- Leader: Amanda Fraser, senior HR manager UK & IE at Customs Support Group
The Supply Chain Award – sponsored by Unipart:
- Above & Beyond: Claire Lapsley, operations manager at Amazon
- Leader: Kate Yates, head of marketing EMEA at SEKO Logistics
The Warehousing Award – sponsored by FedEx Express:
- Above & Beyond: Magdalena Ahmad, depot operations Manager at Wincanton
- Leader: Sarah Kaye, general manager at The Co-op Group
Co-founders of Everywoman, Maxine Benson MBE and Karen Gill MBE commented: “Our winners are authentic role models whose achievements will inspire newcomers in the transport and logistics industry.
“Their stories highlight an extraordinary depth of talent, from apprentices to CEOs and every role in between.
“This sector offers limitless pathways for growth and innovation, and we know that every one of the finalists will continue to empower other women to pursue their ambitions with unwavering confidence and determination.”
📍 Live from the 2025 #ewTLAwards!
Proud to be media partners celebrating the amazing women driving innovation, leadership and change in our industry 🚛🚆
The energy is electric — good luck to all finalists! 🎉
Check out the finalists 👉 pic.twitter.com/UsfjKsyFkz
— Fleet News (@_FleetNews) June 26, 2025
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