UK 
United StatesLyn Warren
Chief Human Resources Officer, Evri
Lyn Warren, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Evri, explains why she is on a mission to change the face of the logistics industry by increasing the number of female HGV drivers through a dedicated training programme...
Lyn Warren
Chief Human Resources Officer, Evri
Lyn Warren, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Evri, explains why she is on a mission to change the face of the logistics industry by increasing the number of female HGV drivers through a dedicated training programme...
Lyn Warren, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Evri, has been on a mission to change the face of the logistics industry since she joined the company two years ago.
One of her major initiatives has been the introduction of a Van Driver to HGV Training Programme for female drivers, which is part of Evri's broader commitment to increasing gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated roles.
“When we specifically look at driving roles across our industry, we know that traditionally it’s a very male-dominated profession,” Warren explains.
At Evri, while 30% of our couriers are female – something we’re really proud of – when we look at the number of female HGV, LGV, and van drivers across the business, this number is only 4%. While this is ahead of the industry average, which sits at 1%, we still have a long way to go to close this gender gap.
Evri’s commitment to closing that gap reflects not only a desire to balance gender representation but also a recognition that diversity is key to a thriving, innovative workforce.
“Across all of our roles, a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas, allows us to recruit from a bigger talent pool, creates great career opportunities, and ultimately builds our reputation as an employer,” says Warren.
And I’m personally passionate about creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of background or gender, can thrive. That passion drove Warren and her team to delve into the reasons why women have traditionally been under-represented in driving roles. They conducted listening groups with current female drivers to understand their experiences and the barriers they faced. One key outcome of those discussions was the realisation that long-standing perceptions about HGV driving, such as long, unpredictable hours and overnight stays in cabins, were deterring women from considering such roles.
“We wanted to be vocal about the fact that this is not the case, and in fact, these roles are a great opportunity for women – and others – to take up flexible jobs with predictable hours, locally based, and no overnight stays,” she says.
Creating a mentoring programme
The listening groups also helped Evri create a mentoring programme in which experienced female drivers support new recruits, ensuring they have guidance and a clear understanding of what to expect. The peer mentorship model has become a cornerstone of the programme, helping to break down any perceived barriers and creating a more inclusive environment.
“The programme isn’t just about attracting female drivers – it’s about making the role accessible to all groups. “All of our roles and training schemes are open to everyone, regardless of gender,” Warren says.
The most important thing for us, in order to be seen as an employer of choice, is making sure that when we recruit for roles, people can see themselves in those roles – whether they are male or female.
We wanted to make sure that in a traditionally male-dominated profession, women could also see themselves in those roles.”
The results of the initiative have been promising so far. Evri has already lined up successful female applicants for interviews in two of its depots, and Warren is optimistic about the long-term impact of the programme.
We know that this initiative is part of a longer-term campaign drive, and looking ahead, this will continue to be a focus for us as we move into 2025. It’s really important that we keep the momentum going on this, as it’s as much a role of changing perceptions around the profession as it is simply creating the opportunities.
“Warren is personally invested in the initiative and has gone as far as to try to acquire her own category C driving license. “I found it was a really proactive way for me to understand what we ask of all our drivers and the training and support available,” she says.
My LGV training has been an important lesson for me, helping me to understand what we offer and what more we need to offer to make Evri a stand-out employer within the logistics field. It’s also, hopefully, helping in some way to be an advocate for other women that might want to come into this industry and pursue driving roles.
