Celebrating Women’s Equality Day: Granby’s Commitment to Inclusion and Industry Progress
The 26th of August marks Women’s Equality Day, a moment to reflect on the strides made toward gender equality and the work still to be done. At Granby, we are proud to celebrate this important day and reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and progressive workplace.
As a women-led business, Granby is proud that 50% of our leadership team is female, a figure that stands out in the warehousing and logistics sector, where women remain significantly underrepresented. We recognise that this level of representation is not yet the norm in our industry, and we are committed to being part of the change.
The Gender Pay Gap in the Warehousing & Logistics Industry
The gender pay gap in the UK continues to be shaped by a variety of factors, including:
- Job roles
- Hours worked
- Societal factors
- Part-time working
- Bonus structures
Despite these challenges, progress is being made. According to the Office for National Statistics, the gender pay gap stood at 7% as of April 2024, with notable disparities among higher earners, skilled trades, and workers over 40.
In the UK warehousing and logistics sector, the gender pay gap varies significantly across organisations. Some report differences under 10%, while others exceed 20%. According to Yusen Logistics, their mean gender pay gap stands at 7.9%, with women making up 31% of their workforce.
More broadly, female representation in the logistics workforce has increased from 23% in 2023 to 27% in 2025, according to the Women in Transport Equity Index. However, most of these roles remain outside core operational functions, and 59% of organisations still report a gender pay gap of 11% or more, with 65% lacking a formal action plan to address it.
In warehousing specifically, the gender balance is more encouraging, with 34% of warehouse workers being female. This contrasts sharply with other roles in the sector, such as HGV driving, where women represent just 0.7% of qualified drivers.
Leadership remains a challenge. Estimates suggest that only 11–17% of logistics and supply chain leaders are female, highlighting the need for continued efforts to promote women into senior roles.
These figures highlight the importance of proactive strategies to improve gender equity across all levels of the industry.
At Granby, we are proud to be ahead of the curve, with 50% of our leadership team being female, and a culture where women are fully supported by their male colleagues. While we recognise that this is still unusual in our sector, we are encouraged by the progress being made, especially with the support of organisations like the UKWA and BCMPA, who are championing diversity and inclusion across the industry.
Granby regularly works alongside the local community, including charities and education facilities, to promote careers in the warehousing and logistics industry. Find out about our work with Blackburn College.
In addition to working alongside educational facilities, we are members of various trade associations, which enable us to remain agile and ahead of industry trends. Many of the trade associations we work alongside are also led by inspiring women.
Industry Leaders Driving Change
Emma Verkaik, CEO of the BCMPA
Emma Verkaik is the CEO of the BCMPA, which promotes the outsourcing of contract packing, manufacturing, logistics and fulfilment.
Emma was appointed as the CEO in 2023, after working there for 12 years prior. Since the new appointment, Emma has continued to strive for excellence by supporting businesses across a wide variety of sectors, including nutraceuticals, medical, household, automotive and more.
The BCMPA regularly exhibits at shows around the country, including the UK Packaging Awards, the PPMA Total Show and the Women in Packaging Awards. In addition to attending these exhibitions and awards ceremonies, the BCMPA often sponsors awards.
Granby is proud to work alongside the BCMPA, and their commitment to our industry is clear.
Here’s what Emma has to say about women’s equality…
“The commitment shown by the management team at Granby in building a balanced and fair workforce, with a strong focus on the inclusion of women, is both a natural progression and highly commendable. At the BCMPA, we firmly believe that the future of our industry lies in inclusion, where the nurturing and promotion of all talent forms a vital part of the equation.
It was particularly pleasing to see this commitment recognised at the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards in June, where we celebrated the achievements of so many outstanding individuals across our sector. The BCMPA’s sponsorship of the Co-Pack Lead Award was a personal highlight for me as CEO of the BCMPA, The Association for Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics, and I was delighted to welcome Granby’s Victoria Pittman to the BCMPA table for the inaugural ceremony.
The evening was more than just an awards event, it was a celebration of contributions that, for too long, have gone unrecognised. It gave us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the future of our industry and to take meaningful steps towards addressing the underrepresentation of women within the sector. This is a cause we will continue to champion at the BCMPA, and we are proud to have Granby as one of our members.”
Clare Bottle, CEO of the UKWA
Clare Bottle is the CEO of the UKWA, The UK Warehousing Association. This trade organisation is dedicated to warehousing and provides an essential voice for businesses operating within the industry.
The UKWA represents the warehousing industry by working alongside government departments and other policy influencers. They also ensure that best practices are being followed throughout the industry and support members to feel part of a community.
Clare and the UKWA team regularly exhibit across the country and hold their own events, including the UKWA Annual General Meeting. During this year’s meeting, they shared valuable insights into the organisation’s plans to support key legislative initiatives across the UK. The UKWA Awards for Excellence were held after the meeting, and Victoria, our Head of Client Services, was invited to attend both events. Victoria also showcased her expertise and commitment as a judge for the UKWA Awards for Excellence earlier this year.
In addition to Granby being a member of the UKWA, Victoria is also on the Board for the association. This highlights Victoria’s commitment to industry excellence and the influence that she has on the warehousing and logistics industry.
Victoria regularly partakes in events led by the UKWA, including the Awards for Excellence. Victoria had the pleasure of speaking at this year’s Multimodal Expo alongside Karan Chhabra, Policy Manager at the UKWA.
Here’s what Clare had to say about Women’s Equality Day.
“As CEO of the UK Warehousing Association, I’ve seen how much our industry stands to gain when women are given the opportunity to thrive. Logistics is going through huge change, from digitalisation to decarbonisation, and we simply can’t afford to overlook half the talent pool.
Too often, though, women are still missing from frontline roles and leadership positions. That’s why communities like Women in Logistics UK matter so much. They give women the confidence, networks and visibility to progress, while challenging the sector to think differently about what good leadership looks like.
Women’s Equality Day is a reminder that equality isn’t an ‘add-on’ — it’s fundamental to building a stronger, fairer and more sustainable future for logistics. And it’s something I’m personally committed to championing, both through my leadership role at UKWA and as part of the Women in Logistics community.”
Our Ongoing Commitment
Granby is committed to providing equal opportunities regardless of gender. We continue to build a diverse and resilient workforce, championing women in leadership and supporting career development at all levels. Our partnerships with educational institutions, such as Blackburn College, and our involvement in trade associations ensure we remain agile and forward-thinking.
We are proud of the progress we’ve made and optimistic about the future. With the support of organisations like the UKWA and BCMPA, and the dedication of our team, we will continue to lead by example and drive meaningful change in the warehousing and logistics industry.