Lesley Woolley honoured with Inspiring Automotive Women Award

Automotive 30% Club applauds IMI COO's commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Lesley Woolley honoured with Inspiring Automotive Women Award

The Institute of Motor Industry’s (IMI) chief operating officer and lead of its diversity task force, Lesley Woolley FIMI, has been named as one of this year’s Automotive 30% Club Inspiring Automotive Women Award winners.

The awards were launched to recognise and celebrate the unsung heroes of the automotive industry. Unique in the sector, nominations can be made for women who have personally inspired individuals in the sector. Anyone from Automotive 30% Club member companies can make a nomination – irrespective of role or seniority.

In 2021, Lesley Woolley joined Professor Jim Saker FIMI and IMI President to form the IMI’s Diversity Task Force and led a year-long project to better understand the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) challenges the industry faces.

Lesley garnered critical support from individuals and businesses across the automotive sector and wider, at every level, and created a safe space for people to co-operate and contribute. The IMI published the findings of the initial project in March 2022 in its Diversity Task Force Report.

However, this was simply the start of the EDI journey that Lesley and the Diversity Task Force committed to take, with more recent initiatives including the launch of the IMI’s EDI Qualifications and the creation of the Automotive Diversity Network.

Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% Club and CEO of Gaia Innovation Ltd, said: “Lesley has been recognised for her amazing work as the Lead of the IMI Diversity Task Force.

”Not only is she driving collaboration across the sector to create best practice and guidance to improve diversity and inclusion. She has also been instrumental in the IMI’s development of practical and tangible outputs in the form of courses and qualifications.

”Lesley has also been a strong advocate and ambassador for the Automotive 30% Club. As a senior female executive in the industry, she is a true inspiration to other women and we are proud to have her as a Patron of the Automotive 30% Club.”

Lesley Woolley, COO of the IMI added: “It is such a huge honour to be nominated for this award, let alone be a winner. While I am extremely proud to be in the company of the other amazing winners, I am truly humbled by the amazing support and commitment of so many and their inspiration must equally be applauded.

”The IMI and all those taking this journey with us, have made significant strides in addressing EDI in our sector. The work undertaken is positively driving change and establishing a more inclusive and diverse workplace.

”The foundations have been laid and we look forward to building upon them to create fair and exciting job opportunities for all now and in the future.”

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