Through ‘Women in Mobility’, I was for the first time able to gain real access to the mobility sector. I have been able to build up personal relations and engage in an exchange of professional ideas and experience. What is even more important, however, is the mojo that I have acquired through Women in Mobility: The network creates opportunities and also encourages me again and again to showcase my expertise. As a co-founder of the Rhine-Ruhr hub, I would like to pass this opportunity on to other women.
Mareike Lüken, Head of Product Sales & Marketing, Scheidt & Bachmann
The “Women in Mobility” are committed to creating networks for and increasing the visibility of women in the mobility sector. The network offers women from all areas of the mobility sector a platform for joint projects, collaborative schemes and exchanges of ideas and experience. This applies to women from companies, start-ups, organisations and associations, from media, academia and government, regardless of their position in the hierarchy.
The objectives of the “Women in Mobility” network include, on the one hand, maintaining an expert discourse on the subject of mobility with a focus on connected, gender-sensitive, resource-conserving and socially acceptable mobility. On the other hand, it is designed to provide women from the mobility sector with more visibility as sparring partners, managers, experts and speakers.
With its networking activities, “Women in Mobility” is making a contribution in the background to a forward-looking mobility supported by flexible networks and initiating a discourse between representatives from the different areas of the sector.
Good to know
- Meet: “Women in Mobility” promotes an exchange between women from different areas of the mobility sector, research and political institutions.
- Network: Through digital network groups and personal encounters at meetings at regional level, “Women in Mobility” provides its participants with a possibility for networking between experts and supporting each other.
- Change: With its activities, “Women in Mobility” triggers changes: This especially includes an increased visibility of women in the mobility sector, a stronger perception of the sector itself, the inclusion of women’s take on mobility and the strength to support each other.
Interview with Sophia von Berg, Anke Erpenbeck and Coco Heger-Mehnert, Founders "Women in Mobility"
How did you come up with the idea for your project?
The impetus for the project was the low percentage of women attending conferences on mobility issues – both on the podium as well as in the audience. In our subsequent discussions, we found that similar challenges are encountered in the working environment and gradually came to the conclusion that a network could be helpful here.
What challenges did you face during implementation?
The challenge lay in bringing representatives of the different areas of the sector together in the network and, aside from the virtual meetings in network groups, also facilitate personal encounters. The unpaid volunteer work to build up and manage the network was also quite challenging, as we have exciting and strenuous jobs. Here, ideas and processes had to be developed that enabled us to progress the network in our free time.
Where do you see your project in five years?
“Women in Mobility”, with its work to make role models visible and its networking activities, has helped to increase the female share in the mobility sector significantly, especially in executive positions. As a result of the “Women in Mobility” network’s commitment to promoting female experts and speakers, greater account is taken of the mobility behaviour of women – which strongly differs from male routines – in urban planning and in the planning of new mobility services.
What is your advice for others who have a good idea and want to translate it into action?
The most important thing is to have confidence. Confidence in the idea and the common cause. Confidence that the lively discourse will give rise to new ideas and opportunities and that, through joint commitment and transparency, prospects for support will open up.