International Women’s Day 2025 – how we’re accelerating action at Hatmill

Our sponsorship of Women in Logistics  is all about attracting, retaining and supporting and inspiring the next generation of women in logistics while promoting broader diversity, offering opportunities for the industry and stakeholders to address recruitment and retention challenge

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Naomi Harryman-Hassan joined other industry experts at Fortnum and Mason to learn more about the company’s supply chain, the amazing women who work there and the company’s history of supporting women.

In 1911, the windows of Fortnum and Mason were smashed by a group of suffragettes in active protest as part of their campaign to demand women’s right to vote in the UK.

Instead of vilifying the women and their cause, the company sent them hampers after they were released from Holloway prison. The contents of the hampers, which included Fortnum’s famous beef tea, were intended to help build up the Suffragette’s strength after their ordeal.

Naomi, Consultant at Hatmill said:

‘’I’m proud to be part of the Women in Logistics community. Today’s event showed the vital contribution women make to logistics showcasing progression, accomplishments and increasing avenues of opportunity within a traditionally male-dominated industry.

‘’At Hatmill, we actively encourage and support women to pursue careers in logistics. We believe in creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and succeed. Our partnership is a testament to our commitment to fostering diversity and empowering women in the industry.’’

How we’re accelerating action at Hatmill

27% of our team is female compared to the industry average of 21%. However, we want to go further and have several initiatives on the go to increase our female talent.

A sector as diverse as logistics needs a diverse workforce. All ages, all backgrounds, all skill sets where your skills will be developed, and where your ambitions can be realised. At Hatmill, we try to replicate this by hiring people from diverse backgrounds to reflect the clients we serve. Research shows the diverse teams are better positioned to unlock innovation and drive growth.

But don’t just take our word for it.  We’ve been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ in the UK by Great Place to Work. 100% of employees at Hatmill say it is a great place to work*, compared to 54% of employees at a typical company.

This can be attributed to our inclusive nature, from our flexible, work from anywhere policies and employee ownership to our non-hierarchical structure. And that balance is important to us.

Employee-ownership

Our unique flat structure and employee ownership culture means our people are empowered to deliver long term success for our clients. Creating a great place to work is fundamental to our principles. Employee ownership secures our distinct entrepreneurial culture – everyone has a stake and is engaged and involved in driving the business.

Flexible working

At Hatmill, you can work where you want, when you want. Something that sets us apart from our competitors and according to our team, is a big attraction for an inclusive working environment.

HEIDi network

2022 saw the launch of the HEIDi network (Hatmill Equity, Inclusivity and Diversity) to champion DEI at Hatmill. The objective of the group is to actively challenge ourselves on how we can improve the good work we are doing and identify opportunities for change.

In 2023 the group reviewed and increased our enhanced parental leave benefits to ensure that we are supporting our colleagues and their families.

Logistics really is a career for everyone. To find out more about our inclusive working environment, visit Careers.