Savage Elevates Women in the Workplace

In today’s culture, companies look to make a difference in how they address sustainability and workplace diversity. Savage recognizes its responsibility to elevate women’s experience who choose to build a career with us. We benefit from the impact women make across every discipline within the company. From legal counsel and supply chain logistics positions to truck drivers and rail engineers, Savage benefits from workplace diversity.

The Big Picture

Companies in an industrial-based market may struggle with workplace diversity for many reasons. At Savage, men and women in leadership have worked hard to identify these reasons and present solutions that promote equity and address different needs.

This has caused a shift in how Savage:

• Markets to and hires women.
• Examines and develops its benefits package.
• Practices a culture of empowerment and support of female Team Members.

The result is a company where women have fewer obstacles that stand between them and the opportunities to do things they never dreamed possible.

Specific Efforts to Expand Workplace Diversity

According to a recent study by CADIA, as reported by Forbes, only one in four U.S.-based employees in the transportation industry are female. And the percentage of women in leadership is even smaller, at 7% in the United States.

There are many reasons for this. The CADIA report specifically mentions:

• Gender bias.
• Questions about safety.
• The lack of upward mobility.

Removing such obstacles from company culture is at the heart of its One Savage initiative, which focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion for all Team Members. Laurel Timmins, vice president over talent acquisition and total rewards who serves on the One Savage Council, said, “I think Savage is actually at an advantage over some of our competitors, because of our culture.”

Workplace Diversity Brings Diversity of Thought

For Timmins and her team, this means creating a place where women feel seen and heard. “Having women on the team brings diversity of thought, and it brings balance. Our high-level goal on the benefits team is to provide competitive benefits that are tailored towards the diverse needs of our Team Members, including options that support women.” A few of these benefits includes paid parental leave and access to services like Milk Stork, which make it possible for nursing parents to carry breast milk through airport security more easily when traveling.

Timmins believes benefits aren’t just about making Savage a more balanced place to work; they can play a role in elevating Team Members’ lives. “Savage is a great place to work for women because we are centered on what I call work-life harmony. We understand that our Team Members have priorities and obligations outside of work, and the company supports us with that.”

This extends beyond Savage’s benefits package. As a transportation and supply chain company, Savage prioritizes short-haul trucking, continuing education through tuition reimbursement programs, and diversity in leadership. These all give Team Members the time, money, and opportunities to support their families.

Women in Leadership is Good for Everyone

Savage understands that when its Team Members are successful, the company is successful. Putting women in leadership is a key focus of that belief. “I think it’s always empowering to come to a place where you recognize that people are going to support you,” says Amy Poulson, a senior corporate attorney for Savage. “There’s a real emphasis on women growing within this company.”

Much has been written about the benefits of having women in senior leadership. The American Psychological Association highlights many of these, including:

• Improving Team Member collaboration.
• Strengthening company-wide support of the corporate direction.
• Minimizing or eliminating harmful gender stereotypes.

Workplace Diversity Strengthens Company Culture

As more women attain elevated roles within the company, Savage is strengthened. Timmins describes how these positive changes make ripples to the broader team. “Seeing the transition to include more women in leadership has been really exciting, and that takes dedication from our executive team,” she said. “If you’re wondering if Savage is committed to this — Savage is committed to this. We’ve proactively changed the way the organization approaches people we hire and the work we do.”

Poulson echoes these sentiments. “When you are a minority group, the best way to move the needle is if you have the broad support of the majority. It’s exciting to see how many men at Savage are willing to support our internal advocacy group, Elevating Women at Savage (EWS). Every time our broader team attends an EWS event, or publicly expresses a supportive viewpoint or perspective, it strengthens and supports the women on our team. Their support makes a huge difference.”

Today, female leaders exist at all levels within the company, from team leads and operation managers to directors, senior vice presidents, and beyond. Every business group benefits from their expertise. The result? Savage has earned its fair share of awards, but the most important recognition, Timmins says, is felt in talent acquisition: “Having women in leadership helps recruit better candidates across the board, not just women.”

How Savage Creates a Space for Women

When Savage hired its first female executive, it also launched Elevating Women at Savage, a forum where important issues pertaining to workplace diversity and the female experience at the office are discussed openly.

Poulson, co-chair of EWS, says that the group’s purpose is simple, yet vast. “We inspire women, promote women, support women, advocate for women, expand our numbers, and grow in leadership within the organization,” she said. The EWS mission statement promotes:

• Increasing Team Member engagement, productivity, inclusiveness, connection, and retention.
• Bringing awareness to issues and obstacles women face.
• Creating a safe space to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions.
• Challenging the organization to hire, promote, and mentor women.

Elevating Women at Savage reflects Savage’s desire to listen and respond to the needs and wants of their Team Members. Timmins says the feedback to EWS from both men and women within the company has been fantastic.

Workplace diversity is never a settled issue. Savage believes we must be better today than we were yesterday, as outlined in our Vision and Legacy statement. The results, so far, tell us that we’re on the right track. “I celebrate how far we’ve come,” says Poulson. “I want to highlight areas where we can do better and where we can grow, but I enthusiastically celebrate how much support we’ve had.”

Interested in working with Savage? See current job openings on our careers page.