About Us
Launched four years ago, Rail Unites for Inclusion (RUI) has been a catalyst for change in the railway sector and beyond. By bringing together individuals and organisations that share a passion for creating an inclusive environment, it has been proven that collaboration is key to overcoming the barriers that prevent full inclusivity.
What do we do?
We are an industry Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) forum created in 2021 that unites people across the rail industry on a common mission: to be more inclusive and more representative of our communities so we can better serve them.
How we achieve it?
Through alliances with individuals and organisations across and beyond rail who are passionate about making our sector more healthy, diverse, equitable and inclusive.
We actively work with the industry to understand our EDI maturity and work on what needs to be better. We also deliver programmes that support inclusion and wellbeing and that help shift our culture and working practices in the right direction.
Why is RUI important?
We always strive to meet the needs of our customers, colleagues and communities. We need an industry that can walk in the shoes of our users and drive change that meets everyone’s needs. Our people are really important to us, and we want to continue to collaborate together to make our culture more inclusive.
Who is involved?
From TOCs, FOCs, supply chain to DfT and Network Rail - RUI touches every corner of rail. We have over 400 members that span over more than 100 organisations across and outside the sector from all grade groups within the industry and experts external to rail.
Our Co-Chairs are Apeksha Naik and Odis Palmer, Industry Inclusion and Belonging Leads, and our Deputy Chair is Dante Frederick.
We have 3 Co-Sponsors – Alex Hynes, Director General, Department for Transport; Karen Lewis, Group HR Director, DFTO; Navleen Kalra, Director of People, Transformation and EDI, Network Rail.
“Making our railway inclusive for all is a collective mission shared across industry. Rail Unites for Inclusion is playing a critical role in bringing together people from every corner of our industry to drive real change for everyone, everywhere."
Karen Lewis, RUI Co-Sponsor and Group HR Director, DFTO
“The RUI family is powered by passionate members on a mission to make our industry more inclusive and to better represent our customers so that we can provide a better service for them. I’m so proud of our team and what we have achieved so far and we will continue to improve upon our EDI maturity as well as to celebrate and support the diversity of our people and customers. This will be key to driving our service and culture in a more positive direction.”
Apeksha Naik, RUI Co-Chair and Industry Inclusion and Belonging Lead
Meet The Chairs
Across 100 Organisations
20 Action
Driven Events
1680 Attendees across the Sector
Over 400 Members
Between the summer of 2023 and 2024, RUI ran over 20 action-driven events with 1,680 attendees from across the sector resulting in more organisations getting involved in embedding EDI pan-industry. Last year saw impressive growth with the group’s membership expanding to over 400 individuals from around 100 organisations across the industry – amplifying the collective voice and strengthening the ability to advocate for meaningful change.