Carter Goody and Ife Akande
11 Jun 2026
June was Pride month and we wanted to share reflections from 2 of our RUI leadership team that took part in Pride celebrations and link to Journey, the LGBTQ+ transport network’s website for more information on how Pride was celebrated
WorkPride 2026 (11 June), Belonging in Logistics & Transport Panel
This panel brought together voices from across the logistics and transport sectors to explore how inclusion and belonging are built in complex, fast-moving environments.
Hosted by Joe Brown, Strategic Delivery & Change Manager at TfL the panel brought together over 30 attendees from across the globe to explore how inclusion can be embedded in a fast-paced, safety-critical industry.
The panel featured Julian Phatarfod, Head of Commercial at Chiltern Railways; Heather McStay, Group Director, Procurement and Commercial at TfL; Pippa Armstrong, East Midlands Railway; and Ife Akande, Graduate Engineer at Network Rail who is on the Rail Unites for Inclusion leadership team.
The discussion explored the realities of building belonging across a complex, operational sector spanning frontline, shift-based, and corporate roles. Panellists highlighted how visibility, trust, and consistency are critical to creating psychologically safe environments where people feel able to speak up, especially in safety-critical settings. The conversation also addressed challenges such as frontline disengagement, representation gaps, and the impact of hierarchy and time pressure on inclusive behaviours. Practical approaches were shared, including strengthening employee networks, increasing leadership visibility on the ground, enabling cross-team collaboration and shadowing, and designing inclusion strategies that reach geographically dispersed teams. Ultimately, the panel reinforced that belonging must be intentionally built into everyday operations, with strong leadership and active allyship playing a key role in creating inclusive, high-performing cultures.
York Pride
If you haven’t already, check out the Pride article in the past events section with the photo of Carter Goodby, from our RUI leadership team, who led on organising a Rail Industry get together at York Pride.
Finally, we continue to partner with Journey as an Industry EDI forum. Find out more about Journey here: Journey – LGBTQ+ Transport Professionals
Journey's current focus is on collating feedback from LGBTQ+ people and allies in the industry about the ECHR draft Code of Practice which could have a profound impact on trans and nonbinary colleagues and customers, as well as gender nonconforming cisgender people. They would appreciate if the survey could be circulated around LGBTQ+ networks and D&I professionals, especially those who would potentially have to implement the proposed changes in their workplace: EHRC Code of Practice: the voice of the transport industry – Fill in form
Journey is now preparing for Doncaster Pride on 8th August. There are several upcoming events on the Journey Events page, but at Doncaster Pride they are looking to replicate the success of Medway Pride where they have had a stall for the past two years to engage with the LGBTQ+ community about careers in the transport sector and safer travel. Hitachi Rail have already generously covered the parade participation donation and stall, so it is as simple as coming along. If you or your organisation would like to join in with the Doncaster parade and/or help out on the stall, please make contact via the website.