Improving gender diversity in the workplace: a marathon best run as a team

Growth, efficiency and recruitment. To meet these challenges, the rail sector will, notably, need to increase the proportion of women in its workforce. This is a priority that CFL have been addressing since 2021 by signing the European ‘Women in Rail’ agreement.

“Our commitment to increasing gender diversity and professional equality between women and men is in line with our corporate strategy, one of the objectives of which is to foster the mindset and corporate culture needed for the future of our Group,” explains Yves Baden, Head of Human Resources at the CFL.

Launched in 2023, the Women@CFL action plan adapts the principles of the European agreement to local circumstances. “We are racing a marathon marked by tangible results, such as the gradual increase in the proportion of women at the CFL from 12 per cent of our workforce in 2016 to 16 per cent in 2026. The collective awareness of the need for diversity in the workplace is also a positive sign and a consequence of our action plan, which, furthermore, largely benefits both women AND men within the organisation.”

Training for recruiters, an inclusive editorial charter, awareness campaigns against harassment and discrimination, adapting personal safety equipment, improving sanitary facilities… The CFL are putting their intentions into action.

“Our approach is based on a firm belief: the strength of a team depends on the diversity of its talent,” adds Jennifer Moreau, Gender Equality Officer at CFL. “We are taking action on specific issues and areas that will bear fruit in the long term, such as corporate culture and changing certain behaviours.”

A platform for the business ecosystem

As well as sharing experiences with their European peers, the CFL aim to act as a catalyst for driving change within Luxembourg businesses. The first Empow(her)ing Journey Summit, held on 5 March 2026, was designed with this in mind and brought together 300 professionals from across the business world.

“If we want to be credible on this issue, particularly in the eyes of young people, we must also provide a platform to enable the business ecosystem to progress by drawing mutual inspiration from best practices and expertise, both local and international,” adds Yves Baden, already setting the date for the next event in 2028.

A second ‘Summit’ on the agenda
The positive feedback following the first Empow(her)ing Journey Summit has led the CFL to organise a second edition of the event on a biennial basis. The date has been set for 8 March 2028. In the meantime, you can relive the event and watch inspiring testimonials on the CFL’s YouTube channel.

By highlighting the significance of the CFL’s roles through their employer brand ‘Missions that rock!’ and the ‘Empow(her)ing Journey’ initiative, the CFL are reaching out to a part of the workforce that might not necessarily have considered the rail sector, whilst emphasising the importance of teamwork. The company has also just been recognised as the country’s ‘most attractive employer’ by Randstad, based on several criteria including work-life balance, workplace atmosphere and fairness.

“Against a context of talent shortages and the transformation of railway professions, expanding our recruitment pool is a strategic priority to prepare for our Group’s future and meet our customers’ expectations in the long term,” emphasises Yves Baden.

Making the sector more gender-balanced at European level
Signed on 5 November 2021 during the European Year of Rail between the CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies), representing European railway companies, and the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation), representing workers in the sector, the ‘Women in Rail’ agreement is historic in terms of its scope and binding nature. The signatories are committed to increasing the number of women in the sector by addressing several aspects of working conditions, such as work-life balance, career development, equal pay, the working environment and the prevention of sexual harassment and sexism.