Alstom has been recognised as a national leader in workplace inclusion after being accredited as a Trailblazing Employer under Stonewall’s Proud Employers scheme—the highest level awarded by the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ rights organisation.
The accreditation marks a significant milestone for the rail manufacturer, which is the UK’s largest supplier of new trains and a major provider of signalling and infrastructure. Stonewall praised Alstom for demonstrating true leadership in LGBTQ+ inclusion, noting its efforts to embed inclusive practices across its operations, policies, and supply chain.
Driving Transformational Change
Alstom’s progress accelerated in 2018 with the creation of its LGBTQ+ employee resource group, Voices of Pride+, formed to build a more supportive and equitable workplace. Since then, more than 2,100 employees across the UK and Ireland have taken part in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training, alongside the company’s mobile “Be the U in inclUsive” roadshow, which has visited most of its 37 sites.
Managing Director Ireland and Voices of Pride+ senior sponsor Piers Wood said the accreditation reflected “the strength of our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can be their authentic self.” He credited employees for their advocacy and willingness to challenge existing practices to help shape a culture that “drives meaningful change across the wider rail sector.”
Listening, Learning and Improving
A major catalyst for change has been Alstom’s biannual EDI census, introduced in 2017 to identify improvement areas. The insights gathered informed the company’s “Alstom8” workshops—practical training sessions designed to help staff embed inclusive behaviours into day‑to‑day operations.
Internally, Alstom’s four “Voices of” groups—Pride+, Cultural Diversity, Disability and Women—play a critical role in challenging groupthink, guiding policy development and monitoring key performance data. Their lived experiences help ensure the organisation continues to make progress in meaningful, measurable ways.
Pippa Armstrong, Train System Engineer and Chair of Voices of Pride+, described the Trailblazer accreditation as the culmination of “several years of sustained effort, collaboration and honest reflection,” acknowledging the dedication and passion of teams across the company.
Impact Beyond the Railway
Alstom’s inclusion efforts extend far beyond its own workforce. The company partners with LGBTQI charity Micro Rainbow, supporting asylum seekers and refugees through employability programmes. Alstom also funds a Moving On Officer, who provides one‑to‑one support for job seeking, skills development and access to education.
The company has also taken steps to promote LGBTQ+ visibility through its well‑known fleet of “trainbows”—rail vehicles carrying Pride‑themed liveries, including Avanti West Coast’s Class 390 Progress, the Elizabeth line’s Every Story Matters, and West Midlands Railway’s Hurst Street. In 2024, Alstom unveiled a Pride‑themed “trambow” with East Midlands Railway and Nottingham Express Transit.
At its own sites, Pride flags fly year‑round at the Litchurch Lane Works, while a dedicated Pride wall at Crewe Works reinforces the message that inclusion is an everyday responsibility—not limited to Pride Month.
Image credits: Alstom
