Our founder, Lynda Ennis, recently spoke with AM Online alongside the President of The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), Professor Jim Saker, HR Director of Cox Automotive International, Alison Fisher, and COO of Auto Trader UK, Catherine Faiers on the culture of Diversity and Inclusion in Automotive Retail. The article references the research carried out by Ennis & Co:
Research carried out by global automotive executive search specialists, Ennis & Co, in partnership with Auto Trader, revealed that only 47% of the surveyed automotive organisations had a coaching programme for under-represented employee groups, and just 41% had a fully articulated D&I plan.
Despite this, the proportion of respondents that agreed with the statement ‘D&I is very important to our business’ rose to a record 80% – up five percentage points in three years.
Ennis & Co founder Lynda Ennis said: “The automotive retail sector still has some way to go in terms of broadening diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
“Lack of diversity creates a vicious circle because it makes automotive retail a less desirable career consideration for people from under-represented backgrounds.
“That said, some dealer groups have made impressive progress in broadening their talent base, building teams that reflect the diversity of customers.
“The need for a broader talent pool will only increase. As executive search specialists, we see every day how the rapid evolution of electric vehicles, online retailing and new mobility products has led to significant skills gaps.
“To succeed in this transforming landscape, companies will have no choice but to reach out proactively to diverse talent groups beyond the traditional automotive sector and create inclusive workplace cultures to recruit and retain the best people.”
Read the full article by clicking the page below:
If you would like to read the whole February edition of the AM Online digital magazine, follow the link here.
