NASHVILLE, Tenn. (November 2, 2023) – Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) today announced it has been named a 2023 “Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation” for the second straight year by the Women in Trucking Association (WIT). Representatives from Bridgestone will receive the award, along with other recipients, during a ceremony at the WIT Accelerate! Conference and Expo Nov. 5-8 in Dallas, Texas.
This recognition is given by Redefining the Road, the official magazine of WIT, and it supports part of WIT’s mission to promote the accomplishments of companies that are focused on women's employment in the trucking industry. The award was validated by an industry-wide vote involving more than 27,000 professionals in transportation, which ranked Bridgestone high on several voting criteria areas as determined by WIT, including:
- a corporate culture that fosters gender diversity
- competitive compensation and benefits
- flexible hours and work requirements
- professional development opportunities
- career advancement opportunities
“Bridgestone is honored to once again be recognized as a premier place to work for women in the transportation industry,” said LaTres Jarrett, executive director, TBR Sales, Bridgestone Canada and a board member of WIT. “Like so many others, I am proud to work for an organization that puts a sincere emphasis on supporting its female employees, while also fostering opportunities for women in leadership roles across our industry.”
Bridgestone has strived to increase women in leadership roles across the U.S., Latin America and Canada. For the past two years, Bridgestone has released a DE&I Annual Report as part of its DE&I Center of Excellence. In 2022, the company reported an overall increase in representation of women across management levels, including within the Bridgestone Americas Executive Committee, the highest-level leadership group in the organization. As part of its Employee Resource Groups, Bridgestone also offers the Bridgestone Women’s Initiative Network (BWIN), which helps position female teammates to thrive and lead within the company.
More Bridgestone news at WIT Accelerate!:
- Several Bridgestone leaders will take part in panel discussions at WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo on Nov. 5-8. Jarrett, Josh Holland, Vice President, Dealer Development and Mobility Solutions Deployment (Commercial); and Debra Hamlin, Director, Dealer Support, Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network; will each participate in panels spotlighting topics such as mentorship in the trucking industry and what it takes to be a strong male ally.
- Kodiak, an autonomous trucking company and a partner of Bridgestone, will sponsor a booth at WIT Accelerate! Kodiak’s booth will feature one of its Gen 5 autonomous vehicles built on a Kenworth T680 platform, and it will be fitted with Bridgestone M713 and R213 truck tires.
Bridgestone’s recognition from WIT aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, which consists of 8 Bridgestone-like values starting with the letter “E.” This recognition aligns with the “Emotion” and “Empowerment” values of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.
