An employee network at aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce’s Bristol plant aiming to break down barriers for women and help them build careers in a traditionally male-dominated sector has won a major industry award.
The Bristol Gender Diversity Network (GDN) and Inclusion Champions at the base in Filton, which employs around 3,400 people, took home the Inclusive Teamwork Award at the annual Women in Defence UK awards. 
The scheme brings together industry leaders, government and representatives of the armed forces to celebrate the incredible women who work across defence in various roles and highlighted progress being made in equity, diversity and inclusion within the sector.
The Bristol Gender Diversity Network (GDN) and Inclusion Champions, pictured, were nominated for their work reinvigorating the network after the Covid pandemic and for engaging inclusion champions and leadership from across the entire Rolls-Royce business.
The firm said this work continued to be crucial to the attraction and retention of women into Rolls-Royce, ensuring the female workforce experience was an inclusive and supportive environment.
The GDN and Inclusion Champions recently held a third chapter in their Female Leader Series. 
The events, designed to break down barriers and build careers through professional development workshops, has so far brought together more than 80 women from across the business.
Rolls-Royce Inclusion Champions chair Clare Wilson said: “This award means a great deal to the Inclusion Champions and I am very proud to be part of a team of people who passionately and actively promote equity, diversity and inclusion across our organisation.
“At our Bristol site, we have 85 Inclusion Champions who play a huge part in the Global Inclusion Champions Network and I want to say a huge thank you for their amazing work.”
The Women in Defence UK awards celebrate the extraordinary contributions that individuals and teams make to defence, including overcoming challenges, breaking barriers and driving positive change within their organisation.
The awards aim to inspire more individuals to step forward and help transform the defence sector.
Rolls-Royce’s Filton plant makes engines for key defence programmes such as the EJ200, which powers the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon, and the short-take off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability for the F-35 combat aircraft.
