The roundtable, themed “Unlocking Opportunity”, brought together major North East employers and education leaders to discuss how business can play a stronger role in creating jobs, widening access to opportunity and support regional economic growth.

In our latest Purpose Lab session Northern explored what it really takes to attract, retain and support women in rail engineering, through the lens of early-career expectations and lived experience.

The Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity Impact Report, produced with The Purpose Coalition and launched in Parliament on 8 September, sets out how the UK’s largest train operator outside London is delivering impact far beyond running trains – and includes recommendations to build on this progress in the years ahead.

Northern has been praised for its “outstanding commitment” to supporting people who have served in the Armed Forces.

“I still find myself counting the number of women in the room because there are so few of us, but hopefully I can show there is a place for women to be successful in business and you can progress and make a difference.”