Inclusive leadership will take centre stage at this year’s Women in Manufacturing UK Conference, where industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers will explore how diversity and inclusion can strengthen the future of UK manufacturing.
Now in its third year, the conference, organised by Women in Manufacturing UK (WiM UK) – a naFonal iniFaFve dedicated to enhancing gender balance – brings together industry parFcipants to share practical strategies for closing the gender gap and promoting inclusive leadership.
While women comprise nearly half of the UK workforce, they make up only 28% of the manufacturing workforce. Aligned with the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan adopts WiM UK’s “35 by 35” vision — targeting 35% female representation in manufacturing by 2035. WiM UK has helped shape this national ambition by providing evidence, insight, and practical pathways for change through our research, industry partnerships, and advisory work.
The 2025 conference, hosted at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, will aMract over 200 delegates, from shop-floor engineers to senior executives. This year’s programme features an inspiring mix of keynote talks, panel discussions, interactive carousel sessions and networking opportunities, all focused on driving progress towards a more inclusive manufacturing sector. Delegates will explore themes such as early career perspectives, allyship, co-creating the future of manufacturing and short talks from mission-aligned organisations.
Key speakers include:
- Katherine Bennett CBE, Chief ExecuFve Officer, High Value Manufacturing Catapult
- Rebecca Schapira, Deputy Director, Advanced Manufacturing, Department for Business and Trade
- Gary Sheader, Founder and Managing Director, The Manufacturers’ Alliance
- Lee Chambers, Founder and CEO, Male Allies UK
- Jennifer Griffith, Project Lead, Net Zero Skills, NaFonal Manufacturing InsFtute Scotland
A highlight of the event will be the launch of the annual WiM UK report. ‘Women in UK Manufacturing 2025: Leading with Inclusion’ underscores the importance of embedding fairness, equity, and diversity across the sector; emphasising that inclusive leadership is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for competiveness and resilience.
The report reveals that women’s share of the manufacturing workforce has risen to 28.4%, with representation in senior roles reaching 24.8%. However, with nearly a quarter of the workforce expected to retire within the next decade, the report urges leaders to act now to attract and retain diverse talent. It outlines five guiding principles for inclusive leadership to help organisations embed these practices effectively.
Katherine Bennett CBE, HVM Catapult CEO, said: “In an increasingly complex and polarised world, the values of equality, diversity and inclusion are more important than ever – not as opFonal ideals, but as essenFal drivers of innovaFon, resilience and long-term growth. The momentum we see today, backed by evidence and leadership, is a clear signal: inclusive leadership is not a soi skill – it is a compeFFve advantage. I’m proud that, through iniFaFves like Women in Manufacturing, we are building a stronger, more diverse future for UK manufacturing.”
Dr Jennifer Castañeda-Navarrete, Principal Policy Analyst at IfM Engage and lead author of the WiM 2025 report, said: “Inclusive leadership is about seeing potential where others see difference. When we lead with inclusion, we don’t just open doors for women – we open pathways for innovation, competiveness, and a stronger manufacturing future for the UK.”
Kate Willsher, Chief OperaFng Officer at IfM Engage, added: “Manufacturing’s future depends on how we value people – their ideas, experiences, and aspirations. Events like the WiM Conference show that inclusion is not an abstract goal but a shared commitment to building a sector where everyone can thrive.”
For more articles like this, visit our Leadership channel
