December 1, 2023 Automotive, Events, News SMMT Industry Forum was delighted to attend the 106th SMMT Annual Dinner this week as one of the most prestigious events in the automotive calendar. Addressing industry leaders and politicians Alison Jones, SMMT President and Senior Vice President Global Circular Economy, Stellantis, praised the industry’s resilience and commitment to green growth, saying, As an industry, we have moved forward despite the instability, despite legislative uncertainty, inflation and geopolitical risk. The industry has backed itself with big decisions on big investments to guarantee jobs and our future. We have seen major commitments in battery production, lithium mining, vehicle manufacturing, R&D and the aftermarket. Such investment – and our ability to remain competitive – is key to the continuation of a strong UK manufacturing base and a sector that sustains nearly a million livelihoods. Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister of State for Industry and Economic Security spoke to welcome the recent investments in UK Automotive in 2023 We started this year with quite a few challenges and obstacles ahead of us. But with a joint effort we are finishing on a high point as one of the most successful years in our recent history The special guest speaker was The Rt Hon Rory Stewart OBE talking about his time in government and the outlook for the political landscape in 2024 and beyond. Some of Britain’s biggest automotive companies pledged that women will represent 30% of their workforce within the next six years, in a bid to drive gender diversity across all roles and levels. The commitment by the Automotive Council, whose members represent 99% of British vehicle manufacturing and half of the UK’s automotive workforce, is a significant short-term challenge given that just under 20% of the sector’s workforce is today female. The Council also launched a new best practice guide, Shifting Gears: How to better recruit and retain women in the UK automotive sector, to provide forward-thinking businesses across the industry – from car and commercial vehicle manufacturing to supply chain and the aftermarket – with the tools needed to improve gender diversity across all levels. It was a fantastic event providing much-needed industry insights and an opportunity to meet representatives across the automotive industry.
