On 26 March 2025, experts gathered to discuss strategies for closing the “leaky pipeline” and enhancing support for women’s careers in the mobility and transport sector. The webinar was part of the second Women in Nordic Intelligent Transport Systems (WIN-ITS 2) project.

Why do women drop out of the mobility and transport sector?

The “leaky pipeline” refers to the loss of women at various stages of their careers in the sector, caused by societal norms and expectations, and a lack of female representation, as noted by Julia Nyberg, Consultant at Trivector Traffic.

In the first WIN-ITS project, participants from ITS organisations in the Nordic and Baltic countries identified the “leaky pipeline” as a significant challenge to gender equality in the sector. Balanced gender representation doesn’t necessarily ensure equality. The real issue lies in the persistent norms that shape working environments and career opportunities. The lack of women in leadership positions and the scarcity of role models are also key concerns.

Gender equality in the Nordics: Current status in the sector

The moderator, Maria Fragranes Clemmensen, Head of Secretariat and Nordic Programme Manager at TECH NORDIC ADVOCATES, presented that Nordic countries rank below the OECD average for female entrepreneurship among women aged 18 to 64.

“The technical sector is fairly reluctant to make drastic changes in terms of how it organises itself and its processes, norms and prevailing culture,” noted Thomas Burø, Assistant Professor at the Department of Engineering Technology and Didactics Strategy and Leadership Development at DTU. He is also part of a research group studying how the Danish tech sector is addressing diversity.

While there has been an increase in the presence of women in the sector, “at management levels and boards, gender representation is still heavily unbalanced,” said Signe Klintgaard Korać, Leading Specialist in mobility at COWI. With 25 years of experience in the mobility sector, she observed that “these environments often don’t perceive this imbalance as a weakness.”

Burø added, “the tech sector in Denmark has been working for the past 30 years on the assumption that we have achieved gender equality […] which is not true […].” He cautioned against reducing diversity to a tool for competitive advantage, stressing that diversity should be valued not only for its instrumental benefits but also for its inherent value in promoting justice.

Key factors for supporting women in the sector

Supporting women at critical points in their careers is essential to keep them in the pipeline, especially when they experience scepticism.

Hedda Heyerdahl, Founder, CBDO and Board Member of Bikeloop, explained, “as a woman, you meet scepticism and are often underestimated. You [as a woman] have to know twice as much as a man when you walk into a room. You have to deliver your knowledge and be the best in your field because they will test your skills.”

Therefore, Klintgaard Korać emphasised the importance of empowering women by giving them responsibility and enabling them to voice their opinions. “Then they climb the ladder much faster instead of being held back.”

Burø highlighted structural barriers, noting how ingrained images of who is a “legitimate” member of the workforce continue to shape perceptions and opportunities. For example, when reviewing CVs in an application process, it’s important to critically examine what is seen as important. “If you don’t reflect critically on what you value, you often end up just valuing what used to be the dominant value, which often coincides with male priorities, as the field [the tech sector] has traditionally been male-dominated,” added Burø.

Fragranes Clemmesen emphasised the importance of mentorship for women in the technology sector, so they can learn and have role models to follow.

Changes needed to achieve gender equality

Heyerdahl called for more success stories to inspire other women in the sector. Klintgaard Korać believes that management levels should recognise the importance of gender balance, not out of obligation, but because of the clear advantages it offers to organisations.

Burø urged that organisational culture be closely examined. “Culture is one of the hardest things to change. But it’s also one of the things that makes the biggest difference in terms of creating spaces that are welcoming and valuing the right things.”

“Listen carefully, challenge assumptions and never accept being underestimated,” added Heyerdahl.

This webinar is co-organised by EIT Urban Mobility, Trivector Traffic and TECH NORDIC ADVOCATES. You can find the recording of the webinar here.

The Women in Nordic ITS 2 (WIN-ITS 2) project is co-funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, EIT Urban Mobility, Trivector Traffic, ITS Estonia, ITS Finland, ITS Iceland and ITS Norway.