This year’s Women in Trucking’s Accelerate! Conference & Expo will include the launch of the WIT Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Index, a new program to collect and share best practices in diversity and inclusivity across the trucking industry.

The WIT D&I Index, produced in partnership with CarriersEdge, will look at the transportation industry’s efforts to create a more inclusive workplace for driving and non-driving staff, documenting current programs, sharing best practices, and recognizing effective solutions in different areas.

“Fleets have been seeking new ways to attract people to the industry, and creating a more diverse workplace is a great way to do that,” said Jane Jazrawy, CEO of CarriersEdge. “Some fleets are already having success with their efforts, and this program will share those successes so others can learn from them and build on them.”

The program will collect details from participating fleets about diversity and inclusivity efforts through interviews and anonymous employee surveys.

“For 13 years, WIT has focused on improving the workplace experience for women, both on and off the road,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT. “While we’ve made great strides on that front, getting from 3% of the driver population to more than 10% now, there’s still more to do.”

The first edition of the D&I Index will open for applications in March 2021, with results unveiled in Fall 2021.

In advance of the launch, the Accelerate! virtual session “Taking Transportation Forward: The WIT Diversity & Inclusion Index,” scheduled for November 12, will outline details of the program, the data collection process, and plans for the sharing of best practices.