Fastned advances towards gender parity: women now comprise 42.5% of workforce
Marking International Women’s Day, Fastned highlights the increasing influence of women across its network, from construction and software to country leadership, and reaffirms its ambition to reach a 50% gender split by 2030.
Women today make up more than 42% of the Fastned workforce. On the road to its ambition of 50% representation by 2030, the company is seeing women take on increasingly central roles in defining its future: leading country organisations, developing the charging network, and driving core technical and commercial innovation.
From percentages to people
This shift extends beyond the office and into roles where female representation has historically been low.
In the construction pillar, where the wider market sees women in only around 10% of roles, they now comprise nearly 34% of Fastned’s team. The contrast is even stronger in software engineering: while the industry average sits at 11%, Fastned has reached 24.5% female representation, more than double the market standard.
These figures reflect a deliberate strategy to hire and promote women into the heart of the business.
Caro De Brouwer, Network Development Director, sees the impact of this approach firsthand.
When you look at our network development and project teams, you see women leading negotiations, coordinating complex processes and contributing to the technical decisions that shape our stations. In fields like construction and software engineering, where women are often still the exception, this visibility sends a clear signal to the upcoming that their presence at the table is crucial to the success of the energy transition.
Leadership that reflects the company
This evolution is mirrored in Fastned’s leadership. Women currently hold approximately one third of positions on the Executive Team, one third of the Management Board, half of the seats on the Supervisory Board, which is chaired by a woman, and one third of the FAST shareholders’ foundation board. For several years, Fastned has maintained a formal target of at least 30% female representation in these key governance bodies and is committed to sustaining and building on that level.
For Françoise Poggi, Chief Operations Officer, this progress reflects a culture where women are valued for who they are, and where leadership mirrors the world Fastned serves.
At Fastned, bringing more women into the workplace isn’t about ‘diversity’ as a concept; it’s about bringing half of the world outside into our world inside. Women lead our company as part of the Management Board, and women lead key markets across Europe. But what matters just as much is the environment we create: one where women are valued for who they are, and can lead in their own way. That makes us closer to our customers, our society, and our mission, and it will make us more successful. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and in the coming months, additional country organisations will move under female country directors, further expanding the footprint of women in charge of our operations across Europe.
Fastned’s commitment to inclusive leadership has earned external recognition, including a Deloitte award for diverse and inclusive leadership and B Corp certification, reflecting high standards in governance, people and environmental impact.
Turning ambition into action
Fastned’s progress stems from a series of practical, structural choices rather than any single initiative. Clear expectations for female representation in leadership set the direction, while regular reviews of pay and people policies ensure that compensation, parental leave and flexibility support equal opportunity for all. Furthermore, the company has made salary frameworks and career paths more transparent to facilitate growth. Fastned also places strong emphasis on engaging men as part of this change, building awareness and inviting them to actively support gender equality in their teams, from running inclusive hiring and development conversations to speaking up when they see bias. The goal is to ensure everyone can grow, and that women can thrive without having to change who they are to fit in.
Fastned’s commitment also extends beyond its own walls. Recently, the company became a founding partner of Global Women in EV Day. Although, based in the UK, this is a global, annual moment to celebrate, elevate and empower women. By supporting this initiative, Fastned aims to help build a stronger pipeline of women entering and growing within the wider electric mobility sector.
Looking ahead
Today, women at Fastned lead markets, develop the network and build the critical systems that power European electric mobility. The next step is to make this level of representation the norm both in our industry and beyond.
Over time, Fastned has observed that teams with a mix of genders, nationalities and backgrounds tend to bring a wider range of perspectives, challenge assumptions earlier and reach more balanced decisions, particularly in complex infrastructure projects and cross-border operations. Passing 42% female representation demonstrates that setting clear expectations, reviewing practices and listening to employees can fundamentally shift who gets to shape the energy transition. Now, the focus is on sustaining this progress and making it the norm across the organisation.