Petromin Express breaks barriers for women empowerment in automotive services

The company was recognised with the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Award - Saudi Arabia and the Job Creation Award - Saudi Arabia.

Petromin Express has emerged as a forerunner in redefining gender roles in the automotive service industry, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the number of female drivers has increased significantly in the past few years.

In a remarkable feat, Petromin has clinched two distinguished awards at the ESGBusiness Awards in Saudi Arabia. The company's relentless dedication to breaking gender barriers and promoting women's empowerment in the automotive service industry through Petromin Express led to it winning the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Award - Saudi Arabia.

The rise in female drivers presented both a unique challenge and opportunity for Petromin Express, given that the automotive service sector has traditionally been male-dominated. Recognising the importance of making female customers feel comfortable and valued, the company took significant steps to create a welcoming environment.

Females are often seen in showrooms and back offices, but they are rarely in workshops. To bring about this chance, Petromin Express launched an innovative project aiming to cultivate a workspace that embraces gender diversity as well as effectively address the automotive care needs of Saudi Arabia's growing community of female drivers.

The company hired female technicians for two selected service stations in Jeddah. The journey towards this transformative initiative was comprehensive. It began with the meticulous recruitment process, led by the Petromin HR team, which sought out female talent capable of redefining the automotive service landscape.

Once identified, these pioneers underwent a rigorous training programme conducted by its business excellence team, led by the company’s first female automotive trainer in the organisation. This programme encompassed one month of intensive classroom training, followed by two months of immersive, hands-on experience.

“As the landscape of Saudi Arabia evolved, with more women taking to the roads, we recognised the need to bridge the gap in the automotive service industry… We saw this as an opportunity to not only create a more inclusive workplace but also to better cater to the needs of female drivers,” the company said.

The two stations involved in the pilot project experienced a significant increase in customer footfall. This boost translated into a monthly revenue increase, primarily attributed to the growing number of female drivers who appreciated the trust and comfort provided by the female technicians. Moreover, the customer satisfaction index at both stations improved by an average of 8%, reflecting the overall community acceptance of female technicians and the positive vehicle care experience they offered.

In addition to its gender equality and women empowerment win, Petromin also took home the Job Creation Award - Saudi Arabia for its work in Petromin AutoCare. The company took on a groundbreaking pilot project that aimed to eliminate barriers that had limited women from participating in and redefining the automotive repair industry.

Petromin AutoCare hired and trained female Service Advisors with the mission of providing equal work opportunities for women. The first female Service Advisor named Amina joined the team at a brand-new workshop facility, which considered convenience, socioeconomic profiles, and the significance of the Riyadh market.

The process started with the recruitment process, also led by Petromin’s HR team, and a rigorous training journey led as well by the company’s head of our business excellence team. This training regimen encompassed an intensive one-month classroom curriculum, followed by two months of immersive, hands-on experience, working under the direct supervision of the branch manager of the new facility.

Training paid off as Amina became proficient in delivering exceptional automotive service whilst embodying the essence of gender diversity, inclusion, and new job creation for women.

Amongst the notable outcomes of this project was the increased representation of women in Petromin’s aftersales network. Since Amina’s joining, the company has welcomed an additional 35 female colleagues into its aftersales workforce. This influx of talented women has not only enriched the team but has also brought about a higher influx of female customers into the company’s station network.

The workshop facility that participated in the project also witnessed an increase in customer visits, with an average of four to five additional female and male customers per day.

In addition, since her induction, Amina has contributed immensely to the success of the branch. She played a key role in achieving a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) at the newly opened workshop, Al Massif, with an impressive starting average of 91%.

This underscores the widespread community acceptance of female Service Advisors, the creation of new job opportunities for women, and the consistently positive vehicle care experience they provide.

The prestigious ESGBusiness Awards honours businesses that demonstrate outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, as well as those leading the way in building a sustainable future.

The ESGBusiness Awards is presented by ESGBusiness. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].