2021 Automotive News Canada All-Stars

Under Sarah Grimes’ leadership, women at Honda’s vehicle assembly plant in Alliston, Ont., now make up 29 per cent of the workforce, an increase from 15.5 per cent just three years ago. Grimes, 44, instituted Women@Honda and held regular tours for area women to show them that modern manufacturing isn’t the heavy-lifting, grimy work they may perceive it to be.

The plant, established in 1986, was experiencing a mass of retirements, and that provided “an opportunity to capitalize on that moment and really drive some change.” After the twice monthly tours, which transitioned to virtual tours with the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020, 98 per cent of attendees would reach out for more information on applying.