No One Should Fight on Their Own: An Allyship Perspective from Jake Saunders, JLR

Allyship Leader Feature | Women Automotive Network

At the Women Automotive Network, we believe that creating lasting change in the automotive industry requires more than the voices of women alone, it takes committed allies who use their influence, platforms, and leadership to champion equality every day. Our Allyship Leader series celebrates the men and women who are actively driving inclusion forward, proving that allyship in action is one of the most powerful forces for change.

In this edition, we feature Jake Saunders, Accessories Attribute Feature Owner at JLR and winner of the Allyship Award at the 2025 Women Automotive Awards. Jake’s journey from a maths student who switched paths to engineering, to an engaged ally championing women in the industry, is a reminder that allyship is not about taking up space, but about sharing the load so that no one has to fight for their rights alone.

Above: Jake Saunders, Accessories Attribute Feature Owner, JLR

Can you tell us a little about you, your background and how you got started in the automotive industry?

I started out doing Maths at Warwick University, but I made a lot of friends who were doing Engineering degrees and felt a lot more excited about the type of work they were doing and the internship opportunities they were getting. So, I restarted university on an Engineering degree and never looked back! I managed to secure a summer placement with JLR in my first year and was fortunate enough to be invited back for subsequent summer placements throughout my four-year integrated masters course, as well as a graduate scheme following my degree. I’ve been working in the automotive industry ever since.

What is your current role, and what are your primary responsibilities within your organisation?

My current role is Accessories Attribute Feature Owner at JLR. I design the customer experience for electrically integrated accessories and champion the needs of the customer throughout the systems engineering process. I work across JLR’s vehicle lines and get to work with teams across the business to understand how accessory features can support and complement core features.

What inspired you to take on a role in advocating for diversity and equality in the automotive industry?

During my graduate scheme at JLR, I had a friend who was very involved in the Women in Engineering & Allies (WIE&A) Network. She approached me one day to ask if I could join her working group in the network, as they needed some extra hands to support interviewing women about their experiences in the industry. I was happy to help out but worried that, as a man, I would be in the way and taking up space that I shouldn’t be.

However, I soon learned the importance of allyship as I heard more and more about the experiences women had been through. I realised that as an involved ally I could actually make a difference and help to share the load. People in marginalised groups shouldn’t have to fight for their rights on their own.

"People in marginalised groups shouldn’t have to fight for their rights on their own."

— Jake Saunders, Accessories Attribute Feature Owner, JLR

What is the most radical change you believe is necessary to achieve true equality in the automotive industry?

We need a complete overhaul of the recruitment process! Every new role should be kept open until a diverse range of applicants have applied. There are so many people out there who have the skills for jobs in the automotive industry who screen themselves out; companies need to do more to increase their pools of applicants to be more diverse. Also, any assessments or interviews should be conducted by a diverse panel to ensure any unconscious bias is eliminated and all candidates can feel more at ease.

What role do you think mentors and sponsors can play, and how do you recommend finding and cultivating these relationships?

Mentorship and sponsorship can be an amazing way to break down barriers that people are facing in their careers. Whether this is through knowledge sharing, expanding personal networks, or championing someone when they’re not in the room. I would encourage every ally to support as a mentor or sponsor where they can, especially for someone outside of their “usual” circles. Join employee resource groups as an ally, network with new people, and make yourself approachable as a possible mentor.

Above: Jake collecting the Allyship Award at the 2025 Women Automotive Awards, Europe Summit, Stuttgart

What initiatives or programs within your company have been particularly effective in supporting female employees?

Our Level Up and Levelled Up campaigns have been effective tools for women’s career development at JLR. Level Up encourages hiring managers to share internal vacancies to the WIE&A Network page in a format that encourages engagement and highlights the positive working culture of their team. Levelled Up provides a platform to celebrate the journeys of women who have been recently promoted, with the goal of empowering more women to apply to internal vacancies.

We also run Pitstop Interview events which give attendees short practice interviews with three different managers back-to-back. This gives the participant the opportunity to get instant interview feedback and put it into practice straight away. Running these events within our WIE&A network has allowed us to upskill our members and build their ability and confidence for interviews and job applications.

What do you think is holding the automotive industry back from achieving true gender parity?

The automotive industry has a lot of baggage when it comes to gender, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change things. Cultural mindsets need to be shifted, and that message is going to land best from automotive companies going all in on outreach and external sharing of the achievements of women in the sector. We need parents, teachers, and communities to move beyond outdated views and present engineering as a career destination for young women.

How do you hold your organisation accountable for its diversity and inclusion goals?

The best way I’ve found is with data. It’s very hard to argue away the gender disparity when the statistics are right in front of you. If your company has a lower than average number of women than the rest of the automotive industry, what can you learn from your peers to improve your recruitment processes? If you’re doing better than average, what is your company doing right, and how can they build on that to move closer to 50%?

Encourage your company to back up any of their DE&I claims with data to promote honesty and transparency, then we can celebrate our wins and mobilise colleagues to make changes where gaps are seen.

What’s a quote that has inspired you?

Rosa Parks: "We will fail when we fail to try."

What new skill are you currently learning or want to learn?

I want to improve my language skills. I’m currently learning German and I want to start learning British Sign Language.

What’s your personal career motto?

Work somewhere where you can do good.