Bogotá’s La Rolita bus district operator’s #PrimerAñoLaRolita (First Year La Rolita) campaign earned the Bronze Award in the “Equalities” category, for highlighting equal good green job opportunities and women empowerment in the sustainable mobility sector, setting a global standard in urban transportation innovation. The award ceremony was hosted on Friday 21 June in London, UK.
Celebrating Equality in Urban Transportation: La Rolita’s #PrimerAñoLaRolita Communications Campaign
La Rolita, in collaboration with the City of Bogotá, supported by C40’s Climate Action Implementation Programme (UCAP CAI), has won the prestigious Polaris Awards 2024 in the “Equalities” category, recognising campaigns on social equality. This achievement celebrates La Rolita’s outstanding mission to champion gender equality in Bogotá’s public transportation sector, and to increase green jobs held by women in its transport system by 245%, where previously, less than 3% of public bus drivers were women.
The Polaris Awards is a global competition that recognises exceptional achievements in political and public sector communication. It highlights the best use of communication strategies in election campaigns, public affairs, and issue advocacy worldwide. Entries are judged by an international jury of 51 experts from industry associations, consultancies, media firms, and other relevant fields. Each entry is evaluated based on criteria such as strategy, creativity, execution, and effectiveness.
C40 Cities received two Silver Awards in 2023 in the “Environment” category for the United In Action artist campaign and the Youth x Green Jobs video produced by the Communications team in collaboration with agency Enviral. Both assets premiered at the 2022 C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Strategy
La Rolita’s Communications campaign strategically showcased women’s integral role in transforming Bogotá’s transportation landscape. The campaign aimed to inform La Rolita’s local audience about the project’s achievements through social media, traditional media outreach and public relations tactics, gain international recognition for its role in contributing to a just energy transition and create an inspiring narrative about empowering women while disrupting traditional gender roles.
La Rolita’s First Year
La Rolita’s first-anniversary event in September 2023 served as a platform to celebrate its achievements and to engage stakeholders. Featuring testimonials from the female bus drivers themselves, cultural performances, and impactful videos produced in collaboration with C40, the event underscored the campaign’s success in promoting women’s empowerment and sustainable mobility.
Watch the story behind the training of 430 drivers by C40, in partnership with the all-electric public bus operator company La Rolita.
Results
The campaign garnered significant traction with approximately 97,000 views across multiple digital platforms and extensive media coverage in 11 countries, including Colombia’s top outlets. It facilitated international recognition, with visits from global leaders and invitations to key industry conferences, amplifying La Rolita’s impact on a global scale.
Celebrate La Rolita’s work on women’s empowerment by learning the lyrics to the campaign song “Somos Ella” (We Are Her).
About La Rolita
La Rolita is the first public transportation operator in Bogotá, running with a fleet of 195 electric buses, that serve over 700,000 residents across 11 routes, primarily originating from Ciudad Bolívar in Bogotá. La Rolita’s commitment to gender equality is supported by the fact that over 50% of its workforce consists of women, a significant departure from the historically male-dominated public transit sector in the City.
With support from the UCAP CAI programme from C40, funded by the UK Government, La Rolita provided technical training, psychosocial support, and welfare initiatives to empower 430 women as bus operators. This initiative not only addresses gender disparities but also contributes to reducing the city’s carbon footprint, avoiding over 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Beyond operational excellence, La Rolita actively engages in community outreach and cultural integration efforts. Collaborative initiatives with local artists and community groups, such as the Afro-Colombian youth in Ciudad Bolívar, are an example of their commitment to inclusive development. La Rolita’s innovative approach not only transforms urban mobility but also fosters a sense of pride and empowerment among its workforce and the broader Ciudad Bolívar community.
As a winner of the Polaris Awards 2024, La Rolita will continue to inspire cities worldwide with its sustainable and inclusive model of public transportation. Their journey towards gender equality and emission reduction serves as a reminder of how climate action can be inclusive and centred around people.
About the UCAP CAI Programme
The Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme is part of the overarching Urban Climate Action Programme (UCAP) funded by the UK government and delivered in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The CAI Programme is working in collaboration with 15 cities in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to deliver at least two priority high impact actions from their climate action plans (CAPs) and embed climate action plans into city governance, planning and decision-making structures, supporting continued monitoring and progressing of climate actions through tailored technical assistance and capacity building. From January 2022 to December 2025, the CAI Programme will support these cities in their paths to half carbon emissions by 2030, become carbon neutral by 2050 and secure a green, fair and equitable future for nearly 104 million residents.