POWERful Women was formed in 2014, growing as an offshoot of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Its aim is to increase the representation of women in the energy sector in senior leadership roles.
The POWERful Women Annual Conference 2021 was focused on the ways in which the energy industry, senior leadership and governance organisations can assist in increasing the representation of women in executive roles. Diversity of thought is essential in the current context of companies seeking net zero carbon goals – a more diverse team is more likely to produce varied solutions to the challenges of combatting climate change.
As Ruth Cairnie highlighted, the emphasis should no longer be on why it is important to have women in senior leadership roles, as the importance of diversity in senior leadership as a conduit for fresh thinking and discussion has been established. Rather, the emphasis should be on how this will occur, with visible leadership and commitments, reporting on progress, and strategies such as mentoring of women in middle management and encouraging a flexible approach to work.
The three sessions on Day 1 of the two-day conference each had a distinct focus – Session 1 considered the ongoing need for diversity and inclusion in the energy industry, particularly following COP26. Session 2 focused on what business leaders can do to accelerate business change, whilst Session 3 focused on the role of the regulator in driving diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) progress.
Katharine’s key takeaways from the session included:
The importance of flexible working
Flexible working helps men and women in management positions to comfortably manage both childcare and work obligations. By encouraging flexible working, companies can assist women to manage their workload without feeling stigmatised for juggling work and childcare during the “normal” working day. Childcare can also be divided between both parents, meaning less onus is put on the mother to be responsible for school runs or dinner times.
Flexible working should be considered as value enhancing for an organisation, rather than a business risk. The application of flexible working will open up a larger talent pool in comparison to only considering employees who can be present throughout 9-to-5 working hours.
“Living and breathing” diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI)
Speakers at the event emphasised the importance of treating DEI as constant consideration. Hannah Mary Goodlad, Head of Baltic Sea Area Development at Equinor, stated that much in the manner that companies have striven to create a safety-inclusive culture, where health and safety practices are not just “left at the office door”, DEI should also be an ingrained aspect of company practices.
For example, organisations might begin meetings with a “DEI moment”, similar to a “safety moment”, which discusses any pertinent H&S updates at the start of a meeting. Any policies or procedures which do not align with DEI best practice should also be regularly challenged.
Focusing on the development of women at mid-career level
Melissa Stark, Managing Director at Accenture, highlighted that it is crucial that women at mid-career level are appropriately supported, in order that they can develop into senior leadership roles. Whilst companies are working towards increasingly aggressive targets for the recruitment of women into junior roles, and a growing number of women hold executive positions, women who are mid-career are often juggling both the responsibilities which come with their position and the challenges of raising young children.
Mothers returning from maternity leave must be supported to “jump back in” with challenging projects just as they were undertaking prior to their leave, meaning they can resume their career trajectory whilst also having a family.
The importance of good mentorship was also discussed; women will ideally have a mentor both within the employee’s organisation and an independent mentor, such as the mentoring service offered by POWERful Women.
Giving the youngest woman in the meeting “a seat at the table”
Speakers across the day’s event highlighted the importance of diversity of thought in solving industry challenges. Lauren Van Der Kolk, Group Head of Transformation at National Grid, emphasised that a comfortable environment for all employees was crucial to create an environment where ‘creative friction’ could lead to innovative solutions.
Melissa Stark also highlighted her preference to give the youngest woman in the room a “seat at the table” during meetings, by asking her opinion on the matter being discussed. This has the benefit of both building the confidence of more junior employees to discuss their perspectives, with the potential benefit of establishing a new approach to the issue at hand.
Thanks to POWERful Women for the opportunity to attend this conference and to the speakers for sharing their perspectives on how companies can advance representation of women in senior leadership.
The recording of Day 1 of the event is available here.
