Diversity: What’s stopping us?

Register to watch this webinar on demand

The latest figures from Energy & Utilities Skills actually showed a fall in the female percentage of the workforce, down to 18.3% – compared to a UK-wide tally of 47.3%. While the proportion of ethnic minorities had risen, it was from a low base and still represents just 6.9% of the total, against 11.4% for the country as a whole.

This webinar, hosted by Utility Week in association with Workday, will ask the blunt but necessary question, what is stopping us from making the utilities sector more diverse and inclusive? Furthermore, how can career paths be developed to ensure diversity is reflected at the most senior levels of utilities companies?

• Senior figures from across the utilities sector will discuss this issue in depth including:
•  Is the sector actually collecting the right data to gauge the current level of inequality in the sector? Does a common framework need to be developed?
• Have utilities got credible goals and pathways to make their businesses more reflective of society?
• Is the training for recruiters and senior teams up to scratch? Does unconscious bias training work?
• How important is the language of job adverts in promoting diversity?
• What more can utilities do to partner with schools and other education providers to promote the sector to a broad cross section of the next generation?

The panel will include:

• Angela Booth, chair of the Thames Water Women’s Network
• Michelle Dawkins, director for presales, Workday
• Julie McGovern, head of people, United Utilties
• Will Serle, chief people officer, National Grid