Date Added: 09.03.20

In honour of International Women’s Day we wanted to take the time to celebrate some of the successful, formidable women in our midst. Consult Energy is honoured to sponsor Future Leaders – The Utilities Mentoring Network, and in doing so we get exposure to some of the most talented energy industry leaders.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been easy to be a woman in the utilities sector – which has historically been very male-dominated. From an ingrained lack of support for working mothers, to the age old ‘glass ceiling’ preventing women from progressing through the ranks, there are a lot of exclusionary processes to tackle as an industry. Plus, with women still accounting for a fraction of the energy and utilities workforce, there’s still a long way to go on the road to true diversity.

That being said, the sector has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years with more and more females being recognised for their leadership skills and talent, bringing us ever closer to a future of more balanced teams, boardrooms and beyond.

Don’t just take it from us though. We got talking to some of the Future Leaders’ most brilliant mentors and mentees to get their take on the good, the bad and the ugly of what it really means to be a woman in the energy industry. Keep reading to find out all about how our female mentors and mentees have found their energy and utilities journeys so far and how mentoring can help propel women further.

Rosa Stewart, Head of External Relations , SSE

“My entire career has been centred around energy and climate change. I love solving problems in energy and have been lucky to work on different aspects of the sector. Generally I haven’t found that being a woman is a barrier to anything I’ve wanted to achieve.

I think that the working landscape has changed for the better for both women and men – there is more scope for flexible and remote working which is great for everyone’s work-life balance. There are also more senior women around as role models, but still not as many as I’d like.

A piece of advice I’d like to give to women starting out in the energy space would be to learn as much as you can speak up and add value in the areas that you are knowledgeable in. Don’t assume that others know better or have all the solutions, after all the whole sector is transforming at an incredible pace!”

 

Rox Inskip, Head of Customer Operations , Social Energy

“With a mix of working hard, learning as much as I could whenever possible and listening to feedback whether I necessarily wanted to hear it or not – I kept progressing. I think the main drivers were determination, adjusting to and embracing change and never forgetting the importance of the people around you.

I have had a generally positive experience being a woman in energy – it might have been the organisations I have worked for all being very progressive and acknowledging it’s about the best person for the job…With that attitude you can’t go wrong.

I certainly see a lot more women at the top these days – this really gives me the motivation and drive as I can see what’s possible. One thing I think is crucial to moving forward is learning, we should always be open to learning from those around us. Feedback and development isn’t about changing who you are, but sometimes adjusting your approach is necessary. Every person is different and individuality is what makes you special, but adjusting to people around you can make you more powerful.”

 

Jess Murphy, Product Manager, Orbit Energy

“I’ve found it challenging being a woman in the energy industry, especially early on when I didn’t have as much confidence as I do now. I’d go to industry events and be one of only three or four women in the room, and feel really intimidated.

There’s been a small shift towards a more gender balanced workforce in energy, but nothing too substantial compared to other industries. It’s still a boy’s club at heart. Luckily my Future Leaders mentor, Lizzie, is an absolute inspiration as someone who has smashed the said ‘glass ceiling’ herself!”

 

Samantha Miles, Head of Home Service Operations, HomeHero

“Having worked in the energy industry for 10 years, I absolutely cannot deny the fact that like a lot of sectors; ours is male-dominated, and particularly within senior level positions. Of course I’ve been the only woman in the room countless times – I have also recognised that things are changing, and that more and more women are working within the sector, and are being promoted to senior roles.

I’m excited to see how this continues to improve. Essentially people need to be placed into roles based on skill set and experience, not gender, or anything else and that’s being practiced more and more. Programmes like Future Leaders really help, it’s incredibly powerful to see women ‘making it’ through mentoring, we should all take on some responsibility to help others on the way up.”

 

Lizzie Hieron, Managing Director, Social Energy

“I enjoy being a woman in energy. I’m a great believer in the fact that if you work hard, add value and stay true to yourself you will get on in life. We have some amazing women in this industry who are being recognised more and more.

I remember being much younger and worrying about leaving early to go to a nursery school play. I booked the afternoon off and almost hid what I was doing and where I was going – I was embarrassed to need time off my family. Now I realise that me being a mother and part of a family makes me a better leader.

It is something I am proud of, not something to shy away from. These days I always make a point of telling the team when I am shooting off early to do something with my family. I want the team to know that it’s okay and to feel they are able to do the same!”

 

Alison Bennett, Collections Manager, Opus Energy

“With 30 years’ customer service experience under my belt, I do feel that being a woman in the workplace can still be a disadvantage when trying to get your voice heard.

There is a change taking place, but I still feel more can be done to promote women and give them confidence to have their say. Women who are more naturally introverted should be recognised, it’s not all about who can shout the loudest.

Mentoring massively helps instil confidence and find better ways of working to enable women to feel more empowered, I would encourage any woman to be confident and assertive. Don’t hold back when trying to have your say, find ways of articulating yourself and getting your point across.”

 

Sonia Khera, Director, Cactus HR

“For me the greatest factor in creating a platform for women (or any other group) to excel is to have representation at all levels of management. Having a leadership team that encourages and promotes inclusion is critical.

For instance flexibility for parents returning to work after a break after a child – there are lots of great examples of organisations who are doing their bit to create an even playing field by developing internal parental leave policies. We need to look at how we can enhance our practices further in the energy sector.

Energy is a hugely complex, and at times traditional, industry with established systems and processes. So to see positive change you’ve got to be brave and have the desire to do things differently. My top tip would be to get yourself a mentor early on, have someone in your corner with whom you can vent, explore and challenge – a mentor can help you to navigate some of the pitfalls that others may have experienced before.”

 

Whether you’re at the beginning of your energy and utilities career journey, or are already an established figure within it – Future Leaders is always looking for new mentors and mentees. If you’d like to do your part in ensuring a brighter future for the energy and utilities industry, you can find out more about how to join over on the Future Leaders web page.