International Women’s Day CEO Influencer Statement from Nick Wayth of the Energy Institute

 

To mark International Women’s Day 2022, executive leaders have been encouraged to submit a statement on their commitment to gender equality and how they will #BreakTheBias. We’re delighted to publish this from Energy Institute CEO and POWERful Women Board Member, Nick Wayth:

 

At the Energy Institute our commitment to diversity and inclusion of all kinds is clear and strong.  As a professional body, our purpose is to attract, develop and equip the diverse future energy workforce, inform energy decision-making through convening expertise and advice, and enable industry to make energy lower carbon, safer and more efficient.  We can’t do any of that unless we have diversity of thought, skills and talent, and unless we support all our staff in an inclusive culture where they can flourish.

And as an outward-looking organisation that works with and across the energy industry, we also have an important role to play in influencing and championing change within our sector.

 

 

That is why we are proud provide a home to the POWERful Women initiative, which is working to improve the representation of women at the top of the UK energy sector.  This isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also business and Net Zero critical.  Without all the available talent and diverse perspectives, we simply won’t succeed in the urgent challenges the global energy transition presents. 

By 2030, POWERful Women wants at least 30% of executive board roles and 40% of middle management roles in UK energy companies to be held by women.  It campaigns and reports on the state of gender diversity in the industry, provides practical support to companies, and supports women in their careers, including through its popular mentoring programme.

The latest board statistics show that while some progress is being made, it is far too slow. In 2021 78% of the top 80 UK energy employers had no women in executive board roles, for example.

So we need to go faster and further to #BreakTheBias. Visible leadership on this is crucial and I am pleased to be part of the Energy Leaders’ Coalition, alongside 18 other energy CEOs who have made a public commitment to advancing the pace of change on gender diversity and inclusion.  To remain transparent and accountable, we report annually on our progress and I look forward to making great strides in the year ahead. 

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women in energy but also reminds us that tackling inequality and bias should be part of all our lives every day.

 

Nick Wayth, CEO, Energy Institute