For 10 years POWERful Women has been working to increase the representation of women in the UK energy sector. Supporting, challenging and connecting to ensure that the industry has the talent it needs for a successful, equitable and affordable transition to Net Zero. Follow our timeline to see our milestones over the past decade, from our launch in 2014 to the influential organisation we’ve become, and the people and successes along the way.
The number of women in board and executive director board roles in the UK energy sector has more than trebled in the past 10 years. 34% of leadership and 32% of middle management roles are now held by women, on the way to our target of 40% by 2030. But there is more to do – we need to really accelerate the pace of change towards a gender-balanced industry.
Find out about our manifesto call to action and how you can pledge your support on our MANIFESTO PAGE
To view POWERful Women’s videos and podcasts, please visit the POWERful Women Youtube Channel, released in 2020.
Here you can find our interviews, conference videos, as well as a range of thought-provoking podcasts conducted by POWERful Women board members. To view our partner videos and podcasts, please scroll below.
For this important annual event in POWERful Women’s calendar – and in the year of our 10th anniversary – we have joined forces with Bain and Company to benchmark the 80 largest UK energy employers on their gender diversity.
Publishing this data encourages accountability and drives faster, more tangible progress towards a gender-balanced energy workforce in the UK. And a decade on from when we first started reporting, we’ll be looking at the progress that’s been made over the last 10 years and how much further we have to go towards our ’40% by 2030’ target and a gender-balanced industry.
We’ll also be sharing some of the actions that have made a difference to those who are leading the way on diversity and inclusion. LAST YEAR, our data showed that women remain under-represented, occupying just 29% of board seats, 16% of executive director roles and 32% of middle management roles.
This was higher than in 2022 but progress remains incremental and a fifth of companies still had no women on their boards.
This POWERful Women Annual Conference workshop will explore how individuals can:
This workshop is aimed at supporting women in their careers.
We are delighted to be partnering with POWERful Women and taking part in the upcoming Annual Conference and particularly to be bringing you an interactive workshop focused on the topic of having honest conversations as an ally. In the session you will have the opportunity to consider the potentially difficult conversations we can come across as inclusive professionals and allies, explore ways to handle inappropriate behaviour and ways to have generally more open conversations with your colleagues to really help them thrive. We encourage anyone to join us who is looking to improve how they speak up and how they act as an ally but you might also be particularly interested in joining if you’re looking to build confidence and strategies in having those potentially awkward or challenging conversations.
POWERful Women State of the Nation – May 2023
On the morning of Tuesday 23 May, we published our 2023 statistics on the number of women in board, leadership and middle management positions in the UK energy sector. For this important annual event in POWERful Women’s calendar, we worked with PwC UK to benchmark the 80 largest UK energy employers on their gender diversity. Publishing this data encourages accountability and drives faster, more tangible progress towards a gender-balanced energy workforce in the UK.
Energy Live News Podcast ‘Gender Diversity in energy companies moves forward at a glacial pace’ – January 2023
Our Project Manager, Georgina Worrall, spoke to Energy Live News about gender diversity in the UK energy sector, the work of POWERful Women and the launch of the new Women’s Energy Network Alliance (WENA).
PwC Innovation in Energy Podcast with Katie Jackson, PfW Chair – December 2022
Chair of POWERful women Katie Jackson chats to PwC’s Vicky Parker and Elisabeth Hunt in episode 3 of their podcast series. They explore energy security, affordability and sustainability and discuss if the industry has the right balance of diversity and skills for the journey to net zero.
POWERful Women’s Annual Conference Proceedings – November 2022
You can watch the full recording of our Annual Conference 2022 here. It includes keynote addresses from Permanent Secretary of BEIS Sarah Munby, the launch of our new targets and strategy by our Chair Katie Jackson, an insightful ‘fireside chat’ between CEO of So Energy, Monica Collings, and Matthew Wright of National Grid, plus two lively and inspiring panel debates featuring energy leaders and diversity experts on the topics of “What does a good inclusive culture and diversity look like in a company” and “How the energy sector can deliver change and why it matters”.
There are many more videos and podcasts to view on our Youtube Channel.
Here you can find a range of thought-provoking interviews and proceedings from past conferences and events, featuring company leaders, women talking about their energy careers, diversity experts and influencers, including POWERful Women’s Board Members.
Below we also share some other videos and podcasts we like, from organisations and people that have interesting and inspiring things to say on the topics of women in the workplace, diversity and inclusion and the energy transition.
Leaders in CleanTech: The Podcast – with Rubina Singh of Octopus Ventures – February 2023
Our Board Member, Rubina Singh, Principal at Octopus Ventures, spoke to David Hunt at Hyperion Executive Search for the latest episode of their Leaders in Cleantech podcast.
Full of fascinating insights and stories, Rubina talks about her role in deeptech developments and investing in cleantech, and looks in her crystal ball at the technology and climate solutions that are exciting her.
But she is clear that we can’t address the challenges ahead if we continue to fish from the traditional talent pool, which means addressing the “shocking” under-representation of women in industry.
Check out her actionable tips for organisations on how to cultivate female talent and create more inclusive cultures. She also looks at the powerful role the investment community can play in supporting female founders and start-ups, with significant economic benefits. “One really positive pitch session I was at was when they pitched the technology, they pitched the team and they pitched the diversity of the team – and how important it was in growing the company.”
It’s a great conversation – follow the link to tune in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZfvzVn7lxo
An Evening with Six Inspiring Leaders – Net Zero Technology Centre – May 3 2021
This event, held in partnership with POWERful Women, brought together six of the industry’s leading female leaders to share stories of their lives, chat about challenges they have experienced, and how they make it all work.
The evening was designed to connect and celebrate women in the energy industry. Showcasing how we can work together to combat gender bias and discrimination and accelerate gender equality in our industry. There was no shortage of exciting conversation and opinions.
Watch the event recording by clicking here.
Equal Lives: the link between equal opportunities in the workplace and equal opportunities at home – 18 November 2019
This International Men’s Day, check out this brilliant film from the Equal Lives campaign on how employers support men with caring responsibilities. Equal Lives is a ground-breaking research project from Business in the Community in partnership with Santander UK. They want to identify how addressing this issue can also advance women’s equality – both in work and at home. #EqualLives
EWiRE Podcast: Women Like Me: Afsheen Kabir Rashid MBE – February 2021
Click here to listen to the podcast.
Are we nearly there yet? with Adriènne Kelbie – 16 September 2020
Adriènne Kelbie shares her story which starts with being curious! She developed her natural ability to understand people and the world around.
Growing up around Glasgow, Adriènne had a love for horses and through this learnt discipline and time keeping with one of her own to look after, giving her a good work ethic. Working incredibly hard, Adriènne has had a diverse career journey taking her from temping as a PA, to training roles, to Operations Director at the National Lotteries Charity Board before finally settling at the Office for Nuclear Regulation as their Chief Executive.
Adriènne has a passion for STEM which resulted in her being the first Patron for Women in Nuclear UK and an Ambassador for Powerful Women. Adriènne talks about her achievements from being young and explains why she’s never looked for a job, only opportunities! For more information: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/adriennekelbie
Watch the video by clicking here.
DIAL Global Diverse and Inclusive Leaders Podcast: EP with Adriènne Kelbie – 28 August 2019
Leila from DIAL Global is joined by Adriènne Kelbie – Chief Executive at Office for Nuclear Regulation, Board Trustee of CareTech Charitable Foundation, Ambassador at POWERful Women and Patron – Women in Nuclear at the Nuclear Institute.
Watch the video by clicking here.
The Leaders With Babies Podcast – running from July 2018
“Too often, ambitious men and women feel they must choose between pursuing a leadership career they love and enjoying their young family. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Leaders Plus, the award-winning social enterprise, has launched a brand new podcast for leaders with babies, giving new parents access to a diverse range of role models, inspiration and practical support. In the series CEO and Founder Verena Hefti interviews inspiring leaders from all walks of life who have successfully combined a leadership career with raising a young family.