Earlier this month we had the pleasure to co-host the third WiN UK CEO dinner at the PwC offices in London. Following the Nuclear Sector Deal published in June 2018 and its aspiration to have 40% women in the nuclear workforce by 2030, the evening brought together senior leaders from across the public and private sectors to discuss how we can achieve this together.
The opening session by Joanna Whittington, Director General for Energy and Security, saw us all agreeing that when you know what the right thing to do is, there is only one question: how do you make it happen?
Throughout the evening some truly great ideas were discussed. Some of the key discussion points were:
Engaging
Invite staff to have a seat in Board and Executive discussions and ask for their views proactively. This can be a great opportunity both for new attendees to better understand the organisation’s priorities and for the senior leadership team to get external insights on their approach and behaviours.
Sharing
Let your family and friends really get to know what you do. Share with them why your work is important. Truly understanding the career paths and impact that one can have in the nuclear sector (especially through their close circle), can enable them to visualise how they can use their individual skills to answer some of the world’s most complex questions.
Balancing
When you want to attract or retain skills in your organisation, always remember to remain fair and balanced towards everyone. When publishing a role, think carefully: what different skills would be useful for your team and how can you attract a more diverse pool of candidates for this role? When you create a maternity leave policy, why not match it with a similar paternity leave policy?
This is only the start of a positive change for the sector. Take a moment to think about the above and what you can do in your individual capacity to make this change happen.
If you would like to discuss the benefits of a corporate membership or sponsorship, please contact us at winuk@nuclearinst.com or follow us on twitter @WiNuclear.