Safety is in our DNA – but what about inclusion? – Utility Week

Safety is rightly non-negotiable in the energy sector. From induction videos to leadership expectations, it’s embedded into how we work, how we lead and how we hold each other to account.

In a recent op-ed for Utility Week, our founder Mark Freed asks the question: if safety can be so deeply hard-wired into our industry, why isn’t inclusion treated the same way?

The question matters more than ever. The UK energy sector is facing an unprecedented workforce challenge, with hundreds of thousands of new roles needed over the coming decades to deliver net zero. That talent simply cannot come from the same narrow pools we’ve always relied on. And yet, evidence shows that underrepresented groups continue to leave the industry at far higher rates, often not because of a lack of capability, but because of a lack of inclusion.

Drawing on sector data and lived experience, the article explores what many women and marginalised colleagues still face at work: not being heard in meetings, unequal access to opportunities, disproportionate “glue work”, and the constant pressure to prove competence. These experiences don’t just affect individuals, but weaken innovation, performance and long-term resilience across the whole industry.

Mark argues that too many responses focus on surface-level initiatives rather than the root cause. Inclusion, like safety, can’t be optional, voluntary or delegated to side projects. It needs to be visible, measurable and built into leadership behaviour, everyday processes and organisational culture.

The piece ends with a clear call to action for leaders: to own the challenge, look in the mirror, and start making practical changes, from how meetings are run, to how work and opportunity are distributed, to who leaders build affinity with.

👉 Read the full op-ed in Utility Week (paywalled): “Safety is in our DNA, so why isn’t inclusion?” by Mark Freed.