Bridging the Lived Experience Gap: Inclusion Workshop with SP Energy Networks

Last week, Mark Freed and Stacey Will had the privilege of spending two impactful days in Wales, delivering the Men for Inclusion ADUCE programme for SP Energy Networks.

Over the course of the programme, we worked with a dedicated group of leaders to explore how the lived experience gap for women and other underrepresented groups can appear in the workplace – and, importantly, what steps we can take to build environments where everyone feels heard, valued and empowered to do their best work.

One thing that stood out above all was the openness in the room. The leaders we worked with showed a genuine willingness to lean into challenging conversations about inclusion, privilege and the very real differences in how the workplace can feel depending on who you are.

Together, we unpacked how, even with the best intentions, it’s easy to miss what others may be experiencing unless we actively listen and learn. These conversations aren’t always comfortable but they are absolutely essential. Creating a workplace where everyone can thrive doesn’t happen by chance; it happens by choice.

Hearing honest reflections after our sessions is something we truly value and this one was no different. We asked attendees what stood out for them during the workshop – here are some of their thoughts:

“Both trainers were highly knowledgeable, and very warm. I had every faith that they practiced what they taught, and that really matters to me.”

“Open discussion forum to help people become more aware of inclusion or lack of, in specific workplace scenarios. It was good to have key male managers involved and hearing their views”

“The freedom and confidence to speak up without judgement.”

“Was good to discuss real situations with like minded people. I will do my best to utilise the ideas and frameworks into my team and my future conduct”

We are grateful to SP Energy Networks for their commitment to this work and to everyone who brought honesty, curiosity and courage to the conversations. Special thanks go to Liam O’Sullivan and Helen Gaier-Laidlaw for sponsoring the workshop, and to Laura Murphy for her invaluable support throughout.

At Men for Inclusion, we believe that building an inclusive culture is an ongoing journey — and it’s one we’re proud to continue together.