Paving the Way for Greater Inclusion in Water
May 27, 2022
A glass ceiling is still “looming over” women working across the water industry and despite some progress, the sector is being held back by exclusion, Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher told a British Water conference. Fletcher was keynote speaker at Women on Water, which gathered 80 industry professionals together virtually to share experiences and advice to support and empower women working in all areas of the industry.
In a motivating address, she spoke about her personal story, acknowledged the efforts of previous generations in the battle for equality, but said the personal aspirations of many people today could be limited by a lack of visibility of diversity within the sector.
She said: “I feel a debt to all those women who fought for equal opportunities, so today it’s completely normal for women to have a career. As women in 2020, we’ve come a very long way and we have a huge amount to be grateful for. The glass ceiling has been smashed – or has it? I’ve been working in utilities for 25 years and it still feels more male dominated than many other sectors. While it’s great we will soon have six water company female chief executives, it is only in the last 12 months we have got the first female board chair.
“Female executives are still in the minority and mainly limited to customer-facing roles. It feels like we’ve punched some holes in that glass ceiling but it is still looming over us and this worries me because if we look up the ladder and we don’t see anyone like us, it can really limit our aspirations.”
Fletcher added the biggest barrier to career progression was a lack of self-belief, highlighting the importance of networking events such as Women on Water in building individuals’ confidence. However, the industry as a whole will only reach its full potential if it embraces the skills from a more diverse workforce, in particular people with disabilities and those from a Black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) background.
Fletcher said: “Gender equality is the first step on the road to a diverse workplace. Frankly, if we are not seeing full equality for women, we are surely a very long way from achieving equal opportunities for those from the BAME community, those with disabilities, or those who haven’t had the privilege I had of growing up in a middle class home and going to a Russell Group university.
“The Black Lives Matter movement is a huge reminder of how far we are from treating everyone as equals and it is something we should be taking seriously. While this discrimination and exclusion is a tragedy for the individuals concerned, it is also something that is holding the water sector back.
“The industry has amazing potential to make massive improvements to our natural world and to show to society what can be achieved through responsible companies providing life’s essentials - but it is going to achieve this potential, we need people who think differently. We need to be able to draw the very best talent, wherever it is, and not be limited to drawing from pools of people who look like us on paper or in the flesh. We also need to be able to show the communities we serve that we are just like them if we are to win their trust and really be able to serve them.
“This ambition to embrace and celebrate diversity and to stamp out discrimination in whatever form it takes is one we have given ourselves in Ofwat and it’s an ambition I hope I can encourage you all to support.”
In ending her talk, Fletcher spoke of her hope that the Covid-19 crisis would be a catalyst for change: “None of us would have wished a pandemic on our world and I grieve to see how it is hitting the most vulnerable the hardest but I also see it opening some exciting opportunities in the move to a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
“The past four months has given us much to build on and tools to allow each of us to have more fulfilled and successful working lives. But most importantly, we’re being offered a path to a more inclusive and diverse water industry, one that uses diversity to reach its full potential. Let’s not look back, let’s support each other and move forward and make all of our grandmothers proud.”
British Water’s Women on Water campaign aims to help women identify, focus on and harness their strengths and understand their value and worth, while providing them with tools and guidance to support career progression. Now in its third year, the conference was held in partnership with the Women’s Utilities Network (WUN) and the Institute of Water. A presentation from WUN founder Hayley Monks focussed on personal development and the importance of allocating time to assess your own career.
She said: “As working women, we might put ourselves second, third or fourth on the list, so diary some time in your calendar to think about you, and what road you want to take. What is your destination, where are you today?
“Maybe bring those thoughts together so you can plan. Have that focus time on yourself and that’s when you can start goal-setting. Focus on what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you’re going to achieve it.”
Mental health and wellbeing was also a strong theme of the event, which welcomed Lisa Lloyd, a chartered psychologist, psychotherapist, trainer and consultant at It’s Time for Change. She said looking after mental health should not be perceived as a luxury.
“We’re all very good at planning our work and planning how to juggle [other responsibilities], but how often do we take that step back and really think about what’s going on for us? Looking after mental health is not a luxury, it is something we need to do. If we prioritise looking after ourselves, then we put ourselves into the best position for us to be able to thrive.”
In the final conversation of the event, Lynn Cooper, chief executive, Institute of Water, chaired a panel where Julie Florey, biodiversity delivery manager at South West Water, and Madeleine Crisp, project analyst at Anglian Water, gave insights into their careers and shared their personal experiences of the lockdown.
Thanking participants, speakers and event partners, British Water chief executive Lila Thompson said: “We were determined to host Women on Water during the Covid-19 pandemic as the crisis has highlighted now more than ever, there are women in the industry who need support, encouragement and a network.
“Our speakers gave fascinating insights into their own personal journeys, as well as guidance to help women evaluate and reshape careers in a sector with a weighty gender imbalance, while building resilient mental health and wellbeing – something that should be a priority for us all. We’ve had some great feedback and I’m delighted attendees found the event valuable.”
About British Water
British Water is the lead representative and business development organisation for the UK water industry supply chain.
More News and Articles
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation in the city of Kalundborg, Denmark.
Apr 15, 2024
News
Spotlight on gender diversity at Pipe Core
Since founding in 2008, Pipe Core’s team has grown across all areas of the business and is now in a position where there are more females than males across the organisation. Research published in Harvard Business Review found that “countries …
Apr 12, 2024
News
New Wave of Startups Scale Innovation to Solve Global Water Challenges
Innovators from Around the World Join Xylem’s 2024 Accelerator Program to Deploy Breakthrough Innovations for Utilities and Industrial Users of Water
Apr 08, 2024
News
Integrated sustainable electricity and clean drinking water systems
Altitude Water and New Use Energy Solutions have partnered to create integrated, mobile solar-plus-water generation systems that produce sustainable electricity and clean drinking water anytime, anywhere.
Apr 05, 2024
News
How to Evaluate Hydraulic Fracture Risk in HDD Design
The design of horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations often requires an evaluation of the potential for hydraulic fracture of the soil layers through which an HDD passes. Evaluating this risk during the design process is an important planning tool to …
Apr 02, 2024
News
Historic Project Linking Rome and Vatican City Uses Advanced Technology and Local Knowledge to Keep Water Flowing
Relocation of Major Sewer Infrastructure Enables Construction of Pedestrian Link for 35 Million Visitors to the 2025 Jubilee
Mar 27, 2024
News
USU Study Looks at Water Main Break Rates in the U.S. and Canada
Report Highlights Correlation Between Material and Diameter
Mar 26, 2024
News
Update BE-21: New Material in Course and Modules on Trenchless Pipe Installation
Online training on the topic of pipeline installation in civil engineering: Trenchless technology for underground drainage construction can be a resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, time-saving, and cost-effective alternative to open cut methods. The UNITRACC e-learning course "Utility Tunnelling" has been enhanced …
Mar 25, 2024
Article
Bacteria as a new weapon in wastewater treatment
In early November, San Diego based startup Aquacycl officially opened its first European office and test center at the Water Campus in Leeuwarden. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) …
Mar 22, 2024
News
A superior HDD offering
Building on its relationships with leading horizontal directional drilling companies, TRACTO Australia has delivered three new rigs to operator Superior HDD.
Mar 20, 2024
News
New portable water filtration technology could improve access to clean drinking water worldwide
The University of Texas at Austin has developed an injectable water filtration system with the aim to aid the over two billion people worldwide who are without clean drinking water.
Contact
British Water
Lila Thompson
Chief Executive
1-45 Durham St
SE11 5JH London
United Kingdom
Phone:
+44 20 3567 0950