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Foreword
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) must be more than a value – it must be a visible, consistent action. At Energy UK, we are embedding EDI into everything we do from internal conversations and performance objectives to how we shape our events and represent the industry. Our goal is not only to create a culture where everyone feels respected and heard, but also to influence wider change across the energy sector. By openly addressing topics that matter, empowering our teams to lead these discussions, and holding ourselves accountable, we are helping build a more inclusive industry for the future.
Energy UK first published an EDI Commitment in 2024. In it we set out our approach to EDI, which is based on inclusion for all, and included a framework of continuous improvement, accountability and collaboration, with detailed activities across three areas;
- Energy UK – looking in: Our internal policies and processes to ensure we are an inclusive place to work.
- Energy UK – looking out: How we make sure that our external activities are inclusive, from events to communications.
- Supporting industry: Energy UK’s work that supports the progress of diversity and inclusion across the energy sector.
We also committed to an annual progress report, which I am pleased to share with you here. The activities listed are in addition to those set out in the Commitment.
At a time when EDI is being deprioritised across the globe, it becomes even more important to double down on our activities.
With the hundreds of thousands of people we need to recruit, and retain, in order to meet 2030 policies, we also have an opportunity to reach new talent pools, and bring in the different perspectives we need to innovate as we move at pace on the biggest challenge of our time.
I want the best minds to work in our sector. It is our responsibility to do our part to ensure we both attract and retain them, and for everyone to feel included.
Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive at Energy UK.
Energy UK – looking in
Energy UK’s internal policies and processes to ensure an inclusive place to work.
Mental health, wellbeing and social
In the last 12 months Energy UK has strengthened support for its eight Mental Health First Aiders to ensure they are equipped to provide effective assistance to colleagues. This includes biannual check-ins and meetings to share good practices and maintain wellbeing within the team.
We also hosted our annual summer Sports Day in August 2024 and another in June 2025. Both of which welcomed staff and their families for an informal fun day to connect outside of the office. The afternoon encouraged friendly competition with games for both adults and children.
Inclusivity and inclusive practices
Launched in 2024, Energy UK has expanded its internal campaigns to foster open conversations and deepen understanding of key societal issues that impact us all.
This includes our Tea and Talking sessions; safe, informal spaces where employees can reflect on and discuss challenging topics.
Led by a member of our Executive Committee, during these optional sessions we usually watch a short video together, and then have an open discussion.
In the last 12 months we have discussed white privilege, race and racism, social mobility, flexible working and wellbeing, reproductive rights, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) history, men’s health and mental health.
In this way, Energy UK continues to proactively engage with a broad range of topical EDI subjects. However, in response to staff feedback, we also introduced a new six-month approach to encourage a deep dive into specific EDI topics across the organisation.
In 2024, our focus was on race and racism. Over six months, we delivered a wide range of activities including formal training sessions, screenings of documentaries, reading materials in our internal EDI library, Tea and Talking discussions, and talks with external speakers and experts.
Learning, training and development
Energy UK’s 2024 results from TIDE’s industry-wide Health Index highlighted areas for growth, particularly around embedding EDI objectives into performance management. In response, all Energy UK employees now have an EDI-related goal integrated into their performance reviews, where they must demonstrate how they have contributed towards our EDI aims both internally and externally, reinforcing the principle that improving EDI is a shared responsibility that has a positive impact on both the individual and organisation.
This year (2025), we were pleased to see a marked improvement in our Health Index results, reflecting the progress made through continued commitment and action.
Other organisation-wide training has included sexual harassment and race and racism. In addition, we offered neurodiversity training for one team to ensure they could effectively support and harness the strengths of a neurodivergent team member.
Empowering staff voices
In our 2024 staff engagement survey, staff were given 22 statements and were asked to respond to them on scale from 1 “Strongly disagree” to 5 “Strongly agree”. Converting responses numerically, we were extremely pleased that the lowest average score was 4 (in response to “I feel able to balance my work and personal life”) demonstrating an overall strong level of satisfaction from our staff.
The highest average of 4.62 was received for “My manager and other colleagues are open and approachable when I have any questions or concerns regarding my work”.
In 2023, six statements scored under 4 whereas this year there were none. The results show staff are clear on the goals of the organisation and understand how their work as individuals contributed to these objectives. Alongside this, employees feel that the workplace is an inclusive one, where everyone is empowered to speak their mind.
The lowest scores concern work-life balance and job satisfaction, though again these both scored an average of over 4, meaning the average staff member agrees with the statement. On balance, the 2024 survey results demonstrate that across the organisation people really enjoy working at Energy UK and a clear upwards trend can be observed over the past five years.
Workforce
Energy UK completed Energy and Utility Skills’ Inclusion Measurement Framework (IMF) for the first time in 2023 and committed to completing it every year with an employee participation rate target of 90%.
In 2024, we had yet another high turnout rate in terms of employee engagement with 98% of employees completing the survey.
With fewer than 50 people, our organisation is too small to publish the results, but we continue to monitor trends and benchmark ourselves against industry averages – and we’re currently performing well in comparison.
For the first time in 2025, Energy UK has completed the Social Mobility Employer Index, run by Social Mobility Foundation. The Index is a benchmarking and assessment tool measuring performance on eight areas of employer-led social mobility. At time of publishing this report, we are awaiting the results and look forward to focussing on social mobility as part of our deep dive topic for 2025.
Energy UK – looking out
Events
On top of what we set out in our Commitment we have introduced two new initiatives this year:
- Energy UK now has a Code of Conduct for all its events to ensure a respectful, inclusive and welcoming space for all participants.
- In 2025, Energy UK introduced a voluntary form for all event speakers which confidentially collects data on age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and social mobility, helping us better understand and improve the diversity of our speaker line-ups.
We have set ourselves targets for at least 50% women speakers, and to have 100% of our events with at least one speaker from an ethnic minority.
Over the last 12 months, in our public-facing events we had 142 speakers;
- 49% women, 51% male
- 23% ethnic minority, 77% white including from different nationalities
- 68% of our events had at least one speaker from an ethnic minority background
It’s really important that we make clear; we do not invite any speakers based on their gender, or ethnic background and that these aren’t the only forms of diversity. We will always ensure that we have the most appropriate speakers for the topic, but having these targets helps us ensure that we actively try to give a platform to our brilliant colleagues across the sector from different backgrounds.
Whilst we have not reached our targets this year, they remain important as a goal to work towards.
Alongside this, Energy UK’s key spokespeople are committed to pushing diverse representation across the industry by continuing to actively raise EDI up in meetings, panels and speeches where possible, and on top of our existing policy to help shape any single gender panels, to ensure women get the opportunity to ask questions when moderating discussions, and outwardly speak about doing so to encourage others.
Supporting industry
TIDE
Energy UK continues to support TIDE – with partners Ofgem, ENA and the Energy Institute.
TIDE is the industry’s EDI initiative, focused on inclusion (all diversity characteristics) and sector-wide. It was initially set up as a volunteer-led group in 2022, and has had a key focus on data and sharing good practice.
This is the second year that TIDE has run the Health Index (which measures the EDI maturity of companies across the sector), and this year’s results, along with the energy sector results of the Inclusion Measurement Framework (which measures the workforce diversity across the sector) will be revealed at the EDI in Energy Conference.
We’ve continued to share information, events and good practice across the sector – via the EDI newsletter, TIDE’s LinkedIn and there are lots of resources on the Energy EDI Hub too, from EDI groups to webinars.
In 2024 TIDE brought in two new co-chairs, Jane Cooper from RenewableUK and Sandie Dhlamini from The Pensions Regulator. They undertook a review of TIDE along with the partner CEOs to determine where it was adding value, and how it could be properly resourced in the longer-term. The outcome of this is still ongoing, and we hope to be able to provide a fuller update soon.
We’d like to say a big thank you to both Jane and Sandie for their invaluable work in progressing TIDE now their term has ended.
In the meantime do keep using the hub, following TIDE on LinkedIn and sharing your news with diversity@energy-uk.org.uk so we can promote events and good practice across the sector.
Other EDI initiatives
Energy UK is part of Energy and Utility Skills Social Inclusion Forum, taking a cross-sector approach to sharing good practice. We have been working closely with Energy and Utility Skills and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs ahead of the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy sue to be published Summer 2025.
We continue to support EDI groups such as POWERful Women, Women’s Utilities Network, Pride in Energy and have strengthened our support with Energyz Black.
Our Young Energy Professionals Forum continues to grow and in 2025 we will hold the sixth annual EDI in Energy Conference with our partners Ofgem, ENA and the Energy Institute.
