Insights from Scotland & Wales

Womens Utilities Network (WUN) has proudly hosted our first regional events in Wales and Scotland,  bringing together senior leaders, industry professionals and WUN members for events aimed at connection, reflection and making progress. Each event featured an executive roundtable followed by a broader panel discussion, providing both strategic insight at the top level and lived-experience perspectives from wider participants. Across both sessions, we saw common themes around the desire for change, actions that are in flight and an understanding that despite best efforts, change isn’t always experienced at all levels in organisations.

Driving Change from the Top

At each roundtable, executives spoke candidly about the cultural barriers women continue to face in the utilities sector. Everything from outdated stereotypes and an ingrained perception of utilities as a male space, to practical issues like the absence of appropriate welfare facilities and language that unintentionally excludes. Equally notable were the efforts to address these challenges: inclusion training for managers, reverse mentoring schemes that bring generational insights to light and workshops on workplace banter and behaviours that explain and build psychological safety.

There was also a clear recognition that support for women during major life events – be it returning from maternity, approaching menopause or adopting new roles is still inconsistent. Many leaders emphasised the need for better infrastructure: from parental return plans and fertility policies to flexible-first working arrangements. It’s clear that most organisations have these things in place but their application can be inconsistent. WUN believes that this practical support isn’t just “nice-to-have,” it creates a workplace culture that welcomes, supports, and values women.

Encouragingly, organisations reported progress. In Scotland, one company highlighted achieving gender balance in senior leadership, with vulnerability modelled at every level to help all staff feel they belong and can be authentically themselves. In Wales, flexible working policies paired with energetic and proactive colleague networks sparked greater confidence in middle management and a more inclusive organisational mindset.

Authentic Leadership and True Belonging

A particularly powerful theme across events was the role of senior-level authenticity. When leaders admit “I don’t know” or share their journeys juggling caring responsibilities or other personal issues, they model a deeper kind of inclusion. In doing so, they invite everyone in their organisation to bring their whole selves to work, building trust and belonging. Executives praised colleague networks, and noted the were particularly effective when underpinned by allyship from senior sponsors as starting points for cultural shift. In Scotland, reverse mentoring allowed younger and more diverse employees to shape senior leaders’ understanding, creating shared insight and demonstrating that hierarchy isn’t always the best way to achieve inclusion.

Inclusion Works Both Ways

Another important theme was that true gender inclusion can only exist when support is given to men to work flexibly, share caring responsibilities and for their mental and physical health.

The impact of managers, regardless of gender, role modelling the need to deprioritise work for an unexpected nursery pick up, hospital visits or to attend a school play, cannot be underestimated. It was recognised that transparency in this respect will normalise flexibility for everyone.

Sharing challenges that we face as managers at any level is critical too.

Commitment and Momentum

During the roundtable discussions, leaders made real, personal commitments. Across both sessions there was a clear desire to address the gender pay gap, support those returning from career breaks, and introduce or reinforce policies around fertility and caring responsibilities. Some pledged to influence psychological safety across teams; others promised to amplify women’s representation – internally, through ERGs and externally, by showcasing career opportunities to girls and their families. In Wales we spoke about the need to listen to and engage with young women in ways that matter to them rather than always assuming that previous methods will keep working. Social media was a particular talking point with agreement that our Facebook generation needs to think differently to engage with those who use Snapchat and TikTok !

Executives also shared their sense of pride: from initiatives equipping male employees to take on caring roles, to the introduction of digital platforms that enable staff to speak up and shape culture, to visible wins in balancing gender representation at senior levels. These weren’t just policy points but shifts in tone, story, and identity.

From Words to Action: Panel Reflections

The panel gatherings that followed reinforced the roundtable findings. Speakers recounted the disconnect between written policy and lived reality, urging that culture change must be lived, not just listed on a page. Mentoring and allyship were emphasised as critical supports for women stepping into new roles or returning to work after a career pause. Panellists spoke about navigating parenthood, mental health issues and caring duties openly. Attendees noted that this transparency and vulnerability will positively break down stigma and normalises authenticity in leadership.

There was also a reminder to celebrate both individual and organisational progress. We should reflect on even the smallest progress  to maintain momentum. One panellist summed it up: “We often forget what we’ve achieved. We need to take time to celebrate the wins, even the small ones.” Another challenged: “Help others understand lived experiences… solve the root problem, not apply short term fixes.”

The Path Forward

What emerges from both the Scottish and Welsh events is that meaningful culture change comes through sustainable, real action. It requires practical infrastructure – policies on health, fertility and flexible working; caring, safe and inclusive spaces; and committed  leadership at all levels. Central to that is trust, trust that thoughts matter, voices are heard, lived experience is valued, and that leaders act with humility and integrity alongside empathy.

What Comes Next

Building on the energy and commitments generated, WUN is preparing to create a comprehensive best-practice guide that draws on both events and the 2024 and 2025 Women in Utilities Awards.

And in the meantime, here are some of the practical ideas that our attendees are already doing or are focusing on next, for you to consider:

• Challenge Return To Office changes and make sure they are for the right reasons
• Finding more ways to highlight positive role models, regardless of gender and showcasing what men are doing to tackle inequality
• Make sure we are ‘flexible first’ and not putting unnecessary barriers up
• Look out for the ‘say-do’ gap
• Sharing experiences of returning from maternity leave to normalise it
• Build the skills of our managers to create psychological safety
• Admitting when things go wrong
• Seek out the quietest voices
• Have more great conversations like this !

 Conclusion

The message from both Scotland and Wales is clear: inclusion and culture change is not aspirational, it is actionable, and actionable now. When organisations combine authentic leadership, practical policy and inclusive dialogue, women in utilities don’t just survive – they thrive. WUN is ready to support that transformation, across the sector and across the UK.