edi-in-the-water-sector-an-honest-assessment-of-latest-statsEpisode SummaryLouise Parry shares Energy and Utility Skills' latest research into t...

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edi-in-the-water-sector-an-honest-assessment-of-latest-stats
Episode Summary
Louise Parry shares Energy and Utility Skills' latest research into the water sector's progress on EDI, leading to a frank discussion on improvement

Episode Notes
Energy and Utility Skills conduct regular research into how the water sector is doing on EDI. The latest stats were released in the last few weeks. While they show that there is a commitment to make progress on EDI - show other challenging patterns emerge. There are issues with women, younger colleagues and people from ethnic minority backgrounds all wanting to leave the sector. Plus, although more diverse applicants are joining application processes, there is a big drop off when it comes to final recruitment decisions.

Why are these trends appearing and what can be done to improve?

Where there is progress - commitment at a senior level to progress on EDI and attracting more diverse applicants into the sector , for example - how can it be built on? More importantly, what is it about workplace culture in the water sector that is making exactly the type of people necessary to attract (more women, younger and more diverse people) want to leave after only a short amount of time?

Louise Parry (Director of People & Organisational Development at Energy and Utility Skills) shares the latest stats, her analysis of them and experiences and insights from her own career. In the discussion that follows - exactly the type of challenging conversation on EDI this podcast was designed to facilitate - many issues, explanations and topics are raised, including:

How sponsors can carve out opportunities for younger colleagues
Where recruitment goes wrong, especially on out-of-date and unnecessary "must-haves"
The need to attract recruits from a wider breadth of industries, backgrounds and starting points
Why women often still don't feel that their voices are heard
Why people from ethnic minorities can find themselves "welcome to apply"... but not getting the role
The role of mentorship
The importance of building networks
This is an essential listen for anyone at any level in the water sector that wants to know what is really happening with EDI in the industry at the moment and what their role can be in making things better.

Beneath The Surface

Through powerful stories and real-life examples, Beneath The Surface highlights EDI topics in the water sector, sharing personal experiences and best practices that inspire change. It brings attention to the voices of under-represented groups, with a focus on attracting diverse talent and fostering a culture of inclusion.

By connecting senior leaders and rising professionals from different backgrounds, it creates a space where ideas flourish, synergies are built, and the industry moves closer to becoming a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

Beneath The Surface is co-hosted by British Water's CEO, Lila Thompson, and Perminder Atwal, HR Business Partner, Xylem UK & Ireland.

Podcast Co-host- Lila Thompson, British Water, CEO

Lila is responsible for British Water’s strategic direction, representing the interests of UK water and wastewater supply chain companies together with wider stakeholders across the sector, through the UK, Technical and International forums. The Water Industry Forum provides challenge-led, independent thought leadership, to tackle the challenges facing the sector. Lila was formerly responsible for British Water’s international services and led business development visits to a range of markets including Saudi Arabia, Libya, Morocco, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, China, and India. Lila has over 20 years of experience driving business growth, policy development, and stakeholder engagement in a variety of sectors.

Podcast Co-host- Perminder Atwal, HR Business Partner, Xylem UK & Ireland

With 18 years of HR experience spanning manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and now the water industry, Perminder has developed a deep understanding of business and strategy, and her journey has also highlighted the critical role of company culture and psychological safety in driving engagement, business success, innovation, and development. Perminder is passionate about ensuring the accessibility of clean water for all. A trip to India in her early years revealed the harsh reality of limited and unclean water resources, particularly impacting children, which was heartbreaking. This experience fuelled her dedication to helping others and reinforced her commitment to working in a global organisation focused on the social value of water.

Attached link

https://beneath-the-surface.simplecast.com/episodes/edi-in-the-water-sector-an-honest-assessment-of-latest-stats

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