“Women suffer in silence” says British Water podcast

A new monthly podcast Beneath the Surface from leading trade association British Water will shine a spotlight on the urgent need for greater diversity and inclusion in the water sector. 

The first episode, ‘What is it like being a woman in the water sector?’ dropped on Thursday 3 October, and saw British Water’s chief executive Lila Thompson discuss gender imbalance with co-host Perminder Atwal, HR business partner at Xylem UK & Ireland. 

The recently published 2023 Inclusion Measurement Framework (IMF) report by Energy & Utility Skills concludes that while there have been positive improvements, challenges still exist including high levels of attrition among women and ethnic minorities. For example, the IMF report highlights underrepresentation of women begins at the application stage, with 21.1% of applications from women compared to 62.2% from men (the remaining 16.7% were ‘undeclared’). 

The Beneath the Surface hosts will explore the disproportionally lower representation of women and ethnic minorities in recruitment, progression and development processes within the UK water sector, and discuss with industry leaders what can be done. 

“Equality, diversity and inclusion – EDI - is vital for the innovation and transformation needed in the water sector as well as for meeting customer expectations and servicing needs inclusively,” said Thompson. “Pay can be up to 30% less for some women, so dismantling gender bias in employment and promoting inclusivity are crucial steps to increase female participation and representation in the water industry.” 

The podcast, sponsored by Xylem UK & Ireland, aims to raise awareness of the importance of EDI at all levels of the water workforce. 

“Women are suffering in silence. Fostering a gender-diverse working environment and elevating women to leadership roles in the water sector can lead to greater innovation and customer satisfaction,” added Atwal. 

Whilst the representation of women across the employee lifecycle has generally improved, the IMF report shows the percentage of women leaving the water workforce has increased slightly – from 28.2% in 2022 to 29.6% in 2023. This is also higher than the rate at which women are being recruited into the sector, which continues to slow the rate at which the sector can reach gender parity. 

Over the next 12 months, the podcast will:  

• Exploring various EDI topics in the water sector through highlighting examples, personal experiences, and sharing company best practice to inspire others 

• Raise awareness about under-represented groups in the water industry and maximise synergies around inclusion in the sector 

• Bring particular attention to attracting talent from under-represented groups 

• Engage with a wider audience bringing in senior leaders and others from diverse backgrounds and those rising-up within organisations 

Podcast guest Steve Kaye, chief executive UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) shared his thoughts on gender imbalance in the water sector: “The UK and Irish water industries are making progress in improving equality, diversity, and inclusion, but there is still a significant need for improvement, especially in workforce representation. 

“The lack of visible representation and diverse role models, along with disparities in recruitment and progression, are key challenges in the industry. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing among water sector companies are crucial for accelerating progress in equality, diversity, and inclusion efforts,” added Kaye. 

The podcast launches a week before British Water’s next Women On Water Conference & Reception, which takes place on 10 October in Manchester. The keynote speaker is Louise Beardmore, chief executive, United Utilities.  

Registration for the Woman On Water event is now open here 

Episode one of the podcast is available to listen now here. 

Taxonomy

• Water