As the only female CEO of a UK domestic energy supplier during the energy crisis, I witnessed firsthand the consequences of a sector lacking diversity. Conversations with government, regulators and industry bodies often followed a predictable pattern, underscoring a stagnant leadership dynamic.  

While the latest State of the Nation report from POWERful Women, launched last month, shows progress, with the percentages of women on boards and in executive leadership growing, the rate remains glacially slow. And in the meantime leaders are stagnating, which limits innovation, holds us back when it comes to broad risk mitigation, and narrows decision-making. And we know that diverse, more inclusive teams perform better. The evidence is clear.  

Thankfully, change is possible. The report shows that it doesn’t have to be like this. In our energy sector, there are organisations already standing out for positive progress: Good Energy, National Grid and BP are called out in the report with case studies on best practice. They understand that it’s about enabling the right environment, looking at recruitment processes, supporting brilliant succession planning, focusing on areas where impact can be had. They’re also not afraid to cast the net a little wider and bring in fresh talent from outside the industry when hiring into critical roles.   

The latest State of the Nation report from POWERful Women shows progress: the percentages of women on boards and in executive leadership are growing, but the rate remains glacially slow.

When I transitioned from the Kingfisher Group (parent of B&Q) to join electricity utility Vattenfall, I was struck by how retail environments better accommodate women’s needs. Whether it’s facilities for breastfeeding or simply having fridges for expressed milk, the retail sector acknowledges differences and acts on them. In contrast, energy sites I’ve visited still lack basic amenities – like sanitary bins in female toilets. These oversights aren’t often malicious. They show a lack of awareness.   

That is not acceptable; we are talking about basic human needs here. It’s not that (based on the statistics in the report) the majority of male leaders are deliberately avoiding providing these facilities, but more just that it never occurs to them that these needs aren’t being met. And women aren’t always using their voices loudly enough to articulate what their needs are.   

Last year, the Women’s Utilities Network ran a survey which discovered that a third of women respondents were considering leaving the utilities industry, because they didn’t see staying as worth the effort. (Last month it published a follow-up study that digs into the subject in more detail). It’s a terrible shame that we are pushing out talent because our organisations aren’t providing women the flexibility that they need to be able to perform. What needs addressing? Cultural challenges with being disrespected, unconscious bias and issues relating to assignment of tasks.  

I really do empathise with that. Leading a billion-pound business during the energy crisis, with nearly 600 employees and international shareholders, was intensely challenging. Public scrutiny was relentless throughout the period, with the media giving energy companies a tough time. I faced personal threats, experienced stalking behaviour and persistent customer contact that was really unsettling, all while keeping my company going through volatility. Although I wasn’t burned out, I was certainly worn by the experience. 

I am sure that male CEOs experienced similar things during that period. But alongside that, I also faced gender-specific challenges, like being talked over, indecently propositioned, being ignored or having my views dismissed. If those things happened to a senior leading businesswoman, then they are undoubtedly happening elsewhere across the sector in non-leadership positions. No one should tolerate that. Ever. 

Shaping the energy sector 

But I still wouldn’t have skipped out on the chance. Being in the top job brings unparalleled opportunities to shape a sector that’s fast evolving in a dynamic business. And once we reach that critical mass point of 40% female representation, being a woman with a tribe that supports other women, well, there’s nothing like it. Where you have that strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose, you build networks that are fostered through genuine collaboration and alignment. The way I’ve experienced that in the energy sector has been really heartwarming.  

POWERful Women is fortunate to have many strong male allies and advocates who believe in our mission and support what we’re trying to do. Inclusivity isn’t a women-only cause – it’s a movement for everyone. The more that you experience those magical moments of support – and they shouldn’t be, but at present there aren’t enough of them – then that’s where we galvanise a force behind real change. Creating support frameworks can come in many forms – employee resource groups, external peer-to-peer networks; there are all sorts of mechanisms to help women thrive.  

We need organisations to embrace this shift. The energy sector was built by male engineers for a world that has moved on. Today’s consumers are becoming prosumers that will actively shape energy demand and supply, and solving these challenges requires creativity and inclusivity.  

Collaboration across sectors is no longer optional. It’s essential. And women? We’re brilliant at that.  

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.   

• Further reading: ‘Why we need board diversity to achieve net zero’. Fiona Hathorn, CEO and co-Founder of Women on Boards UK, discusses the importance of board diversity and outlines some practical steps to improve it within energy companies. 
• As the global transition to clean energy accelerates, the need for diverse perspectives has never been more urgent, not just for equity but for fostering innovation and resilience in the energy industry. But what does it take to crack the glass ceiling in the energy sector?