The Chairs of SGN's employee inclusion networks
People from across the UK’s gas distribution networks joined forces in Brighton for National Inclusion Week to champion diversity and inclusion in the sector.
The National Inclusion Week event at the American Express Stadium – organised by SGN – brought together over 100 people from Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities for a day of panel sessions, keynote speakers and collaborative activities, with attendees also able to join virtually from across the country.
Opening the event’s first panel session, Abbie Sampson, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at SGN, stressed the value of employee network groups for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and how they can connect colleagues from across a business, foster a sense of belonging and drive positive change, with the right support and nurturing.
Allyship was a key focus of the day during a panel session, which included representatives from different employee networks. Panellists shared their personal experiences of being an ally and discussed how making changes now, such as reasonable workplace adjustments and inclusive language, can create a positive working experience and support the retention of talent.
During another session on inclusive language, attendees shared personal experiences of outdated language they’ve encountered during their careers and steps they took to correct this, as well as small changes that can be made to create a more inclusive environment, such as modelling inclusive language and encouraging everyone to correct their mistakes without over-apologising.
Awareness of, and support for, neurodiversity in the workplace was also highlighted during the day. Narissa Kentfield, who works in SGN’s training team, shared how she was inspired to create new training resources for neurodiverse colleagues and their managers to help them navigate challenges together.
Abbie Sampson, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at SGN, said: “Our National Inclusion Week has been a really important step towards making our energy networks a more inclusive and diverse place for people to work, and it was fantastic to see the spirit of collaboration."
“It is hugely important to share best practice if we are to create a more diverse and inclusive sector, and it has been incredibly inspiring hearing about people’s lived experiences. The message was clear – now is the time to listen, to act and to create positive change, and we need to work together to make that happen.”
