Our Chief Executive, Helier Smith, took part in a Women in Water panel discussion at this week’s IWA World Water Congress in Glasgow, joining leaders from across the sector to discuss inclusion and attracting the next generation of water professionals.
Alongside Nicola Shaw CBE (Yorkshire Water), Lila Thompson (British Water) and Gabrielle Mandell (Institute of Water), with Dr Sarah McMath from MOSL facilitating the session, Helier shared Jersey Water’s experience of creating an inclusive workplace and discussed what organisations can learn from one another to create opportunities for everyone to thrive.
Speaking after the event, Helier said:
“One of my biggest takeaways from the discussion was that the moment we become complacent is the moment progress stops. We’ve made good progress as a sector, but there is always more we can do.”
During the panel session, Helier shared some of the steps Jersey Water has taken to create a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, including flexible working practices, transparent gender pay gap reporting, inclusive approaches to recruitment, investment in facilities and equipment that work for everyone and development opportunities across the organisation.
The discussion was a valuable reminder of the importance of continuing to challenge ourselves and learn from others across the sector.”
Helier added:
“I’m particularly proud that these efforts have helped us build strong female representation across our leadership team and attract talented women into the sector. We recognise there are still areas where we can improve, and we continue to challenge ourselves to keep raising the bar.”
The panel formed part of the wider congress programme, which brought together water professionals from around the world to share ideas and help shape the future of the industry.
