Why supporting women is key to driving the energy transition

As a growing team of around 45 energy professionals working in Great Britain, Ireland and the US to manage a near 1.2 GW global energy storage portfolio, we believe a diverse workforce is not just essential for a more inclusive society but for advancing the clean energy transition. Gore Street Capital is, therefore, proud to sponsor the 2023 POWERful Women (PfW) Annual Conference, taking place on 15 November, in support of its aims to address the under-representation of women in the energy sector.

With 40% of senior management roles at Gore Street Capital held by women, our day-to-day operations could not be achieved without their inspirational leadership, expertise and industry-leading knowledge. This diversity makes us a better-performing organisation able to deliver more value to our stakeholders, and we therefore strive to ensure our internal policies reflect this value.

These range from an enhanced maternity leave policy, offering 16 weeks of full pay on top of statutory requirements, and shared parental leave for those wanting to return to work earlier to flexible working arrangements to suit parents with childcare needs. Our sickness and absence policies also reflect the specific needs of women dealing with menopause or periods to ensure they get the support they need.

These policies are designed to foster an environment in which staff can openly and comfortably engage in discussions around their experience. This goal extends to all our staff, with equal opportunities and dignity at work policies ensuring no one faces discrimination, victimisation, or harassment. Teams perform better when they can be their authentic selves, making it both a moral and economic imperative to make sure everyone feels supported at work. 

But we know that, as is the case for many firms, more can be done to champion all those under-represented in the energy industry. This is why the work of the PfW initiative is so vital.

Progress towards a more inclusive and representative industry can only take place if it is measured and PfW’s data-driven approach, supported by annual statistics covering the energy industry’s top companies, are essential tools for challenging everyone to do more. This helps drive sectors across the energy landscape to be proactive and ensure those making improvements are holding the door open for everyone to follow.

We need to see more women in the roles that will empower generations of new talent to contribute to the energy transition. PfW’s goal for women to make up at least 40% of middle management and leadership roles in the UK energy sector by 2030 represents the ambition needed across the industry. Events like the PfW Annual Conference are vital in facilitating a safe space for leadership in diversity to collaborate and for invaluable connections to be made across all levels of the industry.

We all have a part to play in encouraging diversity and inclusion in all its forms. If each of us can have some impact, no matter how small, the scale of change we can bring about together is limitless.

We are proud to support PfW in driving this change to ensure all talents are recognised and represented across the energy industry.

In-person tickets for the morning plenary sessions of the 2023 POWERful Women Annual Conference have sold out but, as a hybrid event, virtual attendees can join the live stream on the day. At the time of writing, tickets also remain available for the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) workshops being hosted in the afternoon.

You can view the full agenda and register to join here: