- Conference
- 2023 National Energy Service Group Conference
- Date
- 20 February 2023
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference celebrates the work of the energy service group in developing its ‘Women in Energy’ campaign, which included a successful parliamentary event in Westminster at which MPs, business leaders and UNISON members participated.
A key outcome of the campaign was a charter of good practice, designed to enable joint working on some of the key challenges ahead. The charter recognises that as the energy sector transitions to support a net zero economy, we recognise there will be a great demand for skills and talent. The resourcing and capability challenge will be significant for employers across the sector.
This conference believes that this presents an opportunity to retain and develop female employees in a competitive labour market, improve diversity and support those in our workforces who are interested in attaining new skills and pursing alternative career paths.
We further recognise that employees’ positive experience of career transition will depend on a positive transformation of the workforce culture in parts of the industry that have traditionally been gender imbalanced.
Conference recognises that we can work together with employers in the energy industry to achieve that positive transformation, and that by working jointly we can improve the gender balance within
parts of the energy industry that are less diverse.
Conference therefore asks the Energy Service Group Executive, that it:
1. Campaigns through engagement with key employers and stakeholders to actively ensure women have access to opportunities and career paths in areas of the business that they may not have contemplated before, including but not limited to roles in generation, construction, renewables, or field-based energy services.
2. Promotes the ‘Women in Energy’ charter as one point of campaign engagement and encourages UNISON activists to seek to get agreement with employers, when possible, to do so.
3. Develop joint work with employers and any relevant employee women’s networks, to put in place appropriate plans and policies to support career transitions for women, which may include a range of supportive measures such as:
a)Career fairs and other engagement opportunities
b)Training and Development programmes
c)Taster sessions or short trials in available operational roles without detriment
d)Longer term operational work placements and secondments
e)Provision of mentoring and ongoing support
f)Flexible work patterns and locations
4. Seeks to monitor the success of our measures, to adopt best practice from other sectors with similar skills and diversity challenges, and to continuously learn from the feedback of our members.