Celebrating the success of our inclusion networks

At E.ON, equality, diversity and inclusion are at the very heart of our business. We work tirelessly to ensure that all colleagues feel comfortable bringing their full and authentic selves to work, as well as to drive a wider positive societal impact by inspiring other organisations to join us in creating better workplaces across the country.

Our colleague-led inclusion networks are key to creating and fostering an inclusive workplace and we’re so proud our efforts have been recognised by being shortlisted for two awards at this year’s European Diversity Awards: Outstanding Ethnic Diversity Network of the Year and Outstanding LGBTQIA Employee Network of the Year.

Developing our embRace network

Our embRace network supports racial inclusion throughout E.ON and its members have worked to create a safe and inclusive environment where colleagues from diverse ethnic backgrounds feel valued, respected and empowered. We’re proud that the efforts of our colleagues who volunteer their time to managing and running the network have been recognised by being shortlisted for Outstanding Ethnic Diversity Network of the Year.

With around 1,400 members, embRace is one of our largest colleague-led networks and has successfully fostered a culture of inclusivity and belonging through a variety of different initiatives including awareness campaigns, training programmes and open dialogues about the ethnicity pay gap and the importance of racial identity. The network has also actively advocated for diverse representation in leadership positions and supported the recruitment and career development of individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

One such initiative is our bespoke development programme for ethnically diverse colleagues – embRace Your Talent. embRace Your Talent seeks to improve promotions rates and increase representation of ethnic minority colleagues at all levels by providing critical skills for career planning and development such as communication, purpose and identity and supporting colleagues in breaking down barriers they may face when it comes to career progression including cultural bias and self-limiting beliefs.

Liz Warbrick, E.ON’s EVP and Inclusion Consultant, said: “We have witnessed the positive impact of our initiatives on our colleagues, fostering a more inclusive and diverse workforce that drives innovation and success. Our network's achievements are a testament to the dedication and commitment of embRace members. 

“When developing embRace Your Talent, we worked hard to consider the experiences of the embRace network members and develop a pilot that tackled the barriers head on. Thirty colleagues have now completed the programme and we continue to seek their feedback and input as we prepare to deliver the second iteration to a further sixty colleagues.”

Strengthening our LGBT+ and Friends network

The LGBT+ and Friends Network has been going from strength to strength: from becoming the E.ON Group’s first network that brings together more than 1,500 colleagues from seven European countries to being shortlisted for Outstanding LGBTQIA Employee Network of the Year.

The network provides a safe space for colleagues to come together and chat, supporting our colleagues across Europe to make sure they never feel disadvantaged by being their authentic selves.

But the LGBT+ and Friends Network isn’t just a colleague-led network, it has been key in ensuring E.ON is a pioneering organisation when it comes to the LGBT+ community. The network has helped identify opportunities and deliver real change by supporting E.ON to build policies that are LGBT+ inclusive, making sure that E.ON is a place where all LGBT+ colleagues can thrive. The network has been crucial in the review and development of our gender-neutral menopause guide, our Equal Parent leave, supporting colleagues through their fertility journeys, and our gender identity and reassignment policy as well as the gender-neutral facilities we’re introducing at our sites.

The network has also been a driving force behind E.ON sponsoring Pride in Birmingham and Nottingham again this year, offering Pride rainbow lanyards for colleagues and the introduction of pronouns onto our organisational systems and email signatures.

Phil McQuillen, E.ON’s Culture, Diversity & People Lead and LGBT+ and Friends Network Chair, said: “We have so much as a network to be proud of – and it’s not just about numbers, it’s about how our community feels seen, involved and heard at E.ON. So, to be shortlisted for this award recognises the hard work and effort that the whole community has put in to making our network what it is today, and this is just the start, and our plans for the future are big.

“We would love to win this award as it would mean so much to so many people, but if we don’t it’s just amazing to be recognised.”

At E.ON, we take pride in our colleague-led inclusion networks which help both colleagues and their families by offering support and guidance across many different topics.

We’re proud to be a leading UK employer when it comes to diversity and inclusion, having been named as one of the UK’s Top 50 Inclusive Employers for the past seven years and we’re currently ranked number eight in the list.