Reclaiming Narratives: elevating voices for a more inclusive future in the energy industry

This journey is especially significant for individuals from historically marginalised communities, whose voices have often been overlooked. By reclaiming these narratives, we create space for new ideas, celebrate untold achievements, and build a more inclusive future.

We spoke to Alex Charlton, Senior Business Analyst, who shares his insights with us on Black History Month’s theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ and his experiences as part of E.ON’s embRace network.

What does ‘reclaiming narratives’ mean to you, especially in an industry like energy where diverse perspectives are crucial to social impact and sustainability?

For me, reclaiming narratives is a way of inspiring people to showcase their skills and drive to achieve more from their lives than what social stigma may have led them to believe is their ceiling of development.  I recall being told as a child by my father:” You will have to work twice as hard to achieve because of your colour”, which at that point really put me in a negative frame of mind for where I could go with my life. Being a dual heritage boy in the early 90s already trying to find where I fit within my social circles both in and out of school, I thought that I wouldn’t be taken seriously or be able to have my voice heard.

This had stuck with me throughout my life even when I began working and I felt a sense of defeat before I had started, setting my sights on limited roles as I didn’t believe that I was capable of anything more. Plus, when I looked around, most individuals that looked like me were not part of the higher wage bracket, and often weren’t even considered.

Looking back from where I am now speaks volumes and I’m proud to say that I have stood up to be counted in an industry where every one of us has our own way of utilising energy, which is not just driven by one set of beliefs but by a community of individuals who have differing requirements of their own. Being ignorant to our ethnically diverse colleagues and customers’ needs would be being blinkered to change for the better and progression.

In today’s society, the importance of everybody having a voice is essential for us to grow as one human community, not becoming hung up on race, appearance, gender, mental or physical ability. Accepting people for who they are is key for us to show the generations to come that there is opportunity for you to achieve your dreams. If you believe you can achieve greatness in your life, don’t limit yourself to what someone else thinks of you - the only limit you have is the one you apply to yourself and teach them how to truly reclaim your narrative.

How has the embRace network contributed to your career and your experience at E.ON?

I’ve worked for E.ON for over 17 years and at the start of my career I loved to share an idea, or what I saw was a better way of working for the tasks I carried out. I did become disengaged and began to question if there was a role within E.ON where I felt like I was working towards a future for my young family.

Then, my manager had introduced me to the embRace network who I cannot thank enough for doing so.  After completing some of the courses, I learned that celebrating my successes wasn’t as difficult as it had previously seemed.  I had just thought that the benefits I had brought to the company was just doing my job as this is what I was paid for. But, these were achievements that I didn’t know how to celebrate as my successes are important for me to be able to talk about without feeling like I’m gloating.

The ability to sell yourself doesn’t come naturally to most people but is a big part of a successful interview and embRace has certainly brought this to light for me, amongst validation of my thoughts and my newfound love of networking!  I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for the learnings gained from the embRace programme and would recommend it to anyone who is not yet involved and would like to begin their growth journey within E.ON.

What role do you think storytelling plays in reclaiming Black narratives within a corporate setting?

Everybody has a story, as everyone has lived through challenging times of their own. By understanding people’s stories, you can begin to draw inspiration from each other’s experience and use these to shape your own path both outside the workplace and in. 

By listening to stories that others share can bring us closer to how others operate and how their experience has shaped their lives and thinking. By understanding each other’s differences and similarities and utilising these shared experiences in your life, together we flourish as a fully inclusive workplace which will empower E.ON as a company with a fully integrated workforce.

Do you think there are cultural mediums that are particularly powerful in reclaiming narratives?

Some of the most powerful cultural mediums I’ve experienced are:

• ‘When they see us’: a hard-hitting drama about five black youths who suffered injustice at the hands of the American police force.
• Ghana’s sea of sculpted slave heads - Kwame Akoto-Bamfo: Commemorating the Transatlantic slave trade which illuminates a dark period in our history and the widescale suffering experienced by our ancestors.
• Changes – Tupac Shakur: While Tupac was widely known for gangster rap, this is one of his tracks that stands out to me and reflects the ideology for change in society.
• Still I Rise – Maya Angelou: A poem of strength through adversity that is both saddening and inspirational.

What legacy or message would you want future generations to carry forward as part of Black history and the journey to reclaim these narratives?

Small changes in mindset can lead to big changes in the world, start with changing your outlook. Don’t spend too much time looking back at past events, focus on the hope that your future brings and take steps to make it a reality.

Looking forward, what do you hope Black History Month will look like in the next 10 years?

In the next 10 years, I hope to see the stories of my generation’s successes in reclaiming narratives. I want the challenges we've faced — both past and present — to become just that: stories I can share with my children, experiences they’ll hear about but won’t have to live through themselves.

I hope to hear the term racist become redundant. I hope that nobody in the future ever hears about having to “work twice as hard” as the next person to realise their dreams, but most of all, I’d love to see equality across all walks of life focused on the wealth of knowledge and skills we bring to the table as a people for the betterment of the generations to come.

Building a future of inclusion

Reclaiming narratives is not just a personal journey; it’s a collective responsibility. At E.ON, where diverse perspectives are crucial to shaping a new energy world, we must ensure that every voice is heard and valued.

By fostering environments at E.ON where we can all thrive, we can make inclusion the standard — not the exception — for a brighter, more equitable future.