Women’s Energy Network Alliance (WENA) Conference:

‘Striving to Thrive in a Transitioning Sector’

The Women’s Energy Network Alliance comprises 8 organisations representing over 350,000 women working in energy-related industries in the UK. We are an umbrella of a variety of initiatives and member organisations each specialising in different career levels, sub-sectors or disciplines – from championing STEM outreach for girls to advancing women to board level, or from a focus on engineering or renewables and nuclear, to covering the energy sector as a whole. But we have one common mission – to support women’s careers and make faster progress on female representation in the UK energy industry.

Our membership consists of Women in Nuclear, POWERful Women, District Heating Divas, ALLY, Lean in Equity and Sustainability, Women's Utilities Network, ReWiRE and Full Circle 21.

Each member is committed to sharing best practice and collaborating to support the entirety of the female energy workforce and our collective motto is “Leave no Woman Behind”

For the first time, the Alliance will host a half-day conference, on Tuesday 14^th March 2023 in person at the BEIS Conference Centre in London. The theme is ‘Striving to thrive in a transitioning sector’ and is timed to continue the gender diversity conversation after International Women’s Day (8^th March).

Why do we need this Conference?

The energy sector is undergoing immense change, with companies striving to provide a Net Zero energy supply and the workforce for the future whilst balancing the energy trilemma of Reliability, Affordability, Sustainability and the impact on everyday lives.

Reaching net zero by 2050 and delivering the UK’s broader environmental goals will have a transformative impact on the economy, shifting the demand for goods, services and skills over the next thirty years and beyond. This presents a huge opportunity to transition to new sectors.

The only path out of the climate and economic crises we face, is to lock in a secure clean energy future that will drive sustainable growth and shield people from high energy bills.

But without a clear focus on delivering diversity and inclusion and without actively supporting career development for women, this talent diversification cannot be achieved.

We need to move faster and work smarter, and WENA is unique in bringing together different sectors, skills and talent needs to network and support the energy transition. Our first conference is a great opportunity to exchange that knowledge and embark together on our shared mission.

Who is it for?

If you are a Policymaker, Industry Professional or a Student in any energy-related discipline or sector and are:

• concerned about the skills gap

• passionate about increasing female talent

• curious to learn how you can support women’s careers

then the first-ever WENA Annual Conference is for you, regardless of your role!

Join us at 12pm for an afternoon of inspiring and thought-provoking speeches, and finishing with drinks and networking opportunities on 14th March at the BEIS Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London.

WENA Conference Programme

12.30 – 13.30 Arrivals & Registration / Tea & Coffee / Networking

13.30 – Opening Plenary – Welcome from Laura Sandys CBE, Co-Founder, POWERful Women and CEO, Challenging Ideas

13:35 - Ministerial Address, Amanda Solloway MP, Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

13.45 – Release the Power of Diversity – Laura Sandys

14.00 – Roundtable discussions on the following three themes:

1. ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ - ReWiRE and Ally Energy
2. ‘Creating an energy industry value proposition' - Lean In Equity & Sustainability
3. ‘Leveraging data to power diversity, inclusion and belonging’ - POWERful Women, Women in Nuclear and District Heating Divas

15.00 – Feedback from tables to the room - table Moderators

15.40 – Tea & Coffee / Networking

16.00 – Panel discussion: “Advancing inclusion: how to strengthen efforts to increase inclusion in the energy workplace”

- Laura Sandys (Moderator)

- Lamé Verre, Co-Founder, Lean in Equity and Sustainability and Head of Strategy, Innovation & Sustainability, SSE

- Lisa McBride, Chair of Women in Nuclear Canada and Head of Business Development, GE Hitachi

- Zoe Morrissey, Legal Counsel and Director, Electricity System Operator 

- Sarah Long, Market Director, Net Zero Energy Business, SNC-Lavalin (part of Atkins Group)

17.00 - Closing remarks - Laura Sandys

17.10 – Drinks / Nibbles / Networking

18.00 – Event close

Tickets are £50.00  and we are expecting considerable interest, so don’t hesitate to register your place.

More information about sponsorship packages and registrations can be obtained by emailing events@WENA-UK.org

We want to take a moment to thank our sponsors:

NES Fircroft

NES Fircroft specialises in providing engineering and technical talent across the Oil & Gas, Renewables, Power, Life Sciences, Chemicals & Mining sectors. We have over 80 physically manned offices globally, staffed by discipline specific teams working in the same time zone and communicating in the local language, to ensure we offer outstanding talent solutions tailored to our clients' needs wherever they are. NES Fircroft can offer a full range of staffing solutions: Contract, Permanent (Direct) Hire, Managed Solutions, or a fully outsourced service.

We work primarily in the Energy sector and our business is dedicated to providing the skilled engineering and technical workforce needed to support clients on their journey reducing the environmental impact of traditional energy assets, as well as developing renewable energy sources - ultimately delivering energy security for the world.

Website: www.nesfircroft.com

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a world-leading provider of advanced reactors, fuel and nuclear services. Established in 2007, the GEH nuclear alliance combines GE’s design expertise and history of delivering reactors, fuel and services with Hitachi’s proven experience in advanced modular construction.

GE’s history of deploying carbon-free boiling water reactor (BWR) technology dates to the 1950’s. Today, GEH has developed an industry leading small modular reactor (SMR), the BWRX-300, a cost-competitive, 10^th generation boiling water reactor based on proven technology and powered by today’s commercially available fuel design, GNF2.

GEH has signed a contract with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), SNC-Lavalin and Aecon for the deployment of the first North American SMR at OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project site. SaskPower in Canada, Tennessee Valley Authority in the U.S., ORLEN Synthos Green Energy in Poland and Fermi Energia in Estonia have also selected the BWRX-300.

GE is taking critical steps to power the energy transition and help solve the energy trilemma. GE equipment powers one-third of the world’s energy and we are committed to helping the countries where we work fulfill energy security and climate goals.

Atkins