Building an inclusive community through recruitment

Since day one at Energy Systems Catapult, the Chief Executive supported by the Chair and Board, has been keen to meet its mission of unleashing innovation to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system but also to challenge how that is done.

Key to the success of this challenge is putting people at the heart of the energy system transformation, because at the end of every pipe and wire are people, with diverse wants and needs. Ensuring that innovation works for a wide range of people, requires understanding, and ideally, reflecting that diversity. Coupled with the fact there is compelling evidence that diverse teams are more innovative and productive, encouraging diversity within the workplace should make the Catapult better positioned to unlock innovation and develop outcomes that work for all consumers.

Yet the UK energy sector is perceived as, and in some cases is, male, pale and stale. An early investigation into the statistics relating to diversity in the energy sector demonstrated to Energy Systems Catapult that much more needed to be done to encourage people from all different backgrounds into the sector.

The Catapult chose not to set targets or have any ‘special initiatives’. Instead the Catapult clearly communicated its mission, vision and values, their principles for operation and building an inclusive community through recruitment.

There is no image of a ‘Catapult person’, recruitment is based purely on ability and team fit is based on whether candidates can do the job as well as their alignment with the Catapult’s mission.