Sellafield Ltd has been recognised for its contribution to industry at national training awards.
The firm won the Excellence in ED&I Award at the 13th annual Engineering Construction Industry (ECI) Training and Development Awards in London.
Sellafield Ltd scooped the award in recognition of the impact its programmes have made to promote a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) through education, training and mentoring.
Judges recognised the company’s commitment to developing an inclusive, safe and diverse culture to empower its people, enhance their contribution and build a culture where everyone thrives in an “inclusive, psychologically safe environment where wellbeing is key”.
Since launching its seven-year D&I Strategy in 2020, initiatives at Sellafield have included the development of 17 employee support networks; a reverse mentoring programme for executive and senior leaders; mandatory e-learning completed by over 13,000 colleagues; the introduction of reasonable adjustment passports and assistive technology to enable hundreds of colleagues to perform better at work; dyslexia diagnostics and ADHD screening; changes in recruitment processes to deliver more diverse cohorts; and targeted support around mental health, especially for graduates and apprentices.
Sellafield Ltd was handed the trophy by award category sponsor, Sizewell C.
Alan Rankin, who is diversity and inclusion Lead at Sellafield Ltd, said: “It’s fantastic to win.
“We’ve been on a real journey over the last few years as a large and complex organisation and it’s really good that’s been recognised.
“Sellafield has such an important part to play in the future of nuclear, so it’s great that we can be seen as an employer of choice and a really inclusive workplace.
“More than 10% of our workforce are in the early careers bracket, so by being recognised as an inclusive workplace, hopefully we’ll attract, recruit and retain the skills that we need.
“We’ve done cohorts of reverse mentoring with executives and senior leaders, who are matched with early careers people and mentored by graduates and apprentices.
“It’s about exposing our senior team to voices and experiences that they’re not likely to see routinely who have different views, backgrounds and ideas. That’s worked really well.”
A judging panel of industry representatives picked the overall winners based on the significant contributions they have made both to the ECI and their own organisations.
The ECI spans sectors that focus on the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of heavy industry, including oil and gas, nuclear, power generation, renewables, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, chemicals, food and drink, pharmaceuticals and water treatment.
ECITB chief executive Andrew Hockey said: “As the industry-led skills body for engineering construction, we are committed to developing the skills needed for the delivery of critical infrastructure projects, energy security and net zero ambitions across Great Britain.
“We spoke of this commitment when launching our new strategy, Leading Industry Learning, back in September, which outlined how we will help to address skills shortages and support industry growth amid an increasingly complex and fast-changing external environment.
“Congratulations to Sellafield and to all the winners and finalists, who are great examples of these success stories over the past year and set standards to which we all aspire.”
