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Building the Business Case for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) to Drive Performance at Sellafield Ltd

A unique challenge

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Sellafield genuinely unique even within the UK nuclear industry.

A challenging mission reflecting the shift from fuel reprocessing to nuclear decommissioning, hazard reduction, and storage.

Strong rationale for a greater focus on EDI as part of our broader improvement plans and change initiatives.

Range of external stakeholders to satisfy

Symbiotic relationship between our primary site and the local community.

• The site measures 6sq km

• Over 10,000 employees

• Largest nuclear facility in Europe

• Over 1,000 nuclear facilities on the site

• Two main focus areas; nuclear fuel reprocessing and decommissioning

• Fuel reprocessing will come to an end in 2020 after 50 years of activity

• ‘Mostly middle age, white, male’

Existing approach to EDI

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Lots of activity but un-coordinated approach with limited impact and efficiency

Little data available to support compliance to equality legislation

Potential under-reporting of discrimination and harassment

Difficult to measure business value or return on investment

Lack of reliable insight into employee experience

Limited Executive focus or visibility

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Our aims & requirements

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Requirements

Clearly articulated and coherent business case - specific to Sellafield

Robust strategy outlining key work streams and activities over the short, medium and longer term

Appropriate governance policy and model

Measurement and reporting framework (PSED compliance)

Implementation and communication plan

Aims

• Connect and align EDI initiatives around a common framework

• Increase consistency of approach between divisions and locations

• Strengthen our employer brand

• Accelerate development of diverse talent and future leaders

• Drive the development of a more inclusive culture

• Position EDI as a vehicle for improved company performance

• Set out a high-level programme of work for costing and approval

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The approach

Methodology1. Data-gathering2. Analysis3. Design 4. Validation5. Exec Education & Awareness

Observations, challenges and opportunities

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Data gaps (quantitative & qualitative)- weak foundation for strategy

Limited workforce diversity - and limited potential to ‘radically’ shift it

Minority group sentiment – marginalised and excluded to an extent

Innovation & creativity – essential for SL; but sub-optimal

Performance management - tolerance of poor performance

Workplace flexibility - theoretical availability vs. workplace reality

Broader change agenda – risk of EDI competing for attention/support

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The business case

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Strategy & overall direction of travel

Outcomes

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Lessons learned

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4. Sustainable3. Transformational

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Understanding your starting point and the journey ahead

Organisation: Limited recognition of the

business case

Barriers to equitable career

progression

Exclusive behaviour tolerated

Leaders: Paying lip-service

“D&I is not on my radar”

“I do the minimum required for

legal compliance”

Organisation: Recognition of D&I’s relevance

to business agenda

Specific silo interventions

‘Quick wins’ addressing

symptoms not root causes

Leaders: “I focus on D&I when time and

other priorities allow”

“I support specific D&I initiatives

and programmes”

Organisation: Business case established,

understood & supported

D&I best practice integrated

into all core people processes

Commitment unaffected by

business challenges

Leaders: “I believe in and promote the

business case for D&I”

“I take action to increase

workforce diversity and build an

inclusive workplace”

Organisation:

D&I is ‘business as usual’

and a cultural norm

D&I efforts are firmly rooted

in business strategy

Industry Leaders

Leaders:

“D&I is integral to our business

goals”

“I am openly accountable for

D&I progress and outcomes”

“I am an inclusive leader and

role-model (internally and

externally)

Action

2. Proactive

Co

mm

itm

en

t

1. Reactive

Unconscious

Incompetence

Conscious

Incompetence

Conscious

Competence

Unconscious

Competence

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Poll

https://gameday.eu.doubledutch.me/?sessiontoken=e0639344-20dc-

4a8a-88c8-d493ebf8cadb&mod=polls&pollId=12621

We asked…

Where are you on the journey to building a diverse workforce

and inclusive culture?

1. Reactive (unconscious incompetence)

2. Proactive (conscious incompetence)

3. Transformational (conscious competence)

4. Embedded/Sustainable (unconscious competence)