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Severn Trent Water
See how we helped this PLC to refresh and futureproof their EDI strategy and express their intent in ways that could be understood and embraced across their entire workforce.
Severn Trent Water is a PLC, providing drinking water and handling wastewater treatment for around 4.6 million households and businesses across the Midlands and Wales.
01
Why they came to us
Having followed us on LinkedIn, the company thought Diversity by Design was best placed to help them refresh their EDI strategy.
They recognised some of the political pitfalls of acting in haste and wanted to make the kind of changes that would still be relevant in five years time.
02
What we discovered
Levels of enthusiasm for EDI varied hugely across the organisation.
Some people felt it was ‘just about minorities’; others thought it had people walking on eggshells. And there was some uncertainty among managers around how best to handle conflict.
At the same time, there was great open mindedness among the people we worked with not to preach about EDI but to engage realistically with their staff about the benefits that greater diversity could bring to the company.
03
How we worked together
Initially, we facilitated a set of meetings, which explored:
- The links between the company’s strategic objectives and the talent needed for the future
- The significance of any diversity deficits across the current workforce
- How greater diversity might enhance Severn Trent Water’s ability to achieve its goals
Simon then wrote up the notes from each session, which were agreed with the group and went on to form the basis of their Diversity Framework: ‘Wonderfully You’
We then worked with key leaders, HR and D&I representatives, and a group of around 25 staff from across the company, to shape the framework through a number of drafts and then refine the language, so it could be easily understood and embraced by a workforce of around 9,000 individuals.
Key content included an agreed set of values.
For example, to have the courage to question clumsy behaviours and words, while also recognising there is a big difference between someone ‘getting it wrong’ through lack of knowledge (a genuine mistake), and someone deliberately discriminating, or being malicious and/or unhelpful.
And to be proud of our individuality, because the qualities that make us different from one another also enable us to understand and empathise more successfully with our customers, and to innovate, collaborate, and ultimately deliver our best performance.
We also worked with the team to develop ways of measuring effectiveness as well as a plan to ‘socialise’ the new approach throughout the company, starting with the Executive Committee and the Senior Leadership Team.
04
A watershed moment in the process
In presenting the Diversity Framework to the Senior Leadership Team (around 50 people), a very tense conversation emerged about a key diversity issue.
Drawing on his considerable experience, Simon was able to facilitate a discussion in which people were honest and expressed their vulnerability, fears, and hopes in a way some say they will never forget. This opened up the opportunity for extended work in smaller groups, exploring these difficult issues and building the skills and confidence to navigate such tricky situations.
05
The outcomes we delivered
Severn Trent Water now has a refreshed EDI strategy and around 500 leaders inspired by the new approach.
They also have a clear measurable approach to recruitment and to drawing out talent from specific groups within their community.
They are more empowered to address the skills gaps most pertinent to their strategic goals, both by widening the talent pool, and by inspiring more people in their region into relevant careers (e.g. as HGV drivers and engineers).
They are doing this through their work in schools and by providing meaningful work experience and internships. Crucially, they see this as both a solution for today and ‘a positive legacy for our communities in the future.’
06
What they said
"We were refreshing our D&I strategy and knew we wanted an approach that would be future proofed and still be relevant in ideally five years time. We wanted to design something that was relatable to all our employees, and that embraced difference of all kinds. What was appealing about your approach was undoubtedly linking D&I to a corporate purpose which resonated with us and avoided all the pitfalls. It was a hugely enjoyable process that resulted in a D&I strategy that has landed brilliantly. We know we have avoided the politics and designed something that is relevant for our organisation that will last for years to come."
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