Signatory in the Spotlight: Jacobs

‘Signatory in the Spotlight’ aims to share the lessons learned from WiN UK industry charter signatory companies. Their interventions, challenges and success illustrate what organisations can do to achieve gender balance.

In the first of our spotlight articles, our Editor, Nichola McCall, talks to Tina Bowen, Capability and Systems Director at Jacobs.

Tina has 25 years’ experience in the nuclear sector and is passionate about increasing diversity in the nuclear industry through increasing understanding of unconscious bias in the workplace. Tina is Chair of Jacobs’ Women’s Network (JWN) and was a WiN UK Board member when it was launched in 2014. Tina later set up and now continues to support the WiN UK North West regional team.

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What actions have been taken by Jacobs?

 

Jacobs has been working with WiN UK since its launch in 2014, becoming its first industry partner in 2019. This collaboration helped both organisations strengthen their efforts to achieve gender balance. The company also signed up to WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Ten Steps campaign, which is a framework for companies wanting to improve their gender balance.

Actions have focused on improving the retention and progression of women within the business.

Performance metrics for inclusion and diversity include:

• reviewing job descriptions and titles for gendered language
• adding inclusion and diversity to senior leaders’ performance goals
• incorporating “values differences” as a core competency for all employees

In July 2019, Jacobs introduced a new Variable Hours Policy for UK employees. It builds on existing flexible working arrangements. Another new UK programme is “Bridge the Gap”, which supports returning and working parents.

Other actions taken include:

• development of bespoke unconscious bias training for line managers
• mentoring of women seeking leadership roles – including a research project with the University of Liverpool on a coaching technique specifically aimed at women
• Engaging women across the business via webinars, speed mentoring sessions and surveys to understand viewpoints
• regular communication of progress with the business leadership team and the staff via team brief and town hall presentations
• introduction of annual “Inclusive Leader Award” to recognise those who are role models for exemplar inclusive behaviour
• each senior leadership team signing and Inclusion and Diversity Accountability and Commitment Statement

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What has been the impact of the work?

Gender balance and wider inclusion and diversity is now part of the language of our business. ‘We live inclusion’ is one of Jacobs’ core values. The business is committed to advancing inclusion and diversity to create an environment where all employees can thrive.

Jacobs was shortlisted twice for the WISE Employer Award (2015 and 2017), and won the WISE Man award twice (2016 and 2019). Employees were also recognised at the 2019 and 2018 European Women in Construction & Engineering (WICE) Awards.

Earlier this year, Jacobs was ranked in the top quartile of Forbes “Best Employer for Diversity 2020” and won the Environmental Business Journal award for “Industry Leadership: Inclusion and Diversity”. The company was also awarded “Employer of Choice for Gender Equality” for the 5th year running.

In January 2020, Jacobs joined The Valuable 500, as an organisation that seeks to ensure disability inclusion is on leadership agendas.

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What challenges have been encountered? How were they overcome?

It’s often difficult to know where to start with a campaign around gender balance. We found it helpful to link up with external organisations who could provide frameworks or case studies. We also spent time listening and understanding the different viewpoints of people in the business.

Meaningful change takes time and resources. In our UK business, it’s been important to maintain a team of people who are passionate about diversity and bring energy and enthusiasm.

Secondly, we regularly review our aims and objectives. We agree priorities with our leadership team and use a “vision map” approach to ensure everyone understands how any planned actions support our longer-term goals.

Thirdly, running virtual events limits travel time, reduces costs and means that recordings can be shared with other people at a time to suit them.

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What’s next for Jacobs?

Jacobs’ focus on inclusion and diversity aims to create an environment where all employees thrive. Jacobs’ Employee Networks play a critical role in fostering a “Culture of Caring”. These employee-led groups offer opportunities to collaborate with others around the world who share similar interests. There are 8 active, passionate employee networks representing more than 23,000 employees. Each of these groups has a senior executive sponsor to provide advocacy, guidance and support.

Jacobs recently launched a Global Action Plan for “Advancing Justice and Equality”, which builds on its existing global inclusion and diversity strategy, TogetherBeyond℠, and includes initiatives and measurable objectives. Jacobs commits to:
expand the “Conscious Inclusion” programme by training the entire workforce

engage 3,000 leaders on justice and equality through meaningful discussion and dialogue require inclusion and diversity as a priority in senior leaders’ annual performance plans, tied to compensation JWN supports inclusive interviewing and mentoring schemes. For example, over the last few months, Jacobs worked with our Harambee network, to support black women employees as part of the “Black Lives Matter” campaign.

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Are we on track to achieve 40% women working in the UK’s nuclear industry by 2030?

It’s definitely a challenging target and requires step change, commitment and focus from all parts of the industry. I think clearly defined targets are vital as a catalyst for that change. It drives companies to be clear on their current position and the actions required in their organisation. We need to work together to be “greater than the sum of our parts” – the more we can share good practice and learning with each other, the quicker we will see results.

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If you would like your company to feature in a future edition of ‘Signatory in the Spotlight’, please contact Nichola McCall at winuk.charter@gmail.com