Lauren Harper, Proposal Lead at Maritime Developments Limited, joined the AXIS Mentoring Scheme at a stage in her career when she was seeking greater clarity on her professional development and looking to expand her network within the wider energy industry. Working across Sales, Business Development, and project delivery teams, Lauren develops commercial proposals and client solutions, with a current focus on growth across the Americas, including Canada and South America. Whi

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate, uplift and increase visibility for LGBTQ+ communities. It is also a protest, a reminder that this community is here and continues to demand and deserve equality for all, especially at a time when some rights are being challenged or rolled back. However, you may have noticed the absence of Grampian Pride from this year’s calendar. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson Last year, thousands of people marched down Union Street in a powerful dis

This report was developed in conjunction with Lead5050, experts in gender pay gap analysis and workplace equity. A Note from Our Chair Every year I look at this data hoping to be able to say: we've cracked it. And every year the picture is the same - progress, yes, but nowhere near enough. This year's analysis of 25 AXIS Pledge companies shows the sector is still moving in the right direction. But when men in energy are still earning £1.21 for every £1 women receive - and £

Annabel Sall is CEO of Think, an energy-focused Marketing, PR and Design consultancy founded in 2004. Based in Aberdeen with a global client base, Annabel and her team provide media relations, brand management, graphic design, videography, strategic marketing and crisis communications support to businesses operating across the energy and associated sectors. Alongside leading Think for more than 20 years, Annabel is also a co-founder of Women in New Energy, launched three year

For many leaders, success is measured in titles, milestones and commercial achievements, but for Beena Sharma, Owner of CCU International, co-founder of Women in New Energy and strategic advisor across multiple organisations, success today is defined very differently. It is no longer simply about personal achievement, but about impact, influence and creating opportunities for others. Coming from a traditional Bangladeshi background, there were expectations around what life sh

It was International Family Equality Day on 3rd May, a day which celebrates the fact families come in many forms. One of our committee members shares her personal experiences on how considerate actions can help all families feel more seen. "Most mornings in our house look like a pretty typical family with littles. They include ‘I’m still tired’ from our three year old who loves her sleep vs. our one year old who will have been on the go since 6am (if we’re lucky). Then it’s a

Over last few years in the UK, there’s been a visible rise of Nationalism; from far-right protests, to statements from Political leaders’ and public figures’ that create a potentially overwhelming and frightening environment for people of colour and immigrants living in the UK. The Anti-Immigration rhetoric is not just a societal concern, it is a safety and workplace issue faced by those within the energy and engineering community. Our industry relies heavily on global expert

In October 2025, Ollie Folayan, one of the founders of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE), delivered a webinar to advise a toolkit which helps individual employees and stakeholders understand racism and develop the framework for conscious action. In the first of a 2-part series, Ollie explains why such a toolkit is essential and the background behind it. "These are very much the times in which misinformation and hate can spread rapidly leaving deva

The AXIS Network hosted a focused lunchtime roundtable at OEUK on 18 March to explore the role of returners - individuals re‑entering the workforce after a career break. Returnships is one of our AXIS Vision 2030 steps, which is AXIS’s pathway toward gender equity. Currently, despite strong qualifications, many returners experience systemic exclusion through outdated recruitment processes, unconscious bias, and inflexible work models. These barriers disproportionately affect

In the energy sector, we are rightly focused on securing the fuels of the future—renewables, nuclear, hydrogen, and storage. But there is one energy source we are consistently overlooking: inclusion. Mark Freed (Men for Inclusion) shares his thoughts on the importance of effective inclusion in the energy industry. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are often spoken about in the same breath, yet each plays a distinct role. Diversity is the fact of difference. Equity is abo

Through our AXIS Network Pledge we invite companies within the energy industry to commit to achieving gender equality in the workplace, focusing on equal pay, leadership, and opportunities. Our commitment to them is to support them with this goal and one of the ways we do so, is to hold bi-annual meetings where we invite senior leaders and others focused on diversity and inclusion within the industry to focus on a specific aspect of inclusion. Summary Our latest Round Table,

Here at AXIS Network we strongly believe that inclusion benefits us all and so were therefore pleased to connect with Mark Freed,...

At AXIS, we believe that data is a powerful tool — not just for measurement, but for driving meaningful change. Our 2025 Gender Pay Gap...

Seven years on from the UK government’s introduction of mandatory reporting of gender pay gap data for companies with more than 250...

In the last in our Vision 2030 series we focus on returnships as a way to attract skilled workers back to the industry. Encouraging returnees is crucial for achieving our energy transition goals, especially in the face of a large shortage of skilled workers. A collaborative, industry wide coordinated returnship programme is key to supporting the return of skilled workers and is essential for fostering innovation and efficiency in the transition to a new energy landscape. Pro

For Vision 2030 to be a success, we need policies that work for everyone. Vision 2030 is AXIS Network’s invitation to accelerate progress towards a fully inclusive and diverse energy industry. Equal parenting policies , bringing paternity leave policies in line with maternity leave policies is a vital part of this process. The economic and workforce health impacts are both positive and the importance of the energy industry being seen as a modern and inviting place to work

Ahead of our upcoming mentoring programme, we spoke with Mini Nambiar, Innovation Project Manager with SSEN Transmission (part of SSE), to learn about her insights into the transformative power of mentoring. If you're interested in participating in our mentoring program as either a mentor or mentee, the program is now accepting applications! To apply head over to the Mentoring page. Q. As a mentor with the AXIS mentoring programme, what do you see as the key benefits of join

Our next article in the Vision 2030 Strategy series focuses on Flexible Working for All regardless of who or what the flexibility is wanted for. Vision 2030, is AXIS Network’s invitation to the industry to imagine what more we could achieve if we accelerate progress towards a fully inclusive and diverse industry. Flexible working policies are at the heart of a modern and inclusive workplace and vital to driving a thriving industry. If you want to retain good people, you nee

Our next focus is on sponsoring women and men equally, promoting the skills of a diverse range of individuals for consideration in new opportunities. This is part of AXIS Networks Vision 2030 series, accelerating progress towards a fully inclusive and diverse industry. Research shows that women are sponsored at a lower rate than men. Forbes finds that: men are 46 percent more likely than women to have a sponsor. Equalising these rates of sponsorship between men and women

AXIS Network’s Vision 2030 Strategy series next focus is Transparent Promotion and Performance Models. We call for the industry to tackle hidden or underlying systemic bias in these processes, ensuring that they are applied fairly and equitably across the whole organisation. Vision 2030 is AXIS Network’s invitation to the industry to imagine what more we could achieve if we accelerate progress towards a fully inclusive and diverse industry. Effective promotion, performance