SSE's Inclusion and Diversity Strategy
Our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy, 'in, on and up', aims to make lasting changes by bringing diversity into SSE, creating an environment where everyone wants to stay on at SSE, and providing equal opportunities to progress upwards in the business.
SSE's four inclusion and diversity strategy pillars
Ambition: setting measurable inclusion and diversity goals
We set stretching diversity ambitions that align with best practice. We measure progress against these ambitions through tracking and monitoring a wide range of diversity and workforce metrics and provide an annual update on progress within our Annual Report, Sustainability Report, and UK Gender & Ethnicity Pay Gap Report.
SSE's workforce diversity ambitions
Key metrics tracked include diversity within senior leadership and workforce diversity across gender, sexual orientation, disability, and social mobility.
SSE's leadership diversity ambitions
Our 2030 senior leadership gender diversity ambitions have been developed in alignment with the FTSE Women Leaders Review and The Parker Review.
SSE’s pay gaps
We are committed to providing open and detailed information about our diversity pay gaps. In 2016, we became the first FTSE company to publicly disclose its UK gender pay gap (GPG) information. In 2021, we voluntarily disclosed our Republic of Ireland (ROI) gender pay gap, and in 2024 voluntarily disclosed our UK ethnicity pay gap.
Read more about our pay gaps in our UK Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gaps Report.
Collaborating with inclusion and diversity change partners
We work with key inclusion and diversity partners to help us continuously improve and make progress that could not be done alone. In addition, making pledges and being signatories of key change initiatives enable us to take public accountability for powering inclusion for our colleagues, communities, and customers.
Creating an inclusive culture through employee education
We have several educational programmes to develop colleagues’ awareness and understanding of inclusion and diversity at SSE, what it means for them, and how they can get support. These programmes focus on elevating the importance of an inclusive workforce, educating about other perspectives, encouraging inclusive habits and behaviours, and ensuring everyone knows how to report un-inclusive behaviour.
Mandatory inclusion and diversity e-learning
All employees are required to complete this training annually, which aligns with core topics of our Igniting Inclusion programme.
Reverse mentoring
Reverse mentoring was established through our partnership with the School for CEOs. It is a key enabler for senior leaders to build their fluency with inclusion and diversity topics and encourages new ways of strategic thinking to help build inclusive and empowered teams.
Focused toolkits
Through partnership with our eight belonging communities and external research, a suite of inclusion learning has been developed including allyship, gender identity and menopause awareness.
Respect at work
Creating an inclusive workplace starts with respect. We have a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation, and expect everyone at SSE to treat one another with dignity and respect.
Concerns can be raised through a range of reporting channels and are taken seriously, investigated appropriately and addressed in line with our policies and procedures. Inclusion and diversity learning helps colleagues understand expected behaviours and the role we all play in creating an inclusive culture.
Encouraging diversity in the future energy workforce
We recognise the need to engage early with children and young adults to increase the diversity of the future utilities sector and ensure the industry has skilled workers to deliver net zero. We are committed to ensuring that young people from all backgrounds understand how STEM subjects can lead to an exciting and rewarding career.
Inclusive processes
Developing robust policies and processes to embed inclusion and diversity ensures that we create a workplace that supports current and future employees.
Driving inclusive recruitment
We believe attracting the broadest possible range of talent strengthens our ability to deliver for customers, communities and the energy transition. Our recruitment approach is designed to widen access to opportunities, reduce unnecessary barriers and support fair, consistent hiring decisions across SSE.
Accessible and inclusive workplace
We continue to create workplaces that are accessible, inclusive and responsive to individual needs. Our approach includes workplace adjustments, inclusive facilities and practical support that enables colleagues to thrive at work.
Explore how we support an accessible and inclusive workplace.
Removing internal barriers
We want everyone to have equitable opportunities to develop and progress at SSE. We continually review our talent, leadership and people practices to help identify and remove barriers.
Our approach includes inclusive talent and succession planning, flexible ways of working, enhanced family, leadership development and people policies that support colleagues through different life stages and circumstances.
Supporting inclusion and diversity within the community
Creating a fair and inclusive energy transition extends beyond our workforce. Through our community investment programmes, we support projects that improve access to education, employment, skills and opportunities for people and communities across the UK and Ireland.
Encouraging diversity in SSE’s supply chain
We are committed to promoting inclusion and diversity throughout our supply chain, supporting businesses and people in the areas we operate by ensuring inclusion and diversity are part of the supplier selection process. Our Supplier Diversity Strategy, underpinned by the Sustainable Procurement Code, includes expectations that suppliers will promote greater inclusion and diversity.
Employee voice
Listening to our employees enables us to focus on business priorities and improve initiatives. It builds trust, helps employees feel valued, and increases development opportunities, resulting in better job satisfaction and higher employee engagement.
We gain insight on employee voice through our 'Belonging in SSE' communities, launched in September 2020, which aim to bring people together across the organisation. They encourage open and constructive employee-led discussion, promote the latest thinking by employees, offer peer support, and drive education.