Diversity in Leadership at So Energy

It’s always great to have diverse representation in a business! But too often that representation begins and ends in the lower levels of the company, with little diversity shown in middle or senior management. We spoke with Stephen Clarke, head of Head of Learning, Performance and Development to get his take on being an out leader at So Energy.

Stephen, what’s it like to be part of the team at So Energy?

I love working for So Energy and how the business and the people accept me for who I am! I am an out and proud gay man and have experiences in my life where I have been made to feel different for being gay!

As a Senior Leader, I see it as my responsibility to ensure that all people from the LGBTQIA+ community at So Energy have the opportunity to be who they are, without judgement.

I understand you’re also the founder of the LGBTQIA+ group

Yes, part of the work I do is sponsor the LGBTQIA+ Affinity group and all the amazing work they do. The team get involved in everything from celebrating Pride to consulting on our engagement with customers and staff. They help us to make sure we foster a welcoming environment and creating a place where we can be ourselves. Together we create a safe place to discuss things openly and are able to challenge in a constructive, open, and positive way.

I also drive the creation and delivery of training so all of our people have a greater understanding of the value of diversity and how to navigate conversations to gain better understanding of each other.

Why is diversity in leadership important?

The more diverse a Leadership Team is, the more opinions and viewpoints we can capture. This helps to provide perspective within the business and leads to better decision making. This all leads to the delivery of positive change for our teams and customers.

I celebrate the fact that not only do I get to continue to be myself but also help others understand from my and our community’s lived experiences.

Pride is a great month to celebrate this and I proudly stand for the continued work the community does, not only within So Energy but also for all our customers.

If you haven't already, check out our blog on how we're celebrating Pride this year at So Energy.