SSEN Transmission has today (Thursday, 8 May 2025) announced new partnerships with the Women's Utilities Network (WUN) and the Women's Engineering Society (WES).

These collaborations, set to continue into 2026, are designed to open up new avenues for connecting women in the utilities and engineering sectors, underscoring SSEN Transmission's commitment to enhancing gender diversity within its workforce and the broader energy industry.

The partnerships will leverage the work of both WUN and WES, celebrating the achievements of women in energy while acknowledging the ongoing need to drive progress. SSEN Transmission believes that improving gender diversity fosters stronger teams, encourages innovation, and contributes to a more equitable future.

This initiative comes as SSEN Transmission prepares to invest at least £22 billion by 2031 to deliver new and upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure across its operational area in the north of Scotland. This investment is crucial for meeting Scotland and the UK's ambitious energy security and clean power targets. To achieve these goals, the company's workforce, which has already grown from approximately 400 staff in 2019 to over 2,200 employees today, needs to continue its rapid expansion. SSEN Transmission emphasises that building this workforce in a way that promotes diversity, collaboration, and innovation, while supporting women in their career development, is paramount.

The Women's Utilities Network (WUN), a UK-based not-for-profit organisation founded in 2018, aims to enhance the role of women in a sector where they currently represent only 28% of the workforce and 29.6% of leadership roles. WUN focuses on creating a supportive community that empowers women to connect, develop, and thrive.

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The Women's Engineering Society (WES), a UK-based charity and professional network established in 1919, is dedicated to supporting women in engineering and promoting an inclusive industry. WES champions female engineers, scientists, and technologists through initiatives such as mentoring, networking, and awareness campaigns like "She's An Engineer" and "International Women in Engineering Day."

Allie Walker, SSEN Transmission's HR Director, said: "As one of ভারleading transmission operators in Great Britain, at SSEN Transmission we are delighted to have partnered with both the Women's Utilities Network and the Women's Engineering Society to help identify new ways to connect women in our industry. Both organisations to great work for women in the utilities and engineering sectors, and as our workforce continues to grow, partnering to create more opportunities for women is a no-brainer."

She added: "Here at SSEN Transmission, we're making progress, but we're not quite where we want to be yet when it comes to gender diversity. We're committed to changing that and making careers in energy a path that is open and exciting for everyone, especially women. There's still a lot to do, but we're creating more opportunities for women in energy and partnerships like these with WUN and WES show that progress being made, which is really exciting to see and be a part of."

Sharon Sage, WUN Director, commented: "I am delighted that SSEN Transmission is joining the Womens Utility Network as a partner. I look forward to working together to uphold and promote the core values of WUN and drive real action across the industry to achieve true equality and diversity, especially in the Utilities Sector. As a group, we recognize that change won't happen unless we take action, and at WUN, we are passionate about building a community of women who can connect, support, develop, and encourage one another."

Tristan Holland, Membership & Partnership Manager for WES, stated: "We are delighted to have SSEN Transmission as a partner of the Women's Engineering Society, demonstrating their clear commitment to building a truly diverse and inclusive engineering workforce. At WES, our vision is to create an industry that reflects the full diversity of the society it serves—an essential step toward solving the most significant societal challenges of our time. Partnerships like this are vital in creating meaningful opportunities for women in engineering, enabling fulfilling careers, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration and positive change across the sector."