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Women’sUtilitiesNetwork (WUN) founderHayleyMonkswill be speaking at BritishWater’sWomen onWater event on 27 July,where the themewill be Empowering EmpoweredWomen. Being held in partnershipwithWUNand the Institute ofWater, the keynote speaker will beOfwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher. Monks’presentationwill focus on personal development, andwhat women can do to achieve their goals, even during uncertain times, whether they areworkingmothers, carers, single or have no childcare or caring responsibilities. She said:“On an individual level, there is concern thatCovid-19 could hinder career progression.Manywomenwith children, for example, have taken the lead role in home schooling and childcare, aswell as continuing towork and perhaps don’t feel they’ve been able to focus fully on their careers. “Iwould say that nowis the time to really own your personal development - if you don’t knowwhere you are going, any roadwill take you there.” WUNwas launched to givewomen the skills and confidence they need to build lasting, fulfilling careers in the utility sector.During the pandemic, the organisation has been hostingweekly video conferences aimed at connecting, sharing and supportingmembers with industry knowledge and personal skills development. Participants have shared job seeking advice, including tips for attending virtual interviews and updatingCVs and socialmedia profiles.There have also been sessions onmanaging difficult conversations and dealingwith stress. Monkswill share some of these insights atWomen onWater,which,


Supply chain highlights need for progress on innovation


The rate of uptake of newtechnologies bywater companies is causing ongoing frustrationwithin the supply chain, results froma BritishWater survey reveal. The trade association’s annualUKWaterCompany Performance Survey asks contractors, consultants and suppliers to rate their clients’ performance in 11 areas, including professionalism, contractual approach and communication. Innovationwas the lowest scoring area in 2020 – at a timewhen regulatorOfwat is expectingwater companies to find newways ofworking to address key issues,without increasing customer bills. The sector is facing unprecedented challenges – fromclimate change, population growth and rising customer expectations - radical change is needed ifOfwat’s stretchingAMP7 targets are to deliver for customers and the environment. Shaun Stevens, generalmanager at EPSWater, a supplier committed to digital transformation and innovation, and incoming chair of British Water’sUK Forum, said:“The lowinnovation scores are symptomatic of the ongoing frustration felt in the supply chainwith regard to innovation uptake by thewater companies and their delivery partners. “While innovation has been a core theme inwater companies’dialogue


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despite being a virtual eventwill still encourage networking. She said:“The bestway tomake connections is to have your camera on. It can be scary but seeing other smiling faces is a sureway to get people talking - andmake themost of any short breakout session for small groups to get together and chat. “Women onWater is a fantasticway to keep people connected and it is always reassuring to see there is a large group of like-minded people out there.” Nowin its third year,Women onWater aims to supportwomen in the industrywith their career and personal development by presenting themwith tools, tips, advice and case studies, all underpinned by a message of empowerment and progression. BritishWater chief executive LilaThompson:“Our 2020Women on Water event comes at a timewhenwomen in our industrymay be feeling insecure in theworkplace due to the extra pressures placed upon thembyCovid-19.We aimto provide themwith ongoing support to evaluate and reshape their career in a sectorwith aweighty gender imbalance, aswell as build resilientmental health and wellbeing. “I amlooking forward towelcoming delegates fromacross the industry, hearing fromour fantastic speakers and sharing personal stories and experiences at a timewhenmutual support and collaboration is particularly important.”


*Researchcarriedoutby the LondonSchoolof Economics’Centre for Economic Performance. **Survey carriedoutby charityandcampaigngroupPregnant then Screwed.


formany years, issues including underfunding, adversarial commercial models and out-of-date technical standards can be blockers to the adoption of newtechnologies. “Following submission ofwater companies’2020-2025 business plans, Ofwat said they have seen some good pockets of innovation,which is encouraging.We nowneed to see a cultural shift to drive truly transformational innovation and address key challenges at sector level.” Recognising newapproacheswere needed, inDecember 2019 regulatorOfwat confirmed a £200million innovation fund for the AMP7 investment period. Stevens said:“The fund is a step in the right direction andwe can only hope it yields the required outcomes.There is a clear need for innovation inAMP7 to achieve the expected service and performance improvements. “The need has never been greater, in fact.Allwater companiesmust gear up to engagewith the supply chain to deliver this.” BritishWater’s annual surveywas first undertaken in early 2003, in response to companies asking for feedback on howtheywere viewed by the industry supply chain and howtheywere seen to comparewith others.The survey seeks views of individualsworking in the industry rather than a corporate standpoint. Overall, this year sawa small drop in score across all areas, although this is likely to be attributable to the transition fromAMP6 toAMP7, when key teamswould have been engaged in regulatory submissions, which can directly impact on supply chain engagement and perceptions. Reflecting on an overall improvement since 2016, Stevens said:“Some water companies have no doubt improved their supply chain engagement andmanagement practices in recent years - but there is stillwork to do.


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