E.ON: A greener future requires inclusive workplaces
Sustainability is core to E.ON’s business.
Why You Should Care
"Our cleaner, greener energy future needs the right workforce and skills”, E.ON UK's CPO Chris Norbury tells UNLEASH.
Learn why sustainability is core the world of work at E.ON.
Uncover the diverse and inclusive workplace E.ON has cultivated.
Over the past few years, diversity has been climbing the corporate agenda. Employers are starting to realize that having diverse workforces is not just morally the right thing to do, but it is good for business.
But being a diverse workplace means very little if those organizations are not equitable and inclusive.
Championing diversity and inclusion as one is one of European energy giant E.ON’s four core HR priorities. It sits alongside the future of work, sustainability, and leaders acting as role models for employees.
“We have worked to create a culture where everyone feels they’re respected [and] valued. Through our inclusive culture, everyone is empowered to grow and thrive,” E.ON UK’s CPO Chris Norbury tells UNLEASH.
“Our colleagues’ diverse backgrounds and experiences reflect those of our customers, and we see this as a real strength [because] it helps us better…understand our customers and our communities”.
Inside E.ON’s inclusive workplace
Norbury is “incredibly proud to have been recognized for the fifth year running on the Inclusive Companies Top 50 list”.
At end of 2021, E.ON’s UK branch came in 14th place. It was the only energy supplier on the list, which includes the likes of ASOS, Direct Line, Talk Talk, Allianz Insurance, and Merck.
Norbury is particularly pleased that E.ON UK’s ranking has “improved year on year” since 2017 – he believes this is in “recognition of our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture across the company”.
But Norbury is clear that E.ON will not rest on its laurels; “we’re constantly looking at new ways we can develop in this area”. In fact, he shares that in the UK, E.ON has moved away from “traditional tiered talent pools with pre-selection processes”.
Instead, the energy company has “adopted talent networks which are open to all and designed to help develop the future skills we need as an organization”.
“Everyone can learn and grow at E.ON. Our new talent networks ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to get involved”, continues Norbury. These are open to all, no matter their seniority or tenure.
A good example is the Fast Forward Network, which was launched on International Women’s Day in 2021. This network aims to help “women across the business to further develop within E.ON”; it has 400 members in the UK and has already brought promotion rates for women in line with male employees.
According to E.ON’s 2021 annual report, it currently employs more than 69,000 people across Europe, and 32% of them are women.
Importantly, at E.ON in the UK and beyond, diversity and inclusion is a priority at the C-Suite level. The company’s diversity and inclusion networks are all sponsored by a member of the management board.
For instance, newly appointed CEO Leo Birnbaum sponsors the disability and mental health network – known as adaptability – while CFO Marc Spieker is involved with E.ON’s LGBTQ+ & Friends initiative and network.
The future of work at E.ON
Diversity and inclusion at E.ON also feed into its attitudes towards the future of work.
“Flexibility is important to the diverse lives we all lead, and that became apparent through the pandemic. Colleagues told us through focus groups and surveys that they enjoyed the extra flexibility” and that it “helped them improved their wellbeing and work-life balance”, adds Norbury.
Chris Norbury, CPO, E.ON UK.
So, it is not a surprise that E.ON is embracing a hybrid and flexible future of work model. The company will see a mixture of on-site and remote working.
“The future office is a resource to be used as needed for collaboration, networking and problem solving”; but individuals can choose to work in the office more often if it is where they do their best work.
Norbury notes that throughout the pandemic, there were some colleagues who worked in the office.
This was partly because of their roles, but also because it is “not conducive to good mental health for some”. So E.ON implemented safe office arrangements for them; E.ON UK also helped them to secure essential worker places at schools.
In the UK, one of the company’s largest markets, Norbury shares that E.ON advertises all roles (including part-time and job shares) as flexible. E.ON’s 2021 annual report also noted that the energy company is committed to allowing co-leadership and job-sharing positions to help with gender equality in progression.
This is linked to E.ON’s awareness that “caring commitments, whether for children or wide family, can be a barrier to employment and progression, particularly for women”. Supporting carers has been a long-term priority for E.ON UK – Norbury explains that E.ON UK’s “carer’s passport scheme has been in place for several years and is designed to capture someone’s individual responsibilities, challenges and support needed” (which includes flexible options).
Finally, “our flexible working policy means there is no minimum length of service; flexible working can be requested from day one” at E.ON, according to Norbury. “This was launched in direct response to feedback from colleagues”. Clearly, employee listening is key to the world of work at E.ON.
Sustainable upskilling at E.ON
Sustainability is a core value at E.ON as a business. Norbury explains: “At E.ON we’re leading the drive to net-zero and a sustainable future.” The company doesn’t have a sustainable strategy, it claims its “business is inherently sustainable”.
“Our mission is to make sustainable energy available for all, through technology like smart meters and heat pumps, or providing 100% renewable electricity as standard and at no cost”, notes Norbury.
The company has ambitious targets, particularly around carbon emissions. E.ON wants to be climate-neutral by 2040 in its own operations. It is working on decarbonizing its emissions by offsetting those it is unable to avoid; E.ON does this in partnership with the LEAF coalition.
But, as already mentioned, the energy giant’s concentration on sustainability is also a HR priority. This feeds directly into the company’s diversity and inclusivity agenda.
Norbury tells UNLEASH: “Our cleaner, greener energy future needs the right workforce and skills” to be successful.
E.ON is focused on digital upskilling – it is introducing “a digital opportunities marketplace later this year across the E.ON group, where colleagues can share their skills experience” and that is matched with appropriate opportunities and roles.
E.ON Is also focused on “future low-carbon skills”. Norbury explains: “The energy sector is experiencing unprecedented change, and to meet the future demands of our industry we need to continue to develop a workforce with the skills and behaviors necessary to succeed”.
For instance, E.ON UK has a green job apprenticeship program, and all of E.ON’s degree apprentices take on at least one sustainability-focused placement.
Norbury is clear that this move to offer “purposeful work” is what is helping E.ON UK thrive during the ‘Great Resignation’; studies have found that sharing a purpose with employers is particularly important to younger workers.
Examples of purposeful work at E.ON are “developing new energy solutions, protecting vulnerable customers, or supporting our charity partnerships”.
On the topic of vulnerable customers, the world – and Europe in particular – is currently living through an energy crisis accelerated by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
UNLEASH was keen to get Norbury’s take on this, and how E.ON UK is supporting staff as they communicate changes and challenges with customers.
“The world is changing daily and it is fundamentally important that we continued to offer our colleagues a safe and health work environment – and that they have the information they need to help customers, many of whom are incredibly concerned”, notes Norbury.
In this context, E.ON has upgraded its training, and has offered “an ongoing series of internal webinars to help them build a deeper understanding of the current energy crisis… and crucially how we can help”.
