This week, women in solar energy+ Europe give a voice to Fran Button, Deputy -CEO at British Solar Renewables (BSR). She says that mentoring and inspiring female leaders can help young women clearly visualize their own career path. “That visibility is of vital importance,” she says. “When I started, such paths were much less clear.”
Our solar industry is relatively young and dynamic and brings together professionals with different backgrounds, including lawyers, engineers, accountants, building experts, designers and technicians, all connected by a shared passion for renewable energy. This creates a real opportunity to lead about inclusion about gender, race, religion and age. In contrast to more traditional sectors, we already recruit from a wide swimming pool. With that opportunity, responsibility comes: building an industry that is really inclusive, future -oriented and we can all be proud.
When I look back on my career, I see how much progress we have made, but also the barriers that still exist. The industry remains dominated by men and when I came in for the first time in 2010, I often found myself the only woman in board meetings or in discussions with contractors and suppliers. After I worked as a construction lawyer, I was no stranger to the minority. Sometimes it was a challenge to make my voice heard. Yet those experiences also offered benefits. Bringing a different perspective, sometimes underestimated and the use of my legal background helped me to establish credibility and influence.
What allowed me by pushing was determination and perseverance. If you do not believe in your skills, it is more difficult for others. Self -doubt has prevented many talented women to use opportunities that they deserve completely. That is why I have often encouraged brilliant women to request promotions that they looked like later. Mentorship, coaching and surrounding yourself with people you can learn are invaluable. The point is to adopt positive behavior, understand what not to emulate and above all, remain faithful to your integrity while keeping an open mind for opportunities.
Mentoring has been a powerful power in my career. I recently learned that a junior female colleague felt inspired to see women at the board and the senior leadership level, so that she could clearly visualize her own career path. That visibility is of vital importance. When I started, such paths were much less clear. Over the years we have encouraged people in junior roles and guided them to senior leadership and director of positions. These success stories show what is possible, although I believe that we can still do more to ensure that diverse talent thrives at every level.
At BSR, inclusiveness is not just about gender. We are working on promoting diversity in all its forms and ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and dignity, whether she is employees, contractors or suppliers. While HR is within my assignment, I help stimulate initiatives such as our Pride Group, Menopause Coffee Club and biennial personnel surveys. Listening, acting on feedback and promoting a culture where everything can thrive, are central to how we lead.
Driving dei initiatives at the executive level is not without challenges. Trust Lacunes not only influence individuals, but also leadership teams as a whole. Yet I am proud of the inclusive culture that we have built and the careers we have supported. We have shown that people can and are grown into leadership roles when they receive the right support.
Representation is important. Women currently only form 32% of the workforce of renewable energy, but at BSR we are proud that 39% of our team are women, above the sector average. That figure is the result of deliberate cultural building and the hard work of many colleagues who are committed to inclusiveness.
Practical action is essential for maintaining and developing various talent. We work closely with recruiters to refine the language in our vacancies, even creating alternative versions for the same role, to achieve the widest possible pool. Our flexible work policy enables colleagues to balance professional and personal obligations, which is especially valuable for people with childcare or care managements. We also sponsor visas for international applicants and recognize the wealth that produce different skills and experiences.
For the younger generation of women who enter this industry, my advice is simple: be yourself, be determined and be persistent. Believe in your skills, because if you don’t, it will be harder for others to do that. Search mentors, look for role models and don’t be stopped. Learn from the people around you, but never lose your integrity. And don’t forget that careers rarely follow a straight line; Embrace the unexpected turns, because they often offer the greatest opportunities.
Fran Button is deputy CEO of British Solar Renewables and will reach the company in 2015. She supervises Risk, ESG, Legal, IT, HR and Health & Safety in the United Kingdom and Australia and is in the headboard. Fran Has Played a Key Role in Major Milestones at BSR, Including the £ 345m Four-Bank Debt Facility, the £ 89m Sale of Badenstoke Solar Park, Multiple M&A Transactions, and the Sale of BSR Group Holdings to Icg Biodiversity in 20222. Strategy, Including Biodiversity Net Gain Targets, Species Protection Projects, and the Launch of the Nature Protection Pledge. Before BSR, Fran was a partner at Pinsent Masons, Michelmores and Foot Anstey. She is a qualified lawyer with an LLB (Hons) from UCW, Aberystwyth and an MSC in the construction legislation and arbitration of Leeds Beckett University. Fran served as vice chairman of the Seuk Natural Capital Group, for defending environmental priorities and representing the collective voice of the sector.
Interested in becoming a member Fran button And other leaders and experts in industry at women in Solar+ Europe? More information: www.wiseu.network
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