(EMBARGOED 25.09) Valuing Difference - Equal Approach Shines the Light on SSE’s Return on Inclusion

Valuing Difference - Equal Approach Shines the Light on SSE’s Return on Inclusion

Equal Approach, a global specialist provider of leading edge programs to embed inclusion has carried out a ‘Return on Inclusion’ (ROI) exercise for SSE to calculate the financial value generated in its investment in inclusion and diversity initiatives over the three years from 2014-2017.
SSE has published its first ‘Valuing Difference’ report which details how they have worked with Equal Approach to measure their return on inclusion and how they are now refocusing their strategy to become a truly inclusive organisation.

The results of Equal Approach’s detailed analysis showed that for every £1 invested by SSE, there was a £4.52 ROI for gender diversity initiatives undertaken between 2014 and 2017. By refocusing its Inclusion and Diversity Strategy for 2017-2020, the results for future ROI show there is the potential to achieve £15 worth of value as the organisation becomes more focused on creating a truly inclusive workplace.

John Stewart, SSE’s Director of Human Resources, said:
“For SSE, an inclusive and diverse organisation is essential to our human capital strategy and meeting the looming skills gap expected to impact the energy industry in the early 2020s. Our future commercial success genuinely depends upon the actions we take now to attract, develop and retain a workforce that can provide the skills and talent we need.
“SSE’s Inclusion and Diversity Strategy for 2014-2017 centred on three core elements, ‘IN, ON, UP’: Encouraging women IN to the business; Supporting women to stay ON at SSE; and Helping women progress UP in the organisation. Equal Approach’s analysis shows these actions delivered significant financial value for SSE, but we are committed to going further to create a truly inclusive culture right across the organisation – one that celebrates difference in every sense.

“This means we need to move from focusing on actions linked to specific individual characteristics, like gender, to actually embedding real inclusion throughout the organisation. Our new Inclusion Strategy for 2017-2020 is an important next step for SSE – one that challenges us to focus on fewer, more important factors using an evidence-based approach that drives real change. We believe that this will ensure SSE grows from strength to strength to meet the challenges of the future.”

Dawn Milman-Hurst, CEO of Equal Approach, said:
“SSE now has a significant opportunity to embed the principles of inclusion and diversity throughout its business and create a truly inclusive culture over the next three years. Achievement of this offers substantial commercial benefits for the organisation, and would confirm SSE as an industry leader in this area that others aspire to emulate. I look forward to seeing SSE implement their new Inclusion Strategy and the business benefits gained as a result.”

SSE’s new Inclusion Strategy for 2017-2020 focuses on five key areas, building on the ‘IN, ON, UP’ elements of its strategy to date:

• IN: Candidate attraction and recruitment
• ON: Retention of talent and managing leavers to maintain positive brand exposure
• ON: Embedding inclusive values throughout the organisation
• ON: Mentoring, networks and partnerships and;
• UP: Progression, promotion and creating opportunities.

To make sure the organisation succeeds in the future; SSE is committed to long-term change and will nurture the principles of inclusion at every level of its operation.
View SSE’s ‘Valuing Difference’ report online: http://equalapproach.com/media/271285/sse-valuing-inclusion-...
SSE’s ‘Valuing Difference’ report is available to download https://we.tl/A0toZovUTb along with Equal Approach and SSE logos, and images of Dawn Milman-Hurst and John Stewart.

ENDS

#ValuingDifference
#ReturnOnInclusion
@equalapproach
@SSE

Equal Approach

Equal Approach is a global specialist provider of inclusive talent and is at the forefront of delivering leading edge programs to embed inclusion. Our work primarily focuses on measuring and embedding inclusion within organisations, and the attraction, recruitment, retention, recognition and promotion of diverse talent.
For more information, please visit: www.equalapproach.com
For more information on Equal Approach’s services, please visit: http://equalapproach.com/media/271288/equal-approach-inclusi...
For more information, please contact Ben Runcorn, Marketing Manager at Equal Approach: ben.runcorn@equalapproach.com, 07702 955 512.

Dawn Milman-Hurst, Chief Executive of Equal Approach
Dawn Milman-Hurst is the owner, founder and CEO of Equal Approach. 13 years ago Dawn left a well-respected career within HR, where she worked for a number of international organisations, to pursue her passion for diversity and inclusion, and her drive to create a level playing field for talent with difference. As a result, Dawn established Equal Approach in order to embed inclusion within organisations, remove barriers for diverse talent and specifically championing individuals with difference to maximise their potential.
Over the last two years Dawn has been working across three continents, with a number academics to develop a unique Return on Inclusion tool in order to evidence the financial impact of inclusion of an organisation’s performance by using a series of formulae, algorithms and data analysis. Since its launch in 2017, the Return on Inclusion tool has saved organisations significant amounts of money in identifying arbitrary inclusion programmes which had limited impact on performance and realigning their strategies ensuring they are getting maximum return on every £ invested.
To arrange comment or interview with Dawn, please contact Ben Runcorn, Marketing Manager at Equal Approach: ben.runcorn@equalapproach.com, 07702 955 512.

About SSE

SSE plc is one of the UK’s leading energy companies, involved in the generation, distribution and supply of electricity and in the extraction, storage, distribution and supply of gas. Its core purpose is to provide the energy people need in a reliable and sustainable way. It supplies energy to around 7.77 million energy customers throughout Great Britain and Ireland, is frequently ranked number one for customer service and is the UK’s leading generator of electricity from renewable sources. It became a Living Wage employer in September 2013 and was accredited with the Fair Tax Mark in October 2014.