What would the energy transition look like if women were equally represented at the top?
It’s a question that matters, not just for fairness, but for better decision-making and stronger outcomes. In partnership with POWERful Women, Acre begins a new blog series uncovering the stories, barriers, and breakthroughs shaping female leadership across the energy sector. To start, we spoke with Monica Collings OBE, Chair of POWERFul Women, about what real progress looks like.
Monica is the chair of POWERful Women, a professional initiative that seeks to address the continued underrepresentation of women at the top of the UK energy industry and in the leadership pipeline. Throughout her career, Monica has held a range of senior leadership positions within the energy sector, including serving as Chief Executive of challenger businesses So Energy, ESB Energy, and Vattenfall Group’s UK retail supply business, iSupply Energy. She currently holds a portfolio of Chair, Non-Executive Director, and Committee Member roles across multiple organisations, including Adler & Allan, Dalcour Maclaren, and Northern Powergrid.
What does female representation in a leadership room mean to you?
“In the energy sector, 73% of executive teams have no female representation and no women in executive leadership roles. Only nine of those companies have female chief executives. Why is that a problem? Because if your decision makers don’t reflect the customers and communities you serve, your choices can never truly represent or account for everyone affected by them. On the flipside, organisations that are more diverse tend to be more profitable, more sustainable, and deliver better outcomes, both for customers and across key performance metrics.”
What biases still exist, and how can we overcome them?
“A more gender balanced workforce considers how to support men in playing a greater role in childcare, for example. We can all benefit from thinking differently. It would be short-sighted not to broaden our talent pool and make it more inclusive, especially when other sectors, like retail, are already doing this successfully and reaping the rewards. There, women are well represented — the complete opposite of what we see in energy, and innovation is progressive and pacy.
Why is that? Because those sectors actively enable women to play a visible and meaningful role in the workforce. The energy sector, on the other hand, is still shedding outdated systems and structures built decades ago that simply weren’t designed with women in mind. Even small details highlight this — such as workplaces that still lack basic facilities like sanitary bins in women’s toilets, which is astonishing in this day and age.
It takes a certain level of grit and resilience not to let biases affect you, but it does drive you to want to change things for the better so that the next generation doesn't have to accept it.”
What needs to happen for the industry to become more inclusive for future generations?
“Women have got to be stronger in asking for what they need – in using their voices – because often, we are accepting the status quo without challenging it. Some of the best examples come from organisations where women have spoken up about what they need and what would make a difference to how effectively they can perform their roles. That kind of input helps shape progress and bolsters participation. We need stronger flexible working policies, and practical changes too - such as suitable facilities for mothers returning from maternity leave who are expressing milk, providing them with a comfortable and supportive environment. It must start with leadership, and there must be a strong commitment from leaders to drive change. People will get behind it when we can clearly show that supporting women in the workforce and achieving greater gender balance leads to stronger financial results and better, more inclusive outcomes for everyone.
The final point I’d make on leadership is this: if you can’t see it, you can’t be it. Visible role models and clear, achievable career paths show what’s possible and inspire confidence. That’s how we’ll encourage and inspire the next generation to step forward, excited about the opportunities ahead."
What advice would you give to a woman starting in the industry?
“Sometimes we get so caught up in the next promotion opportunity or progressing to the next level when sectors like this that are full of change, buoyant and exciting, you can often find opportunities that are lateral or that take you in a squiggly direction that are just as fruit-bearing.
Organisations need to be intentional about how they attract the right talent – the talent of the future, and just as importantly, how they create the right conditions that encourage people to stay.
If you’re offered the chance to develop skills in an area that feels unfamiliar, but you believe it will advance your career, it’s important to lean into that discomfort rather than shy away from it.
Finally, you can't ever start the journey of mentoring, sponsorship, and coaching too early. If you have the opportunity to connect with a brilliant mentor – either internally or independently within your organisation – or to find yourself a sponsor that can put your name in the frame when great projects come up or champion you, the impact for career growth and development can be significant. So, I would certainly encourage people to be seeking out those key figures and start as early as you can.”
What are your thoughts on the role of women in the energy transition?
“The role that women can play in delivering Net Zero is ensuring that there is a fair and just energy transition that leaves no one behind. Making sure that the benefit of the energy transition is felt equitably across all communities is important. Right now, those who are benefiting most from the energy transition are the ones who can afford to pay their energy bills, not the ones who can't.
A second thing is that when we genuinely understand customer needs, whether that's consumers in their homes or business clients, we develop propositions that brilliantly meet those needs and are sustainably fit for purpose. We would be doing that by ensuring that women are part of those discussions and have a seat at the table.
You can mitigate risks by fostering diverse thinking and representation, which enables organisations to make the best possible decisions. Too often, companies default to saying they simply want ‘the best person for the job’, but that approach can be narrow. It overlooks effective succession planning. how team composition, diversity, and collaboration contribute to creating truly high-performing teams.
And it comes back to where we started. The conversation with leadership and setting up women for success.
At POWERful Women, we are committed to helping companies achieve 40% female representation in the energy sector by 2030 - a milestone we see as a key step towards true gender balance. But if we don’t accelerate change, with everyone taking action in new and deliberate ways, this target won’t be met. My call to action is clear: organisations must consciously consider the risks they face and recognise how a more inclusive, diverse workforce can drive business success while advancing the broader ambition of empowering women in the sector."
Acre is committed to driving meaningful change within the energy sector, focusing on appointing impact-driven leaders that can create a more inclusive and sustainable industry. Our interest in this topic stems from a belief that diversity in leadership is essential for better decision-making, stronger business outcomes, and achieving a fairer energy transition. Through this blog series, in partnership with POWERFul Women, we will continue to explore the challenges, successes, and strategies around female representation in energy leadership. Each interview and insight will shed light on what’s working, what needs to change, and how the sector can accelerate progress for the next generation of leaders. Please reach out if you are interested in learning more.
