“We’ve been on a real journey over the past few years as a large and complex organisation and it’s really good that this has been recognised.”
Sellafield Ltd, the nuclear site in West Cumbria, won the Excellence in ED&I Award at the 13th annual Engineering Construction Industry (ECI) Training and Development Awards at Glaziers Hall in London.
The event, organised by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and hosted by Dr Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, brought together industry leaders, as well as the rising stars of tomorrow, for a celebration of excellence in training and development in the ECI.
Sellafield Ltd scooped the award in recognition of the impact its programmes have made to promote a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) through education, training and mentoring.
The judges recognised the company’s commitment to developing an inclusive, safe and diverse culture to empower its people, enhance their contribution and build a culture where everyone thrives in an “inclusive, psychologically safe environment where wellbeing is key”.
Sellafield was presented with the trophy by award category sponsor, Sizewell C.
Since launching its seven-year D&I Strategy in 2020, initiatives at Sellafield have included:
- The development of 17 employee support networks;
- A reverse mentoring programme for executive and senior leaders;
- Mandatory e-learning completed by over 13,000 colleagues;
- The introduction of reasonable adjustment passports and assistive technology to enable hundreds of colleagues to perform better at work;
- Dyslexia diagnostics and ADHD screening;
- Changes in recruitment processes to deliver more diverse cohorts;
- Targeted support around mental health, especially for graduates and apprentices.
“It’s fantastic to win. Sellafield has such an important part to play in the future of nuclear, so it’s great that we can be seen as an employer of choice and a truly inclusive workplace.
“More than 10% of our workforce are in the early careers bracket, so by being recognised as an inclusive workplace, hopefully we’ll attract, recruit and retain the skills that we need.
“Park of our work has included cohorts of reverse mentoring, where executives and senior leaders are matched with early careers individuals and mentored by graduates and apprentices.
“It’s about exposing our senior team to different voices and experiences, meeting individuals who have different views, backgrounds and ideas who they wouldn’t normally encounter. That’s worked really well.”
Alan Rankin
Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Sellafield
A judging panel of industry representatives – made up of Tracey Shelley (BCECA), John Simpson (ECIA), Mark Riley (Phillips 66 Limited), Steve Hunt (Altrad) and Helen Woodward Davies (EDF Energy) – picked the overall winners across nine categories based on the significant contributions they have made both to the ECI and their own organisations.
Find out more about all the winners from the ECI Training & Development Awards 2025
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