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News Feb 11, 2020

Promoting Diverse Teams in Nuclear with WiN UK

Jacobs’ Dave Ellis awarded WiN U.K.’s President's Award, as Jacobs helps progress gender balance in the U.K. nuclear industry.

Dave Ellis with award

As part of our continued commitment to inclusion, diversity and gender equality, over the past year we’ve worked in the first industry partnership with Women in Nuclear (WiN) U.K. to strengthen efforts together to progress gender balance in the U.K. nuclear industry. Currently just 22% of the U.K.’s nuclear industry is female, and this number declines significantly at senior levels, statistics that Jacobs, WiN U.K. and the industry are working to change.

Working to encourage women of all ages into, or back into, the nuclear sector, WiN U.K. is focused on addressing the industry’s gender balance, improving the representation of women in leadership and engaging more broadly with the public on the nuclear industry.

Jacobs has supported WiN U.K. since its inception in 2014, and the past year’s Industry Partner program has enabled the two organizations to strengthen the focus through a variety of initiatives and networking opportunities to help progress inclusivity. Jacobs sponsored joint events such as workshops on changing behaviors from ‘unconscious exclusion to unconscious inclusion’ and hosting WiN U.K.’s 5th Anniversary networking event at our new London Cottons Center office. Many of our employees are actively involved with or lead WiN regional branches across the U.K. and, over the year, we’ve helped develop new information and collaterals to support WiN’s outreach program.

Having proposed the concept of an Industry Partner for WiN U.K. and keen to support in shaping WiN’s goals for the future, Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions International Vice President Dave Ellis became a non-executive member of WiN’s Executive Committee at the start of the Partner program in 2019.

Dave was recently presented the inaugural WiN U.K.’ President's Award at their 2020 annual conference, recognizing the work he does to drive inclusion across the sector, and the support he has given to WiN since its inception.

“Receiving the award was very humbling but a terrific surprise,” said Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions International Vice President Dave Ellis. “Over the last 6 years, I have been fortunate to be at the apex of the Jacobs and WiN U.K. relationship that has done so much to advance gender equality across our industry.”

“I passionately believe that advancing the debate into action to achieve a fully inclusive environment is a fundamental attribute for leadership. An inclusive environment underpinned with authentic behaviors is a threshold issue for business and our industry, and I’m committed to making them a reality,” he continued.

A chartered Civil Engineer with over 25 years’ experience, Dave is a dedicated advocate for inclusion, helping to advance Jacobs’ approach to inclusion and diversity, both at a European and a global level. Dave is an active sponsor and ally for two Jacobs employee networks in the region and is also a mentor to several employees. Trained as a Positive Mental Health Champion, Dave is also executive sponsor for Jacobs’ commitment to Women in Defence.