Two UK water firms among list of gender equality top performers

Two UK water companies are on the 2021 edition of an internationally respected listing of businesses based on commitment to gender equality in the workplace.

South West Water owner, Pennon Group, and United Utilities are among 380 firms from 44 countries to appear on Bloomberg’s 2021 Gender-Equality Index (GEI). More than 11,700 firms were eligible to appear on the list.

The GEI includes companies with high, overall performance and disclosure in five areas: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and pro-women brand.

Pennon made its second consecutive appearance on the GEI upping its score to 60% from 51% in 2020. The GEI report showed Pennon Group scored 87% on gender pay and 89% on disclosure.

United Utilities reported recently that 93% of its female employees would recommend it as a place to work and women made up half of the intake on the firm’s sought-after aspiring managers programme last year.