In conversation with... Kat Parsons

We sat down with Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Kat Parsons, to discuss Centrica’s DE&I agenda, the importance of diversity and inclusion in the wider landscape and company goals for the future.

Welcome to ‘In Conversation with…’ Kat. Please start by telling us a bit about yourself.

I am the group head of diversity, equity and inclusion here at Centrica. My background is in engineering, and I was an environmental engineer for 16 years working on oil and gas sector sites. I then moved into a health and safety role, where as head of HSEQ for a large facilities management organisation, I found my passion for diversity and inclusion.

My focus was very much on health and safety and how it linked in perfectly with well-being and mental health – it is so critical to keeping our workforce safe as a duty of care. And so I did a big project around the menopause that was really the gateway into being asked to take on the head of diversity and inclusion role for that organisation, and that's where I've been enjoying my workspace since!

What are your main responsibilities within your role?

My main responsibilities as head of diversity, equity and inclusion are vast. There isn’t an area of the organisation that my role doesn't influence – I cover everything from health and safety, talent, recruitment, learning and development, along with moments that matter in an employee life cycle such as career progression. It's how we make sure that every colleague can thrive and reach their full potential within the organisation.

With that in mind, I am pulled in a lot of different directions to get involved in policy or process changes and new initiatives, looking at how to really change the conversation so that we are creating a diverse workforce for the future that's sustainable and helps deliver our purpose of a greener, fairer future.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

A fun fact about myself is that I'm about to knock my house down to do a full renovation, but we're going to be using an all-female design and build team!

As myself and my wife come from construction backgrounds, we’d like to use the project to showcase the challenges that women face in the building industry, with only 1% being ‘on tools’ and around 15% in the industry mostly in admin and office roles currently.

We are due to break ground this January and it’s been an exciting ride, so far working with an all-female team of 35 women at the design stage. From geotechnical architects to quantity and building surveyors, I hope the project highlights the importance of supporting women in this field.

In three words, describe your experience at Centrica so far.

I would say the three words to describe my experience so far would be energetic, positive and passionate!

How would you define DE&I within Centrica?

Diversity, equity and inclusion in Centrica is strong.

I think there's a lot of great work happening and my job is to very much find those hot spots and really dial that up to make sure that we're then using that as best practise across the rest of the organisation to really improve our objectives in the DE&I space.

We currently have 10 employee networks that do some fantastic work and hold events across the organisation.

The Shadow Board are also a brilliant group of individuals that have been in place for 12 months now, really making sure that they are integrated into the organisation and holding our leadership teams to account - They're being used as a sounding board on a on a regular basis for changes in process and procedure and our trajectory moving forward.

Finally, our female and field events run by a British Gas services and solutions, and supported by the networks have really helped in making sure that the messages of diversity and inclusion reach our frontline staff. Coupled with the partnership of our trade union DNI reps, this has really enabled colleagues such as engineers, who can often feel quite disconnected from the business, be able to get those positive messages of the change that we're trying to create that culture. Belonging and inclusion is critical.

How do you feel your role enables you to make a wider difference to the DE&I landscape?

Diversity, equity and inclusion as a topic is one of the most collaborative environments I've ever worked in. I regularly attend external events, speak to heads of DE&I and leaders in other organisations and share best practise for what is working well with Centrica and my experience of previous roles. This is so important to test, challenge and recognise where to ask for support in areas that we may be struggling in.

It’s also a very vast role. There's a lot of people working in this space now, which is brilliant and there's no ‘one size fits all’ – communication needs to be tailored for different audiences so it can resonate with individuals.

Why is it important that companies ensure that they have a strong DE&I agenda in place?

It's critical that companies have a strong DE&I agenda to be able to create a sustainable workforce. If you want a company that is going to grow and thrive, fundamentally having a DE&I agenda and a culture of human centred leadership is critical because that's the bit that's going to keep your workforce around.

It's a balance of putting that effort in to make sure that you are externally showcasing the values of your organisation and what you stand for, but equally making sure that it's not just talking the talk, it's walking the walk as well.

 I always make sure that any organisation I work in, I'm positioned in the right place so that a DE&I agenda never feels bolted on - It's making sure that it is woven into every process, every policy, every decision to make sure that those critical moments matter in an employer life cycle. DE&I needs to be fair and equitable for anyone joining an organisation, no matter which dimension of diversity that they align to.

What unique factors do you think make Centrica an Inclusive workplace where colleagues can be themselves?

I'd say that Centrica has made some brilliant strides in becoming an inclusive workplace.

Pathway to parenthood is something that was developed in partnership with the networks, really taking note of the strains and challenges that that come with starting a family or wanting to become a parent.  The initiative acknowledges the struggles that can be associated with this and provides up to £15,000 for fertility treatment - a huge commitment by the organisation to make sure that our colleagues can live their dreams of starting a family without being financially penalised for not being able to afford expensive fertility treatment.

The support doesn’t then end at conception – it is designed to work alongside outlets such as our Working Parents network or the Fertility Sanctuary, where you can go to discuss, be open and share your experiences or struggles whilst finding that support and inclusion from a group that completely understand what you're going through.

Another example is our carers policy, offering 20 days of leave for carers. This is critical, as being a carer is a tough and challenging situation to be in, especially when it is someone you love. You shouldn't be made to use your annual leave allocation for supporting someone who is seriously ill. Providing additional leave days was designed to help take some of the burden off of the situation for our colleagues.

There’s also a big focus for Centrica around neurodiversity. A significant portion of the population now will identify with some form of neurodiversity, whether that be ADHD, Autism, Asperger's etc and we all need very different things from our workspaces.  We are being very proactive in terms of what our workspaces look like physically, down to lighting, colour schemes and having those quiet zones where people can really focus and achieve what they need to in order to reach their full potential.

As we look to the future, what is our top priority for improving DE&I at Centrica?

I would say our top priority for improving DE&I at Centrica would be ownership.

We do a lot of amazing work across our organisation, with pockets of absolute brilliance such as our female and field events. I think that this can be replicated across the organisation, enabling consistency that is needed to ensure DE&I is baked into everything we do, so one of my top priorities is to make sure that we have that consistency, from the leadership filtering downwards.  Our priority is making sure that the messages that we are sending through our organisation are fit for purpose and they land with every individual.

I think the other top priority for Centrica in 2025 is really focusing on inclusion. DE&I is often a tricky topic, due to how the media portrays it and I think it's because people are slightly scared of what diversity, equity and inclusion really means fundamentally. For Centrica, it simply means that every college counts… Every colleague who works in our company brings different skills and styles that will allow us as an organisation to grow and to thrive. It's not about box ticking, it's not about hitting certain targets, it's about making sure that every individual that works for us is supported, and that they know they count.

Thanks for speaking with us Kat.