The energy industry is being urged to take part in this year’s health index – an initiative run by TIDE (Tackling Inclusion and Diversity in Energy) – to help companies improve their equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) practices. The Index not only provides businesses with a clear picture of their EDI maturity but also helps TIDE identify areas where further support might be needed and track sector progress over time.
Launched last year, in partnership with Cognician, the Health Index delivered valuable insights on EDI performance from 37 organisations, focusing on four key themes: Strategy, People, Internal and External.
The Index is simple to use and based on proven good practice. As a self-assessment tool, it asks questions and doesn’t require data input. All responses are anonymous ensuring companies can assess their standing with confidence.
Last year’s results highlighted positive steps in the sector, including strong employee engagement in EDI, flexible approaches to embracing opportunities, and the presence of dedicated EDI strategies and leadership. However, challenges remain as one in three respondents reported a reactive approach to training hiring teams in inclusive recruitment practices, and more work is needed to engage the supply chain effectively.
The benefits of the tool are two-fold; companies will be able to anonymously benchmark themselves against others in the sector and identify where to focus their own efforts and learning, and TIDE will use the consolidated data to help the sector build on last year’s results to strengthen the baseline data on EDI activity that can be measured year on year. It will also use the responses to collate good practice that other organisations can learn from, as well as identifying focus areas for TIDE to provide guidance on.
The Health Index opens on 1 April 2025 and will be live for roughly three weeks until 20 April. To take part, companies must have registered online by 17 March. Companies can register on the EDI Hub; only one registration is needed per company.
A webinar with more information will be held online on 03 March 2025 at 12:00 GMT, where attendees will be able to hear last year’s results and understand what is needed to take part.
Sandisiwe Dhlamini, TIDE Co-Chair, said:
“Accurate and insightful data is key to driving real progress. By participating in the Health Index, companies can gain a clearer understanding of their EDI efforts, pinpoint areas for growth, and help build a more inclusive and equitable energy sector. The more data we have, the more accurate the results will be so we encourage all companies to take part, regardless of where they are on their EDI journey.”
The Index has been created with kind support from Cognician, which has worked with TIDE and others to develop the tool since June 2023.
Colin Sloman, Chief Strategy Officer at Cognician said:
“Cognician is delighted to continue the partnership with TIDE to provide the Health Index measurement platform in our mission to support employee activation initiatives for our clients.”
TIDE is a cross-sector initiative, driven by Energy UK, Energy Networks Association, Energy Institute and Ofgem. One of its key priorities is to improve EDI data, visibility and measurement across the energy sector. Along with the Health Index, TIDE supports Energy and Utility Skills’ Inclusion Measurement Framework, which measures the diversity of the workforce across energy and utilities. The Inclusion Measurement Framework is a well-established tool, run in partnership with the Equal Group, and the latest results will be published on Wednesday 5th February 2025, again supported by an online webinar.
Notes to editors
- TIDE (Tackling Inclusion and Diversity in Energy) was launched in 2022 as a group of volunteers working across industry to provide tools and resources to improve Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in energy. It is supported by Energy UK, Energy Networks Association, the Energy Institute and Ofgem. Its aim is to combine cross-sector EDI insights and evidence, building on experience and expertise to share good practice and support industry-wide changes. Find out more: www.energyedihub.uk.
- For more information, visit the EDI in Energy Hub, or follow TIDE on LinkedIn.