SSE Airtricity is a UK-listed energy company, recognised as a leading generator of renewable electricity and one of the largest electricity network companies in the UK.
The company develops, builds, operates, and invests in low-carbon electricity infrastructure to support the transition to net zero.
SSE Airtricity employs approximately 1,000 people on the island of Ireland. It is also a certified Living Wage employer, with around 450 employees in Northern Ireland, including over 200 in its Belfast contact centre. SSE Airtricity holds accreditations from the UK’s Living Wage Foundation and the Fair Tax Mark, underscoring its commitment to fair labour practices and ethical business operations.
What SSE Airtricity did
SSE has taken proactive steps to become an employer of choice by fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. This effort is rooted in strong leadership and a strategic approach that prioritises employee engagement and development.
SSE’s Board sets the company’s purpose, vision, and strategy, guided by core values encapsulated in the SSESET framework: Safety, Service, Efficiency, Sustainability, Excellence and Teamwork. Employees undergo an SSESET assessment as part of their annual review, reinforcing these values. Lady Elish Angiolini KC, SSE’s dedicated non-executive director for Employee Engagement, ensures that employee voices are heard and acted upon by regularly meeting with staff across the business.
The SSE Leadership Blueprint promotes upskilling for all employees under five key behaviours: Doing the Right Thing, Building a Proud and Inclusive Team, Reading the Global and Local Energy Context, Delivering Future Value, and Getting it Done Brilliantly. Senior leaders host and attend internal events and workshops, ensuring direct engagement with employees.
SSE’s strategy considers employees at all career stages, with specific principles and priorities to enhance employee satisfaction and support. The company’s 2030 Business Goal, ‘Champion a Fair and Just Energy Transition,’ aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8 – decent work and economic growth. This goal emphasises social sustainability alongside environmental objectives.
SSE’s commitment to diversity is reflected in its Inclusion and Diversity targets, which include achieving 50% female representation, 15% ethnic minority representation, 8% LGBTQIA+ representation, and 8% disabled representation by FY24. SSE was the first company to publish a Just Transition Strategy, ensuring fair work for all and fostering early-career talent through apprenticeships and graduate programs.
In January 2024, SSE launched Spotlight, a digital recognition platform where colleagues can nominate others for awards based on core values. The company promotes flexible working arrangements and has enhanced family leave policies, including increased Partner’s Leave, Pregnancy Loss Leave, and a Gradual Return from Maternity or Adoption Leave Policy.
SSE offers extensive learning resources through the ‘My Learning Hub’ platform, with content on personal resilience, mental health, and leadership development.
Partnerships with external bodies like Leadership Live and Ashridge support employee career progression. SSE has also refined its recruitment processes to ensure inclusivity, using inclusive language and minimising essential skill requirements in job adverts.
Employee-led ‘Belonging in SSE’ communities cover various topics and are sponsored by Managing Directors, with regular meetings to discuss progress and action plans. SSE also conducts an annual Great Place to Work Survey, using the results to create action plans for continuous improvement.
Key Impacts and Outcomes
- Achieved 87% employee pride, 88% recommendation rate, and 78% belief in senior leaders’ genuine interest in well-being in the 2023 GPTW Survey
- Increased the proportion of employees who can work flexibly from 36% in 2017 to 83% in 2023
- Introduced the Spotlight recognition platform, with 432 peer-to-peer ecards and 36 award nominations in SSE Airtricity
- Improved recruitment practices led to 39% female representation in the graduate programme and increased diversity candidates. Membership in the Ethnicity and Culture community rose by 121%
- Enhanced family leave policies and achieved an 89.6% return rate from maternity leave
- Provided more than £2m to Bryson for emergency relief and long-term poverty interventions along with energy efficiency upgrades for households
- Promoted continuous learning through ‘My Learning Hub’ and partnerships with external bodies, focusing on communication and people management skills
What the Judges said
“The judging panel commented on the enthusiasm, passion and authenticity of the representatives from this company, bringing to life their experiences of the organisation they work for, clearly demonstrating an overall positive culture.
They truly demonstrated that this organisation is an employer of choice, with a clear strategy for empowering its employees. There is a culture of vibrancy in how the company is inspiring talent.
In a challenging recruitment market, SSE has clear strategies to attract and retain employees who clearly feel valued and enjoy all aspects of what this organisation offers them. There is dynamic evidence of nurturing people and creating psychological safety by supporting individual needs with creative and innovative ways of working to balance and blend their professional and work life.”