Our networks
Why we invest in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion networks
People are right at the heart of our business and, to succeed in providing life’s essential service, we need skills, backgrounds and capabilities that represent the communities we serve.
We want Team Thames to be a cultural mix of people who can offer different but complementary attitudes, values, talents and knowledge and our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (E,D&I) networks are crucial to making this happen. They play a vital role in our aim to be a great place to work that’s diverse and inclusive.
Our networks
Racial Equality and Cultural Harmony (REACH) network
Our Racial Equality and Cultural Harmony (REACH) Network offers support and practical recommendations to ensure there’s no under-representation of talent, and people from different backgrounds and ethnicities feel able to join and flourish together.
DisAbility, Allies, Wellness & Neurodiversity (DAWN) network
Our DisAbility, Allies, Wellness & Neurodiversity (DAWN) Network supports our colleagues with impairments (disabled, neurodiverse or with a health condition) to be fully able to participate and bring their whole selves to work.
Pride network
Our Pride network is inclusive of all gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations and has representatives from key partners including our Unions, outsourced resourcing and facilities management companies.
Women’s network
Our Women’s network creates a business where our brilliant women can reach their full potential, top female talent is attracted to our business, and diversity of thought delivers innovative and effective outcomes.
Multi-faith networks
Our Multi-faith network incorporates the six major faiths, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism who come together to celebrate our diversity and create an environment where people of faith flourish.
Men’s Allies network
Our Men’s Allies network creates a safe, supportive space for men and their allies to come together - empowering them to use their voice for open and honest discussion about the topics that mean the most to them. It’s time to start talking!
Parents and Carers network
Our Parents and Carers network makes sure the demands on our parents and carers are understood and respected and helps employees through their parenting or caring journey. We especially aim to make flexibility work for the benefit of our employees and our business.
How we create an inclusive workplace
Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a really great, diverse and inclusive place to work.
We promote a supportive, family-friendly, flexible working environment. We want to attract and progress diverse talent and remove any real or perceived barriers to success. And we want to widen opportunities for people from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
We’ve set clear goals to increase diversity across our business for ethnicity and gender representation and we’re already starting to see some great results, including more female representation in STEM roles and at senior leader level.
Getting involved in our employee networks
Our networks are a crucial part of building an inclusive and diverse culture, so every network is open to every employee. It doesn’t matter if you identify as a member of a particular community – what’s important is the opportunity to share experiences, learn from and support each other and become an ally.
Each network is led entirely by employees, with its own priorities when it comes to supporting colleagues across Thames Water, but there are numerous personal benefits to joining any of the employee networks:
- A sense of belonging and community, making new connections with like-minded people
- Getting and giving support and advice, and ensuring that everyone feels supported, valued, listened to and heard
- Learning from others, all with unique experiences and perspectives, which drives innovative thinking and diversity of thought
- The opportunity to interact with colleagues from other teams and different functions that you might not normally
- The chance to put something back into the business by helping and supporting others
- Last but not least, the opportunity to recognise, value and celebrate differences – and to be part of the change that you want to see.
We’re very proud of our employee-led networks and encourage every new member of Team Thames to get involved – everybody benefits.
