With an increasing number of women powering up the renewables sector, experts such as ERG’s Catherine Wicks are taking advantage of the opportunities now available in Scotland as the country becomes a prime location for European energy firms. By Andrew Collier

AS a child in her native Minnesota, Catherine Wicks loved getting dirty. Having muddy feet while playing outside, she decided early in life, was fun. What she wouldn’t realise at that age, however, is that her passion for the messy outdoors would eventually lead her to a satisfying and worthwhile career.

Some three decades on, Catherine is in Scotland, helping the country take its place at the forefront of the global renewable energy sector. The rough-and-tumble end of this industry – the hard graft on green field sites, the overalls and steel capped boots – is usually perceived as the preserve of burly men.

Not any more, though. Women such as Catherine are now making a real mark in renewables, becoming more involved not just in the building work, but in the administration and development of the sector too.  

For the last two years, Catherine has worked in UK business development and mergers and acquisitions for the European green energy business ERG. It’s a role that allows her to engage fully with her love for the environment and the country she now calls home.

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Catherine Wicks, who works in business development, mergers and acquisitions for ERG

Like her, ERG is committed to Scotland and has several projects here, including wind farms at Creag Riabhach in Sutherland and Sandy Knowe in Dumfries and Galloway. Both of these are under construction.

Catherine sees the job as a natural extension of her scientific curiosity –  she has always been interested in how things work. “That drove me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Minnesota”, she recalls. “I also took another course so I could become familiar with business practices. After graduation, I thought about what I really wanted to with my life. I’d really enjoyed a part of my course dealing with renewable energy – I like being outside and I’m passionate about the environment. I was lucky enough to be accepted into a sustainable energy systems master’s programme at Edinburgh University. That really launched my career in the direction I wanted it to take.”

Following study, she took a job in 2013 in onshore wind farm development in Scotland before moving to ERG two years ago. “I wanted to work with a company that had big goals for the UK when it came to onshore wind. ERG has that – it has an impressive portfolio of projects under construction and is acquiring new ones as they come along. It has mapped out my future and allows me space to grow.”

Her current role, she says, is broad and fascinating. “I look at projects we’re considering taking on board, ranging from green field developments through to turnkey ones. 

“I also act as primary project manager for those developments in the UK that are currently in planning. In addition, I engage with industry bodies, and have built a specialisation in electricity grids – that fits with my affinity towards science, mathematics and technology.”

The job also involves the challenging technical task of scrutinising data and helping decide on the best design optimisation for projects. 

“It also requires me to respond to important industry consultations that will help develop the future market for renewable energies in areas such as grid charging reforms or planning processes.

“I look at anything that could impact on our site development. I’ve got ample experience of this and I ensure that we are making the best decisions possible. You have to have the whole picture – it’s about trying to set the course for the future.

“I think that anyone working in business and management these days needs to have a wide ranging skill set so they can provide the most informed opinions. These skills take time to build.”

Finding women at this high level in the renewable energy industry is becoming more and more common, Catherine says. “One thing about ERG is that it has a truly great diversity and inclusion policy – I’m seeing a lot more women in the company now.

“Women are encouraged to step into traditionally male-dominated roles one step at a time – every person that starts a new job has a learning curve. Whether male or female, new hires are all starting from the same point. The key is learning from more experienced colleagues. The roles that I have are backed by the wider company and by colleagues – I have constant support.”

Internal communication, she adds, is also critical. “Working from home has been facilitated by the digital platforms that have emerged over the last year. I’d actually say that I’m more in touch with colleagues now than I was before the pandemic.”

What particularly appeals to her about ERG? “I love the fact that it has a European dimension. That means it has different experiences from different countries and that brings a lot of competence in. It’s a very professional company – large but well managed –- and there’s a lot of training to ensure that employees have the right guidance. I see that I have a very good future with them, though I’ll probably stay focused on the UK, as I live in Scotland and it’s very close to my heart.”

Catherine says she is particularly energised by the “amazing” renewables resource available north of the border. “That makes it an exciting place to be and it was one of the first countries to declare a climate emergency. 

“The national planning framework is being revised in line with net zero targets, and that will prioritise important policy for combating climate change. It will bring renewable energy to the forefront. It’s all very exciting.”
She continues to enjoy the great outdoors – even when, as is so often the case in Scotland, it’s windy and wet. 

“Yes, it can be rainy here. But even now, I love getting out there and getting dirty.”

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ERG energised by a diverse workforce 

ERG’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is based on its Code of Ethics, its Sustainability Policy and its Human Rights Policy. 

Inclusion is also expressly referred to in the company’s Leadership Model as one of key requirements in successfully implementing the company’s strategic plan for the future. 

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Marzia Bonifacio, ERG’s Head of Talent Management and Compensation wants employees to ’truly express themselves’

A multitude of voices and viewpoints are now helping ERG achieve its goals, with the firm’s ongoing journey being developed along five areas of focus: gender, generations, disability, culture and sexual orientation. 

In 2019, ERG embarked on a mission aimed not merely at integrating ’diversity’ but also to overcome cultural stereotypes and resolve factors that prevent people from freely expressing themselves and achieving professional inclusion. 

In 2020, the company adopted a Gender Equality Assessment to promote diversity and create new inclusion targets to be set in the firm’s next industrial plan. The monitoring of the programmes and indicators has been placed on the Human Resources, Sustainability and Appointments and Remuneration Committees’ agenda.

ERG is also a supporting member of Valore D, the first Italian association founded in 2009 to promote diversity, talent and female leadership that concentrates on cross-culturalism, integration and disability issues. 

In 2020, ERG mainly focused on recruiting people who contribute to diversity. In 2020, 40 percent of the company’s new hires were women, and the staff turnover was fully balanced.

ERG also concentrated its capacity to develop and grow female talent, by involving people managers in Inclusive Language and Leadership and Unconscious Bias training. 

Female junior and middle managers also participated in inter-company training, development and mentorship courses to foster leadership and networking.
ERG views D&I as a resource for tackling global challenges as well as specific business challenges. 

Marzia Bonifacio, Head of Talent Management and Compensation said: “To tackle these issues, we recently launched The Power of Diversity, a project to create a genuinely inclusive environment where every person has the chance to truly express themselves, knowing that there will be no discriminatory consequence and that they will be heard.”

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Focus moves towards new sustainability plan

ENVIRONMENTAL, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) factors are now a central part of ERG’s business strategy. 

“This is in keeping with the 17 sustainable development goals recently set out by the UN –  to which ERG’s current Sustainability Plan has been aligned,” says Emanuela Delucchi, Head of Investor Relations and CSR.

Starting this year, ERG has published an ’Executive Summary of the Non-Financial Statement’ to anticipate the firm’s sustainable strategy and practices it has adopted. 

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Emanuela Delucchi, ERG’s Head of Investor Relations and CSR

The ERG Group is committed to four ’macro-sectors’ which represent pillars of the new ESG Plan, which the company shall be approving together with its next business plan. They are:

  • PLANET: commitment to the fight against climate change via decarbonisation of the firm’s electricity production portfolio.  
  • ENGAGEMENT: promoting a proactive dialogue with stakeholders in order to understand their needs and integrate them into ERG’s way of doing business. 
  • PEOPLE: attention to the wellbeing, growth andwelfare  of employees, as well as their health and safety.
  • GOVERNANCE: sustainable development commences with the construction infrastructure that ensures not only compliance but the application of best operational practices. 

 
The fight against climate change represents a fundamental element of ERG’s sustainability: since entering the renewables sector, the firm has reduced its Carbon Index by 90 percent.  

And thanks to the creation of energy using renewable sources, ERG has reduced emissions by more than nine million tonnes since 2018 –  keeping in line with the objectives established at the time of the Sustainability Plan’s creation. 

The policy to minimise environmental impact continues –  by the end of 2020, 90 percent of ERG’s indirect energy consumption was covered by acquisitions of green electricity.