Packed WiFCERM workshop at Flood & Coast 2024


Why supporting women in FCERM benefits the sector as a whole

Women in FCERM (WiFCERM), a networking group of professionals set up to support and connect women working across the flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) sector, began life at CIWEM’s Flood & Coast Conference 2017. Antonia MacDonald, Hydrology Officer at the Environment Agency and Communications and Engagement Co-Lead for Women in FCERM, explains how enabling better gender balance in the sector will encourage better leadership and governance and contribute to better all-round performance.

WiFCERM all started with an open, honest and inspiring conversation which continues to this day. The founders reflected that FCERM is a male dominated sector, particularly at the leadership level. WISE Workforce statistics published that women represent 43.7% of the total workforce of Science Professionals, yet only 25.2% of Core Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics employees, and then only 18.1% of Science, Engineering and Technology managers. This highlighted the need for connection between women – and those who support them – across the sector and also highlighted the commonality of the challenges we face.

By working to improve gender equality, providing mentoring and networking opportunities, the network supports women to become future leaders. We engage with our members to understand what achieving gender equality in FCERM means to them:

Career and leadership development

  • Visible and clear career paths and role models
  • Specific programmes, i.e. women’s leadership cohorts

Work/Life balance

  • Better working arrangements, including those for parents of all genders.

Inclusion and Diversity

  • Honesty about the challenges faced by both men and women in achieving gender equality
  • Participation from men gender equality discussions; acknowledging the challenges in flexible working and career breaks.

Organisational culture

  • To see strong leadership that promotes a positive culture.

Awareness and education

  • Highlighting and celebrating successful examples of gender equality initiatives to inspire and guide others
  • Promoting visible role models who share their career journeys and experiences to motivate and educate others is seen as beneficial.

Support networks and communities

  • Highlighting and celebrating successful examples of gender equality initiatives to inspire and guide others
  • Promoting visible role models who share their career journeys and experiences to motivate and educate others is seen as beneficial

Inclusive and supportive work environment

  • More safe spaces
  • Sharing experiences, between individuals, networks, and organisations.

Compensation and benefits

  • Gender representation in leadership
  • Competitive salaries and transparency in pay
  • Investing in employees

We are focused on women and those who line manage them, but this is within a broader context of striving for gender equality for everyone, so our membership is open to all. Allyship from people who want to support the networking group and take action is incredibly important. We have some fantastic, proactive male mentors who support our mentoring programme and our networking events.

The initiative has grown substantially since it was first piloted at Flood & Coast and now includes the following successful elements.

Women in FCERM Awards

First launched in 2019, we have celebrated professionals of all genders and organisations in the FCERM sector, individuals who make a real difference to gender equality in the workplace and across the industry. We promote and celebrate those who are leading the way, supporting others and challenging stereotypes. The winners are presented at the Flood & Coast Conference Excellence Awards’ Dinner.

Caption: Winners and highly commended runners up of the 2024 Women in FCERM Awards

Mentoring

The Women in FCERM annual group mentoring programme has supported 500 women since 2020. We aim to support and empower women by enabling personal growth and career development across three main themes: personal skills, career progression, and work-life balance.

We promote small mentor groups, around 5 people who meet every 4 – 6 weeks, rather than 1:1 mentoring. They spend time building trust and rapport within a psychologically safe space. This allows each mentee the opportunity to confidently share their issues and concerns, whilst also sharing their own knowledge and experiences, alongside that of the mentor.

In 2022, the programme was shortlisted for Defra’s ‘Uniting us’ award, recognising the impact of mentoring in bringing together women in the sector.

Our mentors – both male and female – have inspired and empowered their mentees through job changes and promotion as a result of the confidence and insights gained. Consistently positive feedback has shown that mentors and mentees benefit hugely from the programme:

“I got to expand my network and reach, and also kickstart my job applications for leadership roles”

“I felt very uncertain about how I could progress (and how I wanted to progress) in my career before starting the mentoring. I now feel much more confident in my plans for the future and how to make the best of myself”

“I valued the chance to meet new people and hear about their experiences. It helps to know you're not alone. Being able to meet in person and complete tasks that have made me think differently means I have a new approach to my career”

We are now halfway through the 2024/25 mentoring programme and undertaking our mid-year review. Our application process for the 2025/26 programme will kick off in February 2025, so put a note in your diary now.

We also run a series of virtual ‘lunch and learn’ sessions alongside the mentoring programme, which are open to all. These are shaped around what our members want additional learning and development on and provide our mentees with these opportunities outside of their mentoring groups. We are also keen to hear from people across the sector, so if you have an idea for a webinar or want to join the sessions, please get in touch: wifcermmentoring@environment-agency.gov.uk

Networking

We bring together people together across the country at regional and virtual events to network, such as our annual workshop and stand at the Flood & Coast Conference, this year sponsored by AtkinsRealis, CIWEM, and Tetra Tech (the stand) and WSP Binnies (the networking event).

This is where you can meet the people behind Women in FCERM, join the conversation at our networking event, celebrate trailblazing women with our awards, find out about our vision, future ambitions, and how you can get involved.

This year’s event focused on the theme of ‘Invest in Women; Accelerate Progress’, where our panel talked openly and honestly about what investment in women they had seen or experienced in the FCERM sector that helped accelerate progress, and the challenges that still exist. The safe space they created by sharing their stories and reflections allowed the attendees to discuss and share their personal experiences, in addition to raising further opportunities and support they would like to see more of.