This International Women’s Day, we are proud to spotlight some of the incredible contributions of the women at Stanwell who are leading, innovating and shaping the future of the energy industry.

Women are making significant strides in leadership at Stanwell. In 2023/24, 30.6 per cent of leadership roles were held by women, exceeding our target of 28.5 per cent and reflecting steady progress from 24.36 per cent in 2022/23. This achievement highlights our ongoing commitment to gender equity, ensuring that women have the support and opportunities they need to advance in their careers.

For Natalie Gordon, General Manager Future Energy Investment, the increasing representation of women in leadership is no accident. “Internal programs like Leading for the Future, along with opportunities to participate in external leadership initiatives, have been instrumental in fostering leadership potential across the organisation,” she says.

“But beyond that, our Executive Leadership Team actively works to overcome unconscious biases in hiring. That awareness is really important.”

Similarly, Letitia Lucke, HSE Manager – Systems and Governance, has seen firsthand how networking and mentorship have helped drive career growth for women. “There’s been a concentrated effort on increasing networking opportunities for women in leadership roles at Stanwell,” she says.

“The mantra of Stanwell’s Senior Women’s Leadership Forum is ‘pay it forward’. It makes you think about consciously promoting the work of other women and looking for opportunities for collaboration and succession.”

A culture of flexibility and support

Work-life balance is key to creating a workplace where women can thrive. Stanwell’s flexible work policies allow employees to tailor their schedules to their personal needs, with options for remote work, flexible hours, and non-gendered parental leave.

Stephanie McMahon, General Manager Strategy and Sustainability, recalls how Stanwell’s culture transformed her career and home life when she joined the company.

“My manager at the time expected me to go to my children’s concerts and sports days, even if they were on work days,” she remembers. “In the beginning, I worked five days a week until three o’clock in the afternoon, so I could pick my kids up from school. That level of trust and flexibility was a revelation for me.

“My three daughters are now lucky enough to have grown up in an environment where I’ve been so much more relaxed and so much more available to them than I would have been otherwise, but I’m also so much more excited about the work I’m doing, because it’s my choice.”

Letitia echoes this sentiment: “The shift in appetite around hybrid and flexible working conditions has made leadership roles more accessible for women, especially for those who are primary carers for school-aged children.”

Building careers and creating opportunities

Stanwell is committed to career development at every stage, providing access to mentoring, career coaching, external training, industry conferences, and professional association memberships. Our apprenticeship and traineeship programs also offer young women the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and nationally recognised qualifications while learning from industry mentors.

Sharron Coughlan, Apprentice and Trainee Officer for Tarong Power Station, has played a key role in supporting emerging talent. “We don’t have fixed targets for women in our apprentice and trainee programs,” she explains. “But in our current cohort of 27, 13 are women. And this year, six of our nine new intakes were women.”

Sharron has also championed initiatives that help young apprentices and trainees gain confidence and public speaking skills. “At the end of each year, we bring all the apprentices and trainees together with their leaders. They stand up in front of managers and talk about something they’ve learned or a challenge they’ve overcome. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them grow.”

Championing inclusion and equality

Stanwell actively works to remove barriers and create a workplace where all employees can succeed. We are a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, demonstrating our commitment to fair policies, diverse hiring, and closing the gender pay gap. We also monitor key gender equity metrics every six months to ensure continued progress.

Jennifer Tarr, General Manager of Stanwell Energy, sees diversity as a driving force for innovation. “It’s really important that we have diversity – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it helps avoid groupthink and leads to better, more creative ideas,” she says. “We’re careful to select leaders who demonstrate our values, and that example flows through the business.”

Natalie agrees: “Throughout my career, I’ve worked with people who’ve recognised my ability and provided me with opportunities. Of course, it’s been up to me to grab those opportunities and run with them, but I’ve always found Stanwell to be a supportive environment.”

As Letitia puts it: “It’s about recognising that having more women in leadership isn’t just a target – it’s a target for a reason.”

On this International Women’s Day, and every day, we celebrate the achievements of the incredible women at Stanwell and reaffirm our commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive and equitable workplace for all.