South West Water to review signs after criticism of term 'men at work'
South West Water says it is 'committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace'
Last updated 19th Jun 2023
There's been a mixed reaction to the decision by South West Water to review all its signage after being accused of sexism - with some supporting the move, others saying they are not offended by the signs,
It follows criticism by the Equality Trust after the water company’s logo can be seen on official signs which say 'men at work'.
Priya Sahni-Nicholas, Co-Executive Director at the Equality Trust, said :"It is a reminder of the consistent - and persistent - undervaluing of women, especially in the world of work.
"Who knows what the motivation or rationale behind the sign was.
"I guess they aren't a company that knowingly believes that women's contributions are unimportant."
She says messages like 'men at work' is something everyone should be aware of, adding: "Is anybody valuing your mum's work, is anybody valuing your sisters work or your daughter's, how will your wives and girlfriend's work be valued - how is your friend's work being valued?"
But she reflects: "Although it is bad that these signs are out there, it is great that people are sitting up and getting jarred by them and having conversations about it.
"People like my mum who've been campaigning for women's equality since the 1970s, would be really pleased."
Greatest Hits Radio spoke to people next to the sign, who had mixed views on whether the signs were insulting. One suggested they would rather see 'people or teams at work', another said it was simply 'shorthand for watch out there's a potential danger and you need to be careful'.
A South West Water spokesperson said: “We are absolutely committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, with colleagues from all backgrounds, genders and ethnicities.
"We are currently reviewing all of our signage to ensure it aligns with our business values and will look into this specific report.”
They added that across Pennon, our current representation figure is just over 32% women and almost 68% men - however we are taking steps to increase female representation in our workforce.
They point out Pennon was recognised in the 'FTSE Women Leaders Review as a leading business for female representation for the second year in a row, achieving 1st place in the utilities sector'.
They also highlighted that 'Pennon is one of only a few FTSE 250 companies with both a female CEO and Chair'.