Best Employer for Women (under 500 employees)

Best Employer for Women (under 500 employees)

This category highlights a company which has inclusion and diversity deeply embedded in its culture; values the benefits of a diverse workforce; and has implemented policies to remove barriers and encourage the development of women.

The contenders

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Cluttons

Cluttons is creating a workplace where women can thrive and build long, meaningful careers. We have taken an honest, evidence-led approach, openly addressing barriers and embedding fairness into everyday decisions. Alongside measurable progress — including increasing women in leadership from 13% to 30% — we prioritise lived experience: supporting women through career progression, parenthood, health challenges, and leadership pathways. Women across our energy consultancy and design teams are now visible at every stage of project delivery, including in technical leadership roles. We are not claiming to have finished the journey, but we are meaningfully changing what it means to be a workplace where women can flourish.

ElectraLink

ElectraLink fosters equitable change through continually evolving, innovative policies, such as a four-day working week, gender-neutral parental leave, and dedicated support for menopause and menstruation, empowering women to thrive at work. Flexibility and wellbeing is championed loudly across all seniorities and genders, removing potential barriers to growth and opportunity and ultimately evening the playing field for women in the organisation. The result is a culture of transparency, support, and development for everyone. Progress is driven by an employee-led EDI forum and inclusion as one of six core values, which are measured and tied to remuneration, even for the CEO.

Everflow

Everflow is redefining what it means to be an employer for women in the utilities sector. In 2026, women make up 53% of the workforce and 50% of departmental directors, up from just 12.5% in 2023, demonstrating measurable, sustained progress in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Through a data-driven equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) strategy, inclusive hiring practices, and sector-leading policies such as 26 weeks’ full-pay maternity leave, Everflow is a workplace where women can build long-term careers. Investment in leadership development, flexible working, and employee-led initiatives ensure women are not only represented, but supported to succeed at every level.

Good Energy

Good Energy, founded in 1999 by Juliet Davenport, is a pioneer of renewable energy in the UK. Today, it sources power from over 3,300 independent generators and is the only domestic energy supplier in the UK to be B Corp-certified, demonstrating a commitment to people and planet, alongside profit. For three consecutive years, Good Energy has achieved ‘World Class Employer’ status from Best Companies and maintains 5-star customer service on Trustpilot, while sustaining exceptionally high levels of employee engagement.

Indigo Swan

Indigo Swan is a company built around women. With around 70% of our workforce being women and 50% female board representation, we’re creating a culture where women’s leadership is the norm, not the exception. We champion inclusion through flexible working, sector-leading wellbeing initiatives, and policies that actively remove barriers, from maternity, adoption and antenatal support, to forthcoming menopause and breastfeeding provisions. Our human-centric approach, recognised through Investors in People Platinum and award-winning female leadership, ensures women are supported to grow, thrive, and lead. Indigo Swan is where women shape the culture, drive success, and define the future.

POWWR

POWWR is proud to champion women in utilities by embedding inclusion and diversity into our DNA. As an employer committed to fair opportunity, we've implemented sector-leading policies to break down barriers and nurture women’s careers, supported wholeheartedly at the highest levels. We focus on transparent pay, tailored development, and a culture that values every voice. Our real-world impact is demonstrated by closing our gender pay gap, increasing female recruitment and retention, and providing financial wellbeing tools to support women at work and beyond. POWWR is setting the benchmark for what a welcoming, equitable, and empowering workplace in utilities should be.

Sirio

Sirio deserves to win Best Employer for Women because inclusion is embedded in how we work, not confined to policy. There is visible commitment from the top to ensure women can realise their potential, and a culture that facilitates progression and opportunity. Flexible working is part of our DNA, enabling women to progress at every life stage. Women at all levels are empowered to shape culture, step into new disciplines, and take on leadership roles. With 60% of our leadership team filled by women, and our exceptional retention rates, the facts demonstrate Sirio’s success in this field.

Turnbull Infrastructure & Utilities

Turnbull is a leader in lifecycle construction and operations. From design and build to facility management and maintenance, we provide sustainable, end-to-end services for civil, mechanical and electrical engineering projects. Operating in sectors traditionally dominated by men, Turnbull is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where women can thrive, progress and feel genuinely supported at every stage of their careers.