One year on Centrica’s Shadow Board

Centrica’s Shadow Board is a team of 12 individuals from across the business that aims to provide a unifying voice for Centrica colleagues, ensuring they feel empowered to positively disrupt and challenge decisions that impact them. 

Since we first launched the programme in 2021, the board has acted as a reverse mentoring programme for senior leaders aimed at bringing new thinking to key decisions. This has led to a significant uplift in employee engagement. For the past year, colleagues on the Shadow Board have been working tirelessly to make impactful change across the business to further our agenda on belonging and inclusion. We asked them for their reflections on how, alongside business leaders, they have been driving colleague-centric improvements.

Since joining the Shadow Board, colleagues have supported a huge number of projects across the business.

Energising a greener, fairer future

Colleagues on the Shadow Board played a pivotal role in the successful development and implementation of our new purpose, ‘Energising a Greener, Fairer Future’, helping colleagues understand and embed the new purpose into their every day. 

As we look to deliver net zero for our customers and Centrica, our purpose acts as our 'North Star', guiding us and our colleagues, ensuring that we don’t lose our way in an ever-changing world. 

Paul Whitehead, Smart Energy Engineer, told us, “Developing our purpose statement was a highlight. I have gained a greater understanding of the business and I have been able to contribute by sharing my perspectives as a field engineer.”

Making sure every colleague counts

A standout highlight for the shadow board was collaborating with Kat Parsons, Group Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, to develop an initiative to help promote a message of inclusion across the company. 

The Shadow Board discussed and proposed the headline ‘Every Colleague Counts’ to encourage all colleagues to play their part in supporting everyone to feel included and recognised for their individual contribution. No matter your sexuality, race, gender or background, there is a place for you at Centrica. Rani, Secretariat for the Shadow Board & Security Change Manager in DTS said, “This initiative reflects our commitment to valuing our employees just as much as our customers!” 

Harnessing the innovation of our colleagues

Colleagues were invited to share bold ideas to energise a greener, fairer future in our Centrica Moonshots competition. Hundreds of innovative ideas were submitted from across Centrica, with the hope that one creative idea would be launched into the business with the backing of leaders. 

The Shadow Board was fundamental in reviewing and shortlisting these ground-breaking ideas that challenged the status quo within Centrica. They showcased the talent of our employees by hosting a fascinating pitch day, where the top ideas were presented to colleagues. 

Rob Fallon’s idea was selected out of hundreds of suggestions, and this is now in development. The Shadow Board also arranged a donation to a charity of his choice through Centrica’s ‘Big Difference’ programme.

Influencing colleague-centric policy development

Putting colleagues at the heart of developing new policies and directional decision making is critical to ensuring change can be embedded. The Shadow Board represents the voice of our diverse workforce, providing feedback and guidance facing the implementation of new strategies and policies to leadership on a regular basis such as our sexual harassment policy which launched in 2024 and our flexible working policies.

Senior leaders embedded Shadow Board listening sessions into all of their planning and strategy sessions at ideation stage of development. By doing this, we have been able to embed colleagues in decision-making that impacts them.

“A key highlight has been attending the Leadership team strategy sessions, seeing the wider Centrica vision, and experiencing the sheer amount of positive energy in the room. The desire to really live our values and embody One Team, Growth Mindset and Ownership is really driven from leaders, and to be able to take that away and bring that to the teams we work with is powerful.” - Kristen Hansen, Senior Control Systems Specialist.

The Shadow Board is midway through their two-year tenure and has achieved an incredible amount over the last 12 months. The power of reverse mentoring, diversity of thought and diversity of life experience has added value to both Centrica and its leaders. In addition, for those colleagues involved, they are empowered by knowing that their insights are valued and they are leaving a powerful legacy before the next shadow board is selected to make their mark.