Hi Christophe, thanks for taking part! Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself?

I’ve worked with Seaway7 for almost 9 years. I began as an engineer and progressed to my current position as an HSEQ Director. Across my time with the business I have seen significant developments, adapting and supporting change and encouraging others to embrace it too.

My career has grown alongside the energy transition. I started out working in coal power stations then moved to LNG Terminals and now in fixed offshore wind. Although in the early days it was coincidence, moving to Germany was deliberate. I was motivated by a desire to work with wind power generation.

Why is it important to celebrate International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day is an opportunity for everyone to recognise that we can do more, to raise awareness and to challenge ourselves.

Women have always been part of the teams I have worked in. However, the overall percentage of females working in HSEQ remains low. Generally, the industry is seeing more women applying now, so positive change is coming and we can always do more to support it.

What challenges do you see women facing in the workplace, and what can be done to overcome them?

Workplaces themselves can present a challenge for female colleagues. Lots is done at Seaway7 to ensure that the facilities in our offshore work environments are properly set up to make it possible for females to go and work. It seems basic, but without this in place, women cannot even reach the playing field, let alone compete. Equity begins at the most fundamental level.

At Seaway7, we are a diverse team – we work hard to be inclusive, equitable and to give people the freedom to develop and support to grow.

What do you think are the biggest challenges to attracting more females to begin careers in our sector and how can we overcome them?

I have found that access to targeted training is instrumental in behaviour change. Bias is part of human nature, but it becomes problematic when we allow it to take over, especially in the interview and selection process. By taking time to work on awareness of your own bias, you can gain understanding of the internal factors or personal experiences that are influencing your decisions and avoid falling into the traps.

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