Drax is powered by our colleagues, our communities and our supply chains and the aim of our People Positive pillar is to make a positive contribution to the lives and livelihoods of our colleagues and the communities we operate in.
Our colleagues
We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and high-performance culture at Drax, empowering colleagues to contribute to our mission of decarbonising the planet for future generations. We ensure our processes are efficient and equitable, making our colleagues feel heard and valued, equipping Drax with skills for the future, and nurturing talent that reflects the communities we operate in.
We prioritise safety
Our health, safety, and environment
Safety is at the core of everything we do at Drax. Our Group Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Governance Framework, supported by our OneSafeDrax vision, ensures that all employees and contractors prioritize safety. We regularly review our HSE performance and share key safety messages to foster a positive safety culture. Our UK Generation assets are certified to ISO standards, and we continuously improve our health and safety culture across all our sites. We provide dedicated HSE training tailored to employees’ roles and focus on practical safety leadership experiences.
Spotlight on: Mind Safety at Drax Power Station In 2024, we renewed our focus on Mind Safety at Drax Power Station. We created Steering and Working Groups to review recommendations from mental health specialists. We opened ‘Muckers Hubs’ as onsite safe spaces for wellbeing support, refreshed our Mental Health First Aid provision, implemented mental health training for line managers, and piloted wellbeing check-ins for onsite colleagues. We also partnered with Rugby League Cares and their ‘Offload’ initiative to learn techniques for managing mental and physical fitness.
Our security
We take security seriously, with a dedicated cyber security team managing our defenses. We conduct regular risk assessments and phishing tests to ensure our resilience against threats. Our security policies are reviewed annually and communicated to all stakeholders. Drax maintains multiple information and security management systems aligned with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
We promote and support holistic wellbeing
We support our colleagues’ wellbeing through a comprehensive benefits package covering health, protection, and financial wellbeing. Our engagement survey shows high ratings for our benefits, which are a key reason why colleagues recommend Drax as a workplace. We also provide additional support through programs like Peppy for health and nudge for financial wellbeing, contributing to improved wellbeing scores in our engagement survey.
Spotlight on: Women’s Health & Menopause In October, we organized events for World Menopause Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We delivered sessions on navigating menopause and supporting others, and hosted a virtual event where colleagues shared experiences with breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer. At Drax Power Station, men volunteered to trial the Menovest, a ‘hot flush’ simulator, to empathize with menopause symptoms and learn how to provide appropriate support.
We embed equity, access and representation
We are committed to building a Fair, Safe, and Inclusive Drax that better represents the communities we operate in through our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy. Our DEI team partners with Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs), regions, and business areas to develop localized plans that bring our DEI strategy to life. All Drax colleagues play a role in creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels safe and valued.
Our strategy focuses on:
- Going back to basics to build strong foundations, like improving access to and understanding of Reasonable Adjustments and Accommodations for colleagues and candidates.
- Representing our communities through fair and equitable processes to build trust and drive innovation. We launched The Fair Hiring Project to ensure consistency, equity, and transparency in hiring.
- Ensuring all colleagues feel safe and included, through training and our CRGs and broader inclusion group.
We ensure ethics and integrity
At Drax, we conduct business ethically and in compliance with laws and regulations. Our Business Ethics and Privacy teams manage our key programs, and we have robust systems to monitor compliance and investigate breaches. Our colleague Code of Conduct and training support ethical and compliant decision-making. We also support our suppliers through our Supplier Code of Conduct and actively participate in anti-slavery initiatives, working closely with UK anti-slavery charities. Some of our Business Ethics programmes and initiatives include, Anti-Bribery & Corruption, Human Rights, Corporate Criminal Offences and our new approach to encouraging colleagues to Speak Up on ethics issues.
We invest in skills and development
We invest in developing the skills and capabilities of our colleagues to fulfill their careers and meet Drax’s future needs.
- Skills for the Future In 2024, we implemented our first strategic workforce plan to identify critical skills for our strategy. We welcomed new apprentices, students, and graduates, and partnered with Springpod to extend our reach to a wider early careers community.
- Opportunities for Development Our Management Excellence and Accelerate Programmes support managers worldwide. We also enhanced DEI learning with Inclusive Team Talks and workshops.
- Enhanced Talent Management We reviewed our Talent, Performance, and Succession approach to position Drax as an ethical employer of choice. We extended our succession planning process and focused on supporting under-represented talent.
We listen and engage
Our My Voice approach to understanding colleague sentiment and feedback through surveys and dialogue with our Board is critical to continuously improving our work environment and experience.
Launching our new values and behaviours
In 2024, we launched our Culture Programme, developed through collaboration with colleagues and leaders across Drax. This programme aims to ensure everyone at Drax feels valued and part of a winning team on a meaningful mission. A key outcome was the creation of our new People Promise, or Employer Value Proposition (EVP), along with clearly defined values and behaviours. This framework fosters a culture that supports and drives our future ambitions. The EVP is our commitment to enhancing the colleague experience, creating a positive, engaging, and high-performance environment. By focusing on this, we aim to attract and retain top talent, ensuring we have the skilled workforce needed for continued growth.
A new approach to listening
Our new listening approach includes quarterly My Voice surveys and evolving My Voice forums to work as strategic business partners to senior leaders. We act on our quarterly surveys and show steady engagement scores. We introduced interventions like values and behaviours, mental wellbeing focus, and DEI strategy actions. Survey outcomes indicated a need for more clarity on business strategy and role alignment, which will be a focus in early 2025.
