How EDF Nuclear Operations achieved high performance through inclusion

With responsibility for eight nuclear power stations across the UK, safety is at the heart of everything the EDF Nuclear Operations’ supply chain team does.

Crucially this includes psychological safety, ensuring people feel able to speak up and challenge where necessary – without negative repercussions. But when head of supply chain Richard Hayes joined the business in April 2023, he found a highly capable department with an opportunity to refocus the team culture based on psychological safety, and prioritising equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Hayes’ aim was to create a diverse, fair and safe space to work, where everyone was equal and could reach their full potential. He recognised that boosting psychological safety and improving culture within the supply chain team would be a critical enabler in achieving its aims. “We needed a clearer vision and purpose and a more inclusive environment with psychological safety underpinning it,” he explains.

However, when Hayes presented his initial ideas to the 80-strong team, he was met with what he describes as a “tumbleweed moment”. Undeterred, he launched Project Connect, a self-designed and delivered programme mapping out six areas of transformation: supply chain vision and values; people development; strategic supply chain review; data and systems; internal customer engagement strategies; and comms and branding. Each of these areas was sponsored by a senior leader within the function, providing empowerment, encouragement and guidance to the teams involved.

With most of EDF Nuclear Operations’ power stations due to be decommissioned by around 2030, Hayes’ call to arms was designed to set the team up for future success as the industry shifts – “for us to be recognised as a world-class nuclear operations supply chain team in the UK,” as he puts it.

Despite a slow start, the transformation programme soon picked up pace as people enthusiastically came on board and chose to join one of the six project teams. Colleagues were empowered to choose their own work streams, with half a day per week over a six-month period freed up to explore how each area could be positively transformed.

The whole team then came together at an away day to present their ideas, as well as spending time with a change psychologist to learn about positive psychology for change and increasing personal resilience.

Inclusivity has become a non-negotiable

As they continued on their transformation journey, inclusion sat at the heart of the procurement team’s approach. Monthly EDI days and ‘meet and eats’ were introduced, bringing colleagues together to share a meal and hear from a diverse range of internal and external speakers on topics such as the reality of being a busy manager during Ramadan, the menopause, men’s mental health, invisible disabilities and the power of allyship.

The language used in job adverts was reviewed to make it more inclusive, including introducing a bespoke accessible font. Hayes made diversity training sessions in areas such as inclusive language and unconscious bias mandatory, and introduced celebration days for important diverse cultural events, encouraging robust, educational discussions.

Behaviour and values have been central. The team worked together to develop their own set of values: accountability, trust, equity, adaptability and mindfulness. Inclusive meeting practices have been introduced, whereby the last five minutes of team meetings are spent reflecting on whether they were as inclusive as they could have been (for instance, did everyone have the chance to speak? Was anyone spoken over?).

Leading inclusively as a role model is a non-negotiable for managers, and Hayes has been unflinching in ensuring the leadership team demonstrate the right behaviours.

Transformation has driven performance

The change has been transformational. In 2023, the team achieved savings of a three-times return on investment (department costs). In 2024, this rocketed to a 90-times return on investment with further ambitious plans for 2025 and beyond.

Team engagement scores rose from 72 to 90, and scores in the company D&I Index increased from 80 to 92. The team now has 35% female representation (up from 25%) and 12% of employees from a minority ethnic background (up from 2%). Attrition has decreased from 9% to 1%: Hayes and his team have created a culture people don’t want to leave. The results led to EDF Nuclear Operations winning the ​​Outstanding Diversity and Inclusion Practices in Procurement Teams category in the 2024 CIPS Procurement Excellence Awards.

Hayes is clear that the focus on DEI and psychological safety have been integral to generating high performance. “Do I think we would have saved so much for the business with a less engaged, inclusive team? No chance. Inclusion and psychological safety – people speaking up and giving everyone a voice – has driven performance. You cannot have sustained high performance based on anything other than inclusivity.”

“It’s not about process, it’s about culture,” he concludes. “I talk about culture far more than cost savings. Get the culture right and the savings will come.”

Hayes’ tips for building an inclusive culture

1. Be brave in calling out and dealing with poor behaviour
2. Empower your people, and co-create your vision and purpose together
3. Lead from the front, role-modelling inclusive leadership behaviour at all times
4. Focus on creating psychological safety so people feel comfortable to speak up
5. Put culture first and the rest will follow

Are you doing something innovative in your procurement function, or have a project that has delivered meaningful results for the wider business? Visit the CIPS Awards hub page to find out more about the entry criteria and deadlines for CIPS awards events in your region.  

Richard Hayes will be speaking at this year's CIPS Procurement & Supply Futures Conference in London on 1 July. Grab your ticket to find out more about how to build a business case for ED&I programmes.