The value of a diverse team depends on what happens when its members disagree. Can someone challenge the person in charge? Does their input change a decision? Can they lead change without a senior title? This year, Women in Solar+ Europe (WiSEu) explored these questions at six Solar & Storage Live events across the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and France, bringing together developers and IPPs, investors, consultants, HR and DEI leads, industry associations and innovation teams.

Across these conversations, a clear picture emerged: trust gives people the confidence to speak, genuine participation allows them to shape outcomes, and leadership enables them to act. In solar and storage, where no individual holds the full technical, financial, regulatory and commercial picture, these conditions matter. Creating them requires leaders to welcome uncomfortable perspectives, share information and give people ownership, especially when pressure makes it easier to fall back on familiar voices and established hierarchies.

“‘Inclusion’ has become a buzzword, and some organisations are now stepping back from it. That makes it even more important to be clear about what it means in practice: people being able to challenge assumptions, contribute their expertise, influence decisions and access opportunities fairly. This year, we wanted to bring the conversation back to those daily and organisational practices and how they build stronger teams to meet the challenges of the energy transition. It is easier to surround ourselves with people who think and act like us. Good leadership means becoming comfortable outside our comfort zone, working with people whose perspectives differ from our own and being willing to let them change and evolve our thinking,” says Carmen Madrid, Founder of Women in Solar+ Europe.

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