Solar and storage are advancing rapidly. But are the ways we lead people evolving at the same pace? That question brought industry leaders together for WiSEu and Solar+ panels at Solar & Storage Live UK.

The discussion around inclusion moved beyond whether people feel welcome. It examined whether they can influence decisions, contribute ideas and take ownership of solutions. For a sector that needs to attract talent, innovate and grow responsibly, inclusive leadership is a practical capability.

“Belonging on its own just gets you a room where everyone feels welcome. It doesn’t get you the breakthrough,” said Liam Tattershall, Group CEO at Solarport. What moves a team from comfort to innovation, he argued, is whether people feel able to challenge each other and build on each other’s ideas.

At Solarport, cross-departmental “sandpit sessions” put real problems in front of people from every part of the business. Some of the company’s best breakthroughs have come from people who sit nowhere near the innovation team. Its suggestion scheme follows the same principle: every idea receives feedback, and the ideas taken forward are championed by the people who proposed them.

Tattershall also made the case for widening access to the industry. A sector growing this quickly cannot keep recruiting from the same small pool. It needs career changers, people entering through less conventional routes and people who have not previously seen someone like them in a leadership role.

Hollie Carek, General Manager UK and Head of Partner Experience at OpenSolar, questioned whether established ways of working are keeping pace with technological change.

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