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Sebina Noreen Malik, a UK qualified solicitor, supports the Energy Sector as Legal Counsel providing comprehensive commercial advice and drafting a range of commercial contracts.
In this article, Sebina talks about a transforming world within the Energy Sector, where innovation meets intricate regulations. Sebina also celebrates the achievements, contribution and capabilities of women in this dynamic industry, whilst driving and promoting inclusion and diversity to bring positive changes within the Energy Sector. Sebina finally talks about how more opportunities need to be created for the economic empowerment of women.
Sebina explains how in 2008, she had encountered challenges at the beginning of her career in private law practice, such as higher barriers to enter the legal profession and unsupportive critiques in a western world. As a woman of ethnic minority background, she constantly had to prove her value to the firm which was led by male energy. Unfortunately, training and leadership materials at the time merely focused on how to overcome barriers in the workplace rather than removing those barriers.
Sebina rose above the stereotypes by promoting discussions on topics such as equality, diversity and equity, and acknowledged it is critical for women to continue to keep pushing against boundaries to achieve leadership positions equal to those of their male counterparts. Existing barriers that women face in many professions, such as childcare challenges can only be overcome with organisations providing resources to integrate an environment in which women thrive. Positive changes in mindsets and behaviors are a must to empower women, and the Energy Sector is brimming with possibilities for talented women.
Sebina’s role as a Commercial Contracts lawyer in the Nuclear Energy Sector is not only a testament to her legal acumen but also her commitment to advance clean, sustainable energy solutions by promoting net-zero goals. During the interview, Sebina talked about working alongside many talented and highly skilled women within the Sector but she remains concerned about the vast underrepresentation of women in various roles within the Energy Sector such as, nuclear engineers, product safety experts, board members, regulators, project managers, export control specialists, inspectors, senior managers, IT/cyber security/risk assessment technicians, property and sustainability specialists, construction design management and compliance experts, tax advisers, Health and Safety Executives and lawyers.
Sebina said: “Despite an increase in the number of females coming into the Sector, women globally continue to face gender bias in the workplace, which can disproportionately affect their career advancement and success. We have to remember these possibly unintentional, yet automatic gender stereotypes are deep-rooted in the system and it will take time to diminish them in the workplace. Organisations globally need to fully embrace a culture of equality, diversity and equity and provide opportunities through education, workshops and by changing internal policies so that women are treated fairly, provided with equal opportunities and that organisations support and assist employee development in the workplace, and to reduce prejudice and discrimination at all stages”.
Sebina firmly believes that women must shatter the proverbial ‘glass ceiling’ and that women should not be content with unequal opportunities and limited progress. Despite the existing gender pay gap and the unequal distribution of promotions, Sebina encourages female counterparts to have open discussions about negative experiences and challenges they experience in the workplace, as these conversations are crucial for promoting long-term change and removing barriers that hold women back.
Sebina’s career journey also highlights the importance of mentorship in the workplace. She recalls the absence of a professional, supportive mentor at the beginning of her career. She believes that mentorship is a crucial tool for professional growth and attending external networking events can be a great way to get noticed. Sebina explained how she met her mentor, a female lawyer from Switzerland a few years into Sebina’s career, and how that meeting led to essential new opportunities in building Sebina’s career that she may not have come across otherwise, a sentiment that resonates deeply with Sebina’s dedication to empowering women globally. Sebina said: “I would say that it is vital to attend external networking events to meet new contacts, to develop personally and to feel more confident in achieving your career goals through other avenues”.
In Sebina’s view, it’s time for the Energy Sector to take significant strides to break away from conventional norms and embrace inclusivity to pave the way for a more diverse future. She urges leaders to champion change and facilitate opportunities for women of all backgrounds to thrive. The Energy Sector’s growth lies in the hands of a talented and diverse workforce that reflects the broader population. Organisations need to attract and support more women by removing barriers, increasing transparency of opportunities for development and recognising the imbalance.
Looking forward, Sebina envisions a future where the next generation of women will shape half the Energy Sector as leaders, experts and change-makers. She calls for robust support systems, including expert speakers, workshops, seminars, and improved graduate schemes, cultivating an environment that empowers women at leadership and board levels.
Sebina is an inspiration for talented women within the Energy Sector, and she regularly attends and supports Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear events to speak about the challenges that women often encounter, highlighting the significance of determination, mentorship, and collective action which are essential for growth and progress. Sebina’s dedication to breaking barriers and embracing change serves as a positive pathway to gender equality in the Energy Sector and we must all strive towards a future where skills and talents of all individuals are recognised, regardless of gender and celebrated.
Sebina said: “Organisations must evolve and incorporate best practices to build new businesses of the future. In my view, it is time to press the reset button and shake up the Energy Sector because you can’t follow old rules and expect new results. Together, we need to create a global Sector that inspires, attracts and retains people from all backgrounds, and in particular underrepresented groups of women, who make a valuable contribution making up almost half the workforce but only around 20% are employed in Nuclear Energy Sector. Leaders in the Sector need to provide guidance and best practice to support change if a 40% gender target in the Nuclear Energy Sector is to be achieved and not limit the talent pool.
The Energy Sector should also consider whether other sectors have transferable skills and be more inclusive in recruiting so that the Sector substantially increases diversity over the next 10 years. The next generation will become the future experts and change makers and need support for improved attraction with females in leadership or board level roles in the Sector and better graduate schemes. We must all do what we can to see gender equality in our lifetimes”.
Sebina provides services as a legal consultant and advises businesses on negotiating commercial contractual clauses, she also provides training on anti-money laundering, ethics and compliance, data protection and equality & diversity.
Sebina can be contacted on: E-mail: info.commercial.disputes@gmail.com
