Assystem Conference Addresses Women's Role in UK STEM
Assystem hosted its second annual conference on women's leadership in UK STEM industries, focusing on implementing recommendations to increase female representation. The event followed recent reports indicating a decline in women's board presence in some sectors.
Engineering firm Assystem, in collaboration with the Women and Work All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), held its second annual "Powering the UK’s Future Economy: Women’s Leadership in STEM Industries" conference on June 23, 2026. The event coincided with International Women in Engineering Day.
The conference aimed to accelerate the implementation of recommendations from the 2025 Women & Work APPG report, specifically concerning the development of a strong pipeline of women and girls pursuing STEM careers. This initiative comes amid concerning trends, including a recent report showing an increase in all-male boards and a decrease in female representation on energy company boards.
Assystem highlighted the UK's energy transition, projected to create over 400,000 jobs by 2030, as a critical opportunity. The company stated that expanding women's participation in high-value STEM careers could help address skills shortages, reduce pay gaps, and improve economic outcomes.
The event featured speakers from companies such as Rolls-Royce SMR, EDF, Toyota, and Great British Energy-Nuclear. Assystem has a long-standing commitment to supporting women in technical and leadership roles, particularly within the nuclear industry, and has invested in its "IncredibleWomen" program since 2010 to boost female representation.