Diversity, Equality and Inclusion June Blog: My Diversity, Equality and Inclusion journey

My name is Kara Sadler and I work as the Operational Manager for the Flowmetering Business Unit at Z-Tech Control Systems. Me and my team work to support Water & Sewerage Companies in reducing environmental impacts, managing leakage and driving efficiencies. Outside of my day to day work, I juggle holding down a busy career, raising my four year old daughter and trying to see how many travels around the UK and beyond I can squeeze into my annual leave allowance!

I have worked in the water industry for over 12 years, having varied roles within water quality, compliance, regulation and network operations. After University, I travelled around the world, and came back home to realise my Research Scientist position at Corus Steelworks was no longer available due to the recession of 2008. I was lost at what to do next, and my Dad, having worked at Anglian Water his whole life, told me to look at the job openings there. Not fully ever understanding what it was my Dad actually did, I never imagined that there would be something I could do as a Chemistry graduate in the Water Industry. But my Dad, like so many things growing up, proved me wrong. After two failed attempts, it was third time lucky and I joined the industry in my first role as an Operational Scientist Assistant. I soon realised that I could be in an industry where my passion for science, making a difference in the environment and developing people were all aligned. The biggest thing I love about the industry is the development opportunities and I haven’t looked back since.

On reflection of the water industry, I see it full of a population of people who really want to make a difference and work hard to ensure EDI is top of the agenda. I started my journey with Anglian Water back in 2019 when the “Inclusion Community” was born, contributing to a number of initiatives and discussions which played a small part in shaping the community into something bigger. As a keen member and supporter of the Institute of Water, I soon used this experience as a volunteer on the EDI steering group and the Women’s Network. Both of these, alongside the Young Persons Network, are working hard as a central focal point for the industry and ensuring members have somewhere they belong. Some successes from my involvement in these environments have been organising and hosting an annual “Supporting Women in Water” event alongside two others on the Eastern Area Committee, Natalie Lamb and Rose Shisler, and building an IWater Parenting platform to support parents with difficulties in juggling childcare and work, and a network to connect likeminded individuals. As of this year, I have joined the Water Division Women’s Network (WDWN) part of M-Group Services. The network is focused on sharing best practice and providing people, both women and men, with practical tools to learn about and share insight about female-centric topics. Skills, such as resilience, confidence, presentation, mindfulness, goal setting and coaching, sit at the heart of this unique initiative. One of the biggest successes for me is seeing so many of these networks and communities present in so many companies within the water industry. Whichever group I have been a part of, I always find them full of energy and working hard to drive forward positive change.

However, it has not always been this way. I have been subject to discrimination in the past, particularly working as a lone female in male dominated operational roles. Thankfully, I did not take on early advice of ‘bullying staff to get results’, ‘using my “assets” instead of my brain’ and ‘accepting that some men did just not like women so keep out of the way’. Looking back at these examples now, I realise that when I am part of the communities that are doing such wonderful things in the industry, I am preaching to the converted. The biggest challenge and my aspiration for the future is converting those who do not know any better, either through ignorance, genuine misunderstanding or fear. Daryl Davis, a black accomplished pianist, turned his focus to curing racism through education and befriended a leader of the Ku Klux Klan as he wanted to understand the reasoning behind the hatred. Instead of focussing on symptoms of hate, he listened, asked questions, took notes, and through his actions, slowly dispelled each stereotype one by one. “We’ve got to treat it down to the bone, which is ignorance. The cure for ignorance is education. You fix the ignorance, there’s nothing to fear. If there’s nothing to fear, there’s nothing to hate. If there’s nothing to hate, there’s nothing or no one to destroy.”

The next step for me in DEI education is as part of my commitment to the WDWN. I am really excited to be heading up the ‘Allyship Programme’ as one of their initiatives, which will see allies of privileges take action to stand up and support others. I truly believe that allies are the future for EDI and if you would like to learn any more on this, I really recommend using the tools available on the Lean In programme. We are all people and we deserved to be treated with respect. Always remember that you are enough and you don’t have to be anyone else. Surround yourself with a group of strong champions and understand your privileges. If you’re lucky enough to not face disadvantages, use your advantages to eradicate fear and hate after all.