Great British Energy - Nuclear

About Great British Energy Nuclear - Great British Energy

Originally named, Great British Nuclear, Great British Energy - Nuclear is an arm’s length body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies in Great Britain. We play a crucial role in advancing nuclear new build, ensuring the UK’s energy security and achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Great British Energy - Nuclear focuses on fostering innovation, facilitating investment, and coordinating efforts across the nuclear industry to build a resilient and sustainable energy future. 

Great British Energy- Nuclear’s first step was to start the technology selection process for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in 2023. SMRs can potentially be quicker to deploy and less expensive to build than traditional nuclear power plants because they are smaller, have factory based modular manufacturing and more flexible deployment options. In June 2025, Great British Energy - Nuclear announced that Rolls-Royce SMR had been selected as the preferred bidder to build the UK’s first SMRs, following a technology selection process that began in 2023. 

Great British Energy - Nuclear is aiming to deliver fast, based on a supportive and collaborative culture which values equality and diversity and creates an inclusive workplace. We draw on deep nuclear expertise – our Executive Committee has over 100 years of nuclear experience at home and abroad. GBN-E will unlock billions of pounds of private and public investment from design to operation, helping to get sites ready for development, and working to grow manufacturing capacity and skills capability.

Our activities will be driven by our values, which are:

Trust - We prioritise safety, we act responsibly and with integrity.

Collaboration - We work as a team; we value diversity and expertise.

Challenge - We are curious and courageous in the way we think and act.

Care - We are thoughtful, inclusive and respectful of others.

Drive - We get things done and we make a difference.

What it’s like to work at Great British Energy Nuclear

Working at Great British Energy – Nuclear means being part of a welcoming, professional and genuinely personable organisation, where people are trusted, supported and valued from day one. We are a small but fast‑scaling organisation, and every individual who joins us has been carefully selected to help preserve and strengthen our culture and values as we grow.

Ours is a flexible and collaborative working environment where people are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Your input genuinely matters here — you are not a number, and you can see the impact of your work. We believe that the best outcomes come from listening to different perspectives, and we’re proud that all voices are heard equally, regardless of role or seniority.

We are privileged to be working in the nuclear sector on a truly unique project, one that has never been seen before in the UK. That sense of purpose runs through everything we do, creating a shared commitment to delivering something meaningful for the country’s energy future.

Diversity and inclusion are not add‑ons at GBE‑N; they are fundamental to who we are. We are proud to have built a diverse team, with women representing over 50% of the organisation, significantly outperforming the nuclear sector average. We recognise that inclusive teams make better decisions, solve problems more creatively and build stronger, safer outcomes.

Above all, GBE‑N is a place where talented people can do their best work, grow with the organisation and help shape the future of nuclear energy in the UK.

Our organisation's diversity and inclusion initiatives

At Great British Energy – Nuclear, diversity and inclusion are integral to how we work, lead and deliver. We are committed to building a culture where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute, recognising that inclusive teams make better decisions and deliver stronger outcomes.

Our approach goes beyond policy and awareness. In January 2026, we launched a reverse mentoring programme, pairing graduates with senior executives to create meaningful two‑way learning, challenge assumptions and strengthen inclusive leadership. This initiative has provided a powerful platform for emerging talent to influence decision‑making while giving leaders deeper insight into the experiences and perspectives of early‑career colleagues, helping to shape a more open and inclusive organisational culture.

We also place strong emphasis on education, reflection and dialogue throughout the year by actively recognising key diversity, inclusion and wellbeing dates. With the support of our D&I Working Group and colleagues across the business, we mark occasions such as International Women’s Day, World Health Day, Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Race Equality Week, Mental Health Awareness Week and Black History Month through a range of activities. These include colleague‑led discussions, external speakers, learning sessions, shared resources and opportunities for personal reflection, helping to bring inclusive behaviours to life across the organisation.

Our Neurodiversity Celebration Week activity in particular reflects our commitment to moving beyond awareness into practical action, promoting reasonable adjustments, inclusive ways of working and greater understanding of different thinking styles to enable everyone to perform at their best.

Through continued engagement, mentoring, education and collaboration, Great British Energy – Nuclear is building a culture where difference is valued, voices are heard and inclusion is embedded into everyday working life — supporting both our people and the delivery of a nationally significant nuclear programme.

Our organisation's LGBTQ / Inclusion network

The Diversity & Inclusion Working Group at Great British Energy – Nuclear brings colleagues together to explore and progress a wide range of diversity, equity and inclusion topics that matter to our people and our culture. The group provides a space for open conversation, shared learning and practical action that supports a respectful and inclusive workplace.

We meet fortnightly and discuss topics across the D&I spectrum, including inclusion, wellbeing, equality, psychological safety and ways of working, helping to shape initiatives and raise awareness across the organisation. The group also supports activity linked to key awareness dates and organisational priorities.

Membership of the working group is open to anyone at GBE‑N who is interested in making the workplace a more inclusive, respectful and welcoming environment for all. We welcome different perspectives and experiences and encourage colleagues at all levels to get involved.

Building a culture of belonging at GBE-N

At Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N), our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) strategy is central to our ambition to lead the UK nuclear sector not only in innovation and delivery — but also in culture. Our goal is clear, to foster a workplace where every voice is valued, diverse perspectives shape our future, and opportunity is available to all.

Our commitment to inclusion

GBE-N is building a bold new nuclear future, with diversity and inclusion as fundamental components to our success. We are working hard to ensure that we deliver:

1. A diverse workforce that mirrors the UK population

2. Inclusive recruitment and behavioural interview panels

3. Reverse mentoring and safe spaces to speak up

4. Celebrating diverse stories and lived values

5. Leadership role-modelling from the top down

6. Collaboration with underrepresented communities and sector partners

7. Transparent metrics and regular engagement

The work we’ve done so far

We’ve already taken tangible steps to create a more inclusive workplace:

1. Inclusive, non-gendered job adverts

2. Diverse and objective interview panels with reasonable adjustments offered at every stage

3. Reverse mentoring schemes to encourage new perspectives

4. Behavioural panel interviews involving team-external members to reduce bias

5. Competency audits to identify and address skills gaps

6. Regular D&I sessions and awareness-raising events, including mandatory unconscious bias training

7. Creation of values-based case studies and a recognition scheme aligned to lived values

8. Proactive identification of D&I data touchpoints, including onboarding and exit interviews

9. Growing networks to support underrepresented talent and cross-functional collaboration