SA POWER NETWORKS
174 ideas . One outcome I hadn ’ t anticipated was how it brought into play the diversity of the team .” With some 40 different countries of origin represented , there ’ s no lack of different ways of approaching problems , he adds .
All that is good fun – but it ’ s fun that benefits the business . Inclusion is at the heart of Ford ’ s approach . “ In developing the digital strategy we took a codesign and co-create approach , getting people across the organisation to work with us and share their vision of the business ’ s future so we could work out how digital technology could support them in achieving those goals . It is as much about business future as about technology . After all , our objective is to reduce organisational costs so that customer bills are kept as low as they can be .”
With a positive approach to ethnic diversity , Ford is also passionate about giving equal opportunity to women , as well as girls who are considering a future career in the utility sector . Members of his leadership team speak in local schools about succeeding as a woman in the industry and encourage girls to take up STEM subjects . As well as mentoring women within the organisa-
JULY 2019