Podcasts about ehrc

This week, our intrepid threesome (you heard me) of Ashleigh, Flint and Alyx, goes over: Political parties banned from major UK Pride events.  A rainbow map of Europe in which the UK is too red for comfort.  Our apparently regular update with the transphobe-in-chief at the EHRC. What is functionally a bathroom ban at Warwick University.  The regularly-scheduled programming of Loser's Corner and Pond Hoppin'. No meat this week! Enjoy your half an episode off. References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep131  

In the last of our interviews about the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman under the Equality Act, Nuala McGovern speaks to Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. As the body responsible for enforcing the Act, the EHRC gave evidence in the Supreme Court case. In the first BBC interview since launching a consultation on updating their Code of Practice in light of the judgment, Baroness Falkner explains who they want to hear from and why.Five years after the murder of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, a new BBC documentary is reflecting on the wave of Black Lives Matter protests that followed, including in the UK. Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd tells the story through the eyes of some of those who found themselves on the frontline during the spring and summer of 2020, including Khady Gueye, who made headlines after a local protest she planned in the Forest of Dean was initially cancelled. She joins Nuala, along with author, producer and speaker Nova Reid, to reflect on the impact the events of that time have had on their lives, and what has changed since then. Nuala is also joined by Sarah Pochin, the first female MP for the Reform UK Party. The Runcorn and Helsby by-election was won by just six votes - the closest result in modern history. A former Conservative Councillor and mayor for Cheshire East, Sarah was a magistrate for 20 years. During her maiden speech she focussed on immigration, the cost of living and sexual violence against women.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Solidarity 742, 7 May 2025. Articles: NASUWT General Secretary: an appointment masquerading as an election Against tariff wars, workers' unity "Scientifically illiterate ruling", say doctors The benefits of Brexit? Scrap the benefit cuts! Ukraine signs minerals deal with the US Students join university cuts fight Defy the EHRC non-guidance! Unions move to defend trans members Solidarity? No, you're just a proxy The dogs that didn't bark Unions are central to eco-policy Schools and the “guidance” documents Trump speeds power-grab Different roads to autocracy May Day in the USA Israel goes for “conquer” and “hold” Reform wins are a warning Workers' Liberty debates the year ahead How we can learn from history Kneecap and the right to offend Link pay battles across public sector The debates due at PCS conference Do the trial, or lose the money Leni Riefenstahl: Hitler's filmmaker MHCLG first wave is strong Support the bin workers! Yes, the HCSWs can win Uber drivers strike on 1 May More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/solidarity/solidarity-742-7-may-2025

In this densely-packed episode, Ashleigh, Flint and Alyx consider many of the different reactions to the UK supreme court''s recent judgement, including: Updates on the many, many protests taking place all over the UK, with a helpful list compiled by the WTT team. The interim guidance from the EHRC, what's wrong with it and why it's not fit for purpose. Reactions from different UK unions, including the BMA and UNISON. Policy changes from sports bodies, the British Transport Police and Barclays. Conflicting reactions and statements from within the Labour party, the SNP, Greens and others. So many open letters. Our experiences at protests and why it's important to go to them and show the government how unpopular this is. Loser's Corner and Trans Joy, for your amusement. Compilation of Protests and Actions Against the Supreme Court – What The Trans!? References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep130  

In CI News this week: A top lawyer warns Kim Leadbeater's assisted suicide Bill is incompatible with Human Rights law, the Equalities watchdog issues interim guidance on protecting single-sex spaces, and Police Scotland admits that abortion censorship zone legislation may not be enforceable 24/7. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Leadbeater's assisted suicide Bill ‘not compatible' with human rights EHRC interim guidance: ‘Toilets are restricted to biological sex, not self-ID' Council leaders call for urgent Govt action to tackle gambling harms Police Scotland: ‘No censorship zone prosecutions when abortion centres are closed'

The International Court of Justice has begun a hearing into Israel's humanitarian obligations in Gaza. Plus: Huge power outages in Spain and Portugal; and new EHRC advice states that trans women should not be allowed to use women's toilets. With Michael Walker, Ash Sarkar and Ahmed Abu Riziq.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Boy discovers Jurassic fossils in his own garden in Derbyshire Zelensky and Trump meet before Popes funeral Who is at the Popes funeral in pictures Trump, Macron, Prince William and others EHRC issues interim guidance on single sex spaces BBC licence fee unenforceable, says culture secretary Virginia Giuffre, prominent Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor dies Warrington gangster who ordered acid attacks caught after five years In Canadas Alberta, national unity is on the ballot Border officers saw a couple behaving oddly with a baby and uncovered a mystery Who won the Celebrity Big Brother 2025 final

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Virginia Giuffre, prominent Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor dies In Canadas Alberta, national unity is on the ballot Who won the Celebrity Big Brother 2025 final BBC licence fee unenforceable, says culture secretary Boy discovers Jurassic fossils in his own garden in Derbyshire Border officers saw a couple behaving oddly with a baby and uncovered a mystery EHRC issues interim guidance on single sex spaces Zelensky and Trump meet before Popes funeral Who is at the Popes funeral in pictures Trump, Macron, Prince William and others Warrington gangster who ordered acid attacks caught after five years

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Boy discovers Jurassic fossils in his own garden in Derbyshire In Canadas Alberta, national unity is on the ballot Zelensky and Trump meet before Popes funeral BBC licence fee unenforceable, says culture secretary EHRC issues interim guidance on single sex spaces Warrington gangster who ordered acid attacks caught after five years Who is at the Popes funeral in pictures Trump, Macron, Prince William and others Who won the Celebrity Big Brother 2025 final Virginia Giuffre, prominent Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor dies Border officers saw a couple behaving oddly with a baby and uncovered a mystery

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Warrington gangster who ordered acid attacks caught after five years Who is at the Popes funeral in pictures Trump, Macron, Prince William and others Who won the Celebrity Big Brother 2025 final Boy discovers Jurassic fossils in his own garden in Derbyshire Zelensky and Trump meet before Popes funeral EHRC issues interim guidance on single sex spaces In Canadas Alberta, national unity is on the ballot Border officers saw a couple behaving oddly with a baby and uncovered a mystery Virginia Giuffre, prominent Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor dies BBC licence fee unenforceable, says culture secretary

What does the law say about who counts as a woman - and who gets to decide? Unpacking the UK Supreme Court's recent ruling on the definition of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010 and Gender Recognition Act is guest Karon Monaghan KC, one of the UK's leading employment and discrimination law barristers.  See here for a link to the judgment. The discussion of this high-profile legal case tackles the legal system's treatment of trans rights, women's rights, and single-sex spaces, revealing the tensions at the heart of UK politics, human rights and equality  law.  Alongside hosts Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC, Karon explores the wider political issues in Britain, including the role of the EHRC and Stonewall in misrepresenting the law, the responsibilities of public institutions, and the rule of law in a polarised landscape. They also examine recent CPS guidance on consent and deception in sexual offences, raising crucial questions about the legal boundaries of sex, identity, and freedom of expression. With sharp analysis and expert legal commentary, this episode offers key legal system insights into the definitions of sex and gender in UK equality law, the balance of rights between different protected groups, and the future of politics and law in Britain.-----Covering the critical intersections of law and politics in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain's legal and political future. What happens when law and politics collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain's legal and political system? Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays at 6am GMT. Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights. Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law. Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades. Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you'll love Double Jeopardy.

This week Cora takes on the EHRC, the Government, and the Supreme Court. What is 'passing' and why shouldn't passing be the benchmark for entry to appropriate spaces it is fast becoming? Bring your hot chocolate and pull up a chair, we'll get into it together. It's Classroom Psychology!References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x4m8fTy9t4yTVDr9zjumGcb4L8R3gGhmLhLxJ0Cf9TY/edit?usp=sharing

In CI news this week: A human rights lawyer denounces plans for a new ‘conversion therapy' law in Northern Ireland, experts warn that Holyrood's assisted suicide Bill could face a lengthy legal battle, and a toddler is suspended from nursery over accusations of homophobia and transphobia. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories ‘Outrageous' NI conversion therapy plan could jail parents for opposing child's ‘sex change' Scots legal experts: ‘McArthur Bill faces long and contentious road ahead' Employment Bill could ‘excessively limit' free speech, EHRC warns Outrage as toddler suspended for ‘transphobia or homophobia'

Kemi Badenoch is launching a series of new policy commissions, but how long can she afford to wait before setting out what the party believes? And how likely is it that she will promise to leave the EHRC?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with the help of Sebastian Payne and Jane Mulkerrins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In CI News this week: Evidence sessions on Kim Leadbeater's assisted suicide Bill expose serious shortcomings in her proposals, the Government rejects civil service calls to broaden the definition of extremism, and tens of thousands of pro-lifers take a stand against abortion at the annual US March for Life. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Chris Whitty: ‘Low mood no reason to reject assisted suicide bids' EHRC calls for Govt intervention over assisted suicide Bill Disbelief as assisted suicide lobbyist markets practice as ‘suicide prevention' Govt rebuffs civil service calls to broaden extremism definition Fiftyfold rise in gender confused children US March for Life: ‘We will march until abortion is not only illegal, but unthinkable'

On this episode of What the Trans?! Flint, Alyx and Ashleigh spend precious minutes of their lives talking about: New segment Action Alley, a dedicated place to highlight protests, campaigns, and calls to action. The recent election. No, not that one, the other one, the one where Kemi Badench became leader of the UK Conservative party. A woman who was dismissed from her role due to her "gender critical" views is to receive a substantial payout from a tribunal. Developments in the EHRC, including Baroness Falkner remaining in post for another year and a deep dive with Sarah from Trans Safety Network about the EHRC's draft code of practise, which is open for consultation until early January. EHRC Consultation:  Code of practice for services, public functions and associations: consultation 2024 | EHRC References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep118/  

On this "fun-packed" episode of WTT?! Ashleigh and Alyx go over: Some rare good news from Sweden and our own Court of Appeals. That 'Memorandum of Understanding' we spoke of last time. The EHRC sent several trans organisations a letter! Isn't that nice? (Hint; no it isn't) And we pass the mic to Dr Cal Horton, who has some very well-expressed thoughts on the Cass review.

Michelle De Leon is the founder and CEO of World Afro Day®, 15th September. A global day of celebration and liberation of Afro Hair and Identity, with an estimated reach of 1.5 billion. Michelle successfully combines her broadcasting career of 20+ years at ITV Good Morning Britain with leading World Afro Day CIC. She has overcome her own struggles with Afro hair and was inspired by her 8 year old daughter to set up the day of celebration. Since 2017, her work has influenced the UN, UK government, global brands, international media and major celebrities. Key highlights are the Workplace Hair Acceptance report 2023; contributing to the EHRC guidelines to prevent hair discrimination in schools 2022 and a speech at the United Nations in Geneva 2018. In this episode Alicia and Michelle discuss: The significance of recognising and healing from past traumas The inspiration behind Michelle's establishment of World Afro Day The journey involved in creating and growing the movement The importance of black women embracing their natural hair and the empowerment it brings Predictions and aspirations for the future of World Afro Day and its impact on society. Learn more about World Afro Hair - https://www.worldafroday.com/ Connect with Michelle here   

On this episode, Ashleigh and Alyx go over; The Hackney by-election A new hormone clinic for young people The EHRC (again) And Alyx interviews Evan Urquhart from Assigned Media about the many difficulties facing trans people in the USA References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep97/  

On this episode, Alyx & Ashleigh talk about. For Women Scotland's court case Will the EHRC lose their A-grade from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions? Rumours of new school guidance for trans pupils. References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep94/  

In the news this week: Christian MP Nick Fletcher says any new ‘conversion therapy' law must not criminalise parents, pro-abortion MPs attempt to hijack the Government's Criminal Justice Bill in their latest effort to decriminalise abortion, and Stonewall is blasted for campaigning to undermine equality in Britain. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Christian MP warns new ‘conversion therapy' law would endanger gender-confused kids MPs weaponise Criminal Justice Bill to liberalise abortion law Problem gambling eight times worse than previously estimated EHRC chief: ‘Stonewall campaigning to undermine GB equality'

Research by the charity Stamma shows that 8% of children will start stuttering at some point. Our listener Geri, a mother who's son has a stammer, got in touch with Woman's Hour and asked us to discuss the topic. Kirsten Howells from Stamma, Tiktokker Jessie Yendle and Geri join Claire McDonnell to share their own experiences and advice.In 2013 Benita Alexander was working as a producer at NBC in New York. Tasked with putting a documentary together on renowned Swiss surgeon Dr Paolo Macchiarini, the pair soon grew close and started dating. However, not was all what it seemed with both their relationship and the success of his surgical invention. Benita joins Claire McDonnell to tell her story, as featured in the new Netflix documentary, Bad Surgeon.The UK's Equalities and Human Rights Commission is being investigated by the UN over its position on “biological sex” and the provision of single-sex spaces. We talk to EHRC Chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner. Kamila Hryshchenko is one of the highest chess ranked players in England however until very recently she represented a different nation. Kamila and her mother were forced to flee their home nation of Ukraine during the outbreak of war in 2022 and it was chess that proved instrumental to securing Kamila and her mother's safety. Kamila has chosen to now play for England and she joins Clare McDonnell.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Emma Pearce

On this episode, Alyx and Ashleigh talk about; The still awaited conversion therapy ban. The EHRC and allegations of bullying Ashleigh speaks with Dee from s3xtheorywithdee about the recent leaked guidance for schools, and we try and work out what the government intend to do with their upcoming official school's guidance.

Last month was the world's hottest September on record, while the UN have released a report calling for a half on all fossil fuel exploration after 2030. Plus: the home office have said politicians may be fuelLing the rise in trans hate crime; and a former staffer who is suing the EHRC has said the […]

In the news this week: The Online Safety Bill is set to become law after passing its final Parliamentary hurdle, school governors are urged to check their school's RSE policies for radical trans ideology, and a Hampshire mum rejoices that both of her twins are thriving after she refused to abort one to save the other. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Online Safety Bill passed by Parliament School governors urged to check for unlawful trans ideology in RSE policies EHRC calls for ‘urgent clarity' over schools' trans guidance Mum ‘so grateful' for healthy twins after refusing to abort one to ‘save the other'

On this episode -  - We talk Trans Pride Brighton with founder Sarah Savage - We hear from Caroline Nokes MP how the government and the EHRC needs to do much, much better - And we discuss what pride should be featuring chats with Just Stop Oil and Stonewall Chair Iain Anderson References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep88/ https://linktr.ee/whatthetrans

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) had one job: To protect human rights. When it comes to trans people they have arguably failed. On this podcast we go over the history of the EHRC and how it went from being pretty good on trans issues to dancing to the anti-trans tune of the government. Also: Anti-trans fascist Florida governor has announced his run for the US presidency. Nothing about that was good. References: https://whatthetrans.com/ep86/ https://linktr.ee/whatthetrans

Join David Arkell, Lysandra Naom, and Michelle Branigan, CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) on an episode all about supporting the workforce off a alow carbon economy. This episode features job opportunities, funding, skill sets, challenges and more. Check out EHRC at https://electricityhr.ca . Check out our 360 Carbon Excellence Program here: www.carbonexcellence.com. Find us at our website www.360energy.net or LinkedIn and Youtube at 360 Energy Inc. Email us at podcast@360energy.net with any comments, questions, or recommendations!

Solidarity 670, 26 April 2023. Articles: No kings, no bosses! Price inflation: facts, prospects, and responses Unions need more democracy Sudan: stop the war, fight for democracy Public Order Act imminent Organising economic life without “bosses” Russia out! Arm Ukraine! Push forward after May Day weekend strikes Union links after 21-24 April Morning Star mentions Nicaragua again The politics of emotional life EHRC flies a kite for Tory “culture-war” Diane Abbott and racism Solidarity, not saviour complex Connolly, the strike, and the children of Dublin Worker solidarity against apartheid St Mungo's strike to start mid-May STUC backs Ukraine solidarity Glasgow CCA expels Saramago Letter: The German SPD on Zimmerwald, 1915 NHS: press forward on pay Letter: Strikes, exams, and exemptions Schools: scope to escalate Support the junior doctors! Build university Marking and Assessment boycott! Michael Collins, from 1916 to 1922 Postal workers: reject Royal Mail deal! PCS reballot ends 9 May Tube pay: don't let bosses set the pace More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/solidarity/solidarity-670-26-april-2023

Christopher McDougal's latest book, Born To Run 2, revisits the barefoot and minimalist movement that upended the world of running over a decade ago when he published his first book Born To Run in 2009. But what does the latest research say and is running barefoot the key to running nirvana?SHOW NOTES:Sean Ingle's report after UK Athletics announced a “non-policy” recognition of the trans women issue and were corrected by EHRC: The statement by the Equality and Human Rights commissionThe Peter Bol doping story, as submitted by Patron Joshua StaceyThe Connor Benn doping clearance story, with much to be discussed and determinedThe WADA study on clomiphene in eggs: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19440049.2021.1949497The twitter thread that speculates about the use of biomechanics as a way to identify a doperThe article that is skeptical about barefoot runningStudy on stiffness of tendons in cushioned vs minimalist runnersOne of the reviews showing no injury risk difference between shod and barefoot runnersStudy showing successful transition to barefoot running in 71% of runners with a 20 week transition programmeNic Tam's study on individual responses to barefoot runningNic's second paper on how individuals respond to a barefoot running programmeNic's third paper on the effect of fatigue on biomechanics when barefoot vs shod Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hybrid Working and Discrimination: What are the Challenges for Employers and How Can They be Overcome? Almost three years since the UK first plunged into lockdown as a result of the global pandemic, the seismic consequences of that lockdown continue to be seen today, not least through the new model of working which has become prevalent in this country and, indeed, throughout the world. With almost unanimous agreement that hybrid working, in one form or another, is here to stay, what are the potential employment law consequences arising from this? In this podcast, Partner Merrill April and Senior Associate Louise O'Connor consider whether employers are sufficiently prepared to meet the potential discrimination risks associated with hybrid working. In particular, Merrill and Louise discuss: - Can employers afford to reject the hybrid working model? - How can employers meet their legal obligations towards employees who may be protected from disability discrimination, whilst they are engaged in hybrid working? - Is there any clarity for employers on whether long Covid should be treated as a disability, and does the EHRC code provide any guidance? - As discrimination protections continue to develop in the hybrid working area, what should employers remain mindful of regarding the risk of other forms of discrimination, including considering the socio-economic backgrounds of their employees? - In light of our experiences working from home and hybrid working over the past three years, what should employers be carefully considering given the recent announcements regarding the proposed revisions to the flexible working framework in the UK? - In the hybrid work era, how can employers take practical steps to attract and retain talent, ensure business efficacy and protect themselves from allegations of discrimination? For more information on any of the issues discussed in this podcast, please contact our Partner Merrill April and Senior Associate Louise O'Connor, both of whom specialise in employment and partnership law issues.

Tim & Co join PragerU's very own Amala Ekpunobi for a spicy bonus segment usually only available on Timcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Receive the most important news & analysis on Israel/Palestine straight to your inbox! Sign up to our newsletter, Deep Dive Daily: https://bit.ly/3LrCUxE Twitter: @pdeepdive Instagram: @pdeepdivegram   30th October 2020: How are things shaping up for the U.S. election? What difference could a Biden victory make & would it have an impact on the Middle East? And what do Mark Seddon and Ian Williams, with 86 years of collective Labour Party membership between then, make of the EHRC report into anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn's suspension? Catch up now! Ian Williams is the President of the Foreign Press Association (New York), a former president of the United Nations Correspondents Association and columnist for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.

Today on NOW with Dave Brown, April Hubbard describes “In Focus,” a new AMI-tv series that examines complex issues through a disability lens. Dawn Dickinson shares info about why the U.K.'s human rights commission is recommending that long COVID should not be treated as a disability. Community reporter Shaini Saravanamuthu in Montreal describes this year's Retina International World Congress. As Apple says farewell to the iPod, Shaun Preece of Double Tap Canada takes a walk down memory lane and discusses the legacy of the music player. And, in her Central regional report, Karen Magee describes a new centre opening in Timmins, Ontario by Access Better Living! This is the May 12, 2022 episode.

Dawn Dickinson shares info about why the U.K.'s human rights commission is recommending that long COVID should not be treated as a disability. She also tells us about a New York City campaign that is hoping to keep cars banished on select streets within the Big Apple. From the May 12, 2022 episode.

According to a survey conducted by Electricity Human Resources Canada, 48% of employees believe they increased productivity when working remotely. With that in mind, it's no surprise to see many industries adopting a hybrid model where employees have flexibility around where they work—and why prospective employees are looking beyond salary when determining what's important to them in a job. Michelle Branigan, CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada, joins us to discuss how remote working will affect the energy sector's workplace and workforce future.    Related links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-branigan-6055bb21/ https://electricityhr.ca/ https://electricityhr.ca/workplace-solutions/diversity-inclusion/illuminate-opportunity/illuminate-opportunity-endnotes/ --- To subscribe using Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405   To subscribe using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl   To subscribe on Libsyn: http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com/ --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/user/hydroottawalimited   Check out our cool pics on https://www.instagram.com/hydroottawa   More to Learn on https://www.facebook.com/HydroOttawa   Keep up with the Tweets at https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod Transcript: Dan Seguin  00:06 This is thinkenergy, the podcast that helps you better understand the fast changing world of energy through conversations with game changers, industry leaders, and influencers. So join me, Dan Seguin, and my co-host, Rebecca Schwartz, as we explore both traditional and unconventional facets of the energy industry. Hey, everyone, welcome back, has COVID-19 forever changed the way we think, perform and show up for work? There's been a huge workplace culture shift with more employees working remotely. Commuting has been possible for many years. But I think it's fair to say that there was reluctance on the part of many employers to implement digital solutions, such as video conferencing, digital sharing tools, and expansion of cloud based computing to facilitate the shift away from the office. Rebecca, did you know that, according to McKinsey and Company, COVID-19 accelerated three trends that may well last after the pandemic is over?   Rebecca Schwartz  01:21 Yeah. So the first and probably the most talked about trend is the hybrid remote work. Now, there's about 20 to 25% of computer based workers who could foreseeably work from home something like two to three days a week. That's almost five times the number of workers who were doing remote work before the pandemic. Second, not only have we become accustomed to the comforts of work from home, but we've also become accustomed to the convenience of home delivery. And I say this only based on all those Amazon packages that arrive at my door. Myself and others like me have probably contributed significantly to the growth of E-commerce and the delivery economy during the pandemic. It's just become so easy. And finally, companies are enlisting automation and AI to cope with COVID-19, and any other future disruptions. This could mean putting robots in manufacturing plants and warehouses and adding self service customer kiosks and service robots in stores.   Dan Seguin  02:23 And we haven't even touched on the great resignation of 2021. According to NPR, 33 million Americans quit their jobs since the spring of 2021. Is it about better pay, treatment, flexibility or perks? Or is it about something more like reevaluating what success, happiness and work life balance means?   Rebecca Schwartz  02:53 One thing is for sure, Dan, the pandemic has ushered in a new era that's changing the workplace and the workforce for the future, and the electricity sector is not immune.   Dan Seguin  03:03 So, here's today's big question. Can the energy sector reimagine where and how work is done to increase rescaling efforts? And is the sector looking beyond the pandemic to reimagine how and where work is done?   Rebecca Schwartz  03:23 To answer these questions, we have Michelle Branigan, the CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada joining us on the program, also known as EHRC. It is the leading source of HR information for Canada's electricity industry. Michelle, thank you for joining us again on the show.   Dan Seguin  03:41 Michelle, since the pandemic and this new hybrid world of work, what changes in the approach have you observed from energy HR leaders?   Michelle Branigan  03:53 Hi, Dan. Well, um, I would say that the work life balance discussion has been reignited, and research is showing us that many employees, current and or future will have expectations that they can work at home at least part of the week. So that has implications of course, not just on the business side; you know, think about real estate and office footprint, but on corporate culture, so employee engagement, productivity performance management. The HRC has actually conducted a number of pulse surveys over the last two years with both employers and employees. And we hold regional roundtables across the country on an ongoing basis. And I think the single biggest learning is the recognition that a hybrid work model can work without jeopardizing productivity, because that, of course, was a concern at the start of the pandemic. And that's a fair one, right? Safety is always going to be paramount for electricity; employers spread into the culture of the industry, but at the same time, the work actually has to get done. And so it's a balancing act for today's leaders. You need to make sure that you're achieving your organization's business objectives, while still taking care of employees physical and mental health. When we actually spoke to surveyed employees last year we heard that are over a little over 45% believe that they had the same level of productivity when working remotely; 48% actually said they had an increased level of productivity. And only 6% said they were less productive. But, employers who are concerned about productivity, need to make sure that their staff have the equipment, the processes, the supports, in place to do their job well, and then managers are going to need to take a more non traditional approach to understanding productivity and how you actually measure it. So that was probably the number one thing. And then I think secondly, the pandemic has really accelerated all discussion about the future of work right? Worldwide, and in our industry, of course. This is something that really is top of mind .Employees have been very vocal in expressing that they do not want to return to the same way of working as pre pandemic. It's actually the preference of many in the workforce to continue to work remotely. And that's going to pose challenges and opportunities for HR leaders over the coming years. And then just finally, very quickly, what I would say is that this is probably a little bit less about approach and more about recognition that human resources has become an essential voice, alongside, you know, operations, finance, and you know, the other core units and responding to the challenges of the pandemic and how we work as an organization going forward as a sector. All business units have had to adapt over the last couple of years. But the pandemic has shown that human resources, or HR really is a key function in every business. For years, HR professionals have reiterated the importance of managing and recognizing HR as a strategic business partner, not always with success. And I think that has drastically changed.   Dan Seguin  07:10 So true, Michelle. Now, has the pandemic, and remote working taught us anything about our workforce?   Michelle Branigan  07:20 Yes, just to pick up on that second point, people want more work life balance, it's incredibly important to them, right. Many have mentioned increased productivity as a positive result of working remotely, but even more spoke to having more time back in their life to do the things that they enjoy. They don't want to spend time in traffic that could be spent, you know, walking the dog or going to the gym, picking the kids up earlier from school is a huge thing. So even more than salary, time continues to be the most valued commodity if you want to think of it like that. But at the same time, not everyone wants to work from home all the time. So you know, there's a different side to that whole conversation. And there are other challenges. A number of people that we spoke to reported feelings of isolation, difficulty with communications with their colleagues; with their peers, and, or, an increased or extended workload. And I think a lot of us would recognize that, you know, it's very easy for a lot of people to continue working outside normal work hours, especially during those lockdowns that we had right? There wasn't much else to do. When your laptop was at the dining room table, there's a tendency to continue checking and responding to those emails. So those lines got blurred. And that's not necessarily a good thing. Now, that might change more as we come out of the pandemic, and people have, you know, get back to their lives and have different things to do. But a lot of people don't have the luxury of a separate office or a quiet space to work in. So, again, that isolation piece, people mentioned that to us and the mental health toll that comes with that. So, you know, as we move into this new world, this, I don't think there's going to be a one size fits all approach. I think collaboration, communication, productivity, they're all elements that are going to have to be considered by individual employees, as well as culture and employee morale. So, whatever work model you choose, as an employer, engaging all levels of employees and talking to them about why you're choosing one model over another- I think that's incredibly important because it will really help to increase buy in around that, you know, the opportunity to, you know, that could be things like the opportunity to collaborate knowledge sharing, mentorship, that type of thing, but just really make sure to communicate with your audience. And so they know why you're making that decision.   Rebecca Schwartz  10:03 Okay, so, you kind of touched on this, how my one sized approach does not work. So what are some of the challenges and opportunities that flexible working presents to the electricity sector?   Michelle Branigan  10:14 Well, many of our employers have committed to implementing a hybrid model for their office workforce in some shape, way or form, this is a huge change, because it's now becoming almost a de facto scenario, where many, many, not all, but many organizations are looking to do this on a go forward basis. And that was pretty unheard of pre pandemic. One of the more common scenarios I've heard today, this or that three days in the office, two days a whole model or two, three, but not everybody's going to find that that works for their business, there may be a challenge down the line from a recruitment and retention standpoint, as some individuals do not want to come back to the office at all. Again, there's no one size fits all, some companies want to go completely virtual. I've talked to a few, not very many who want everybody back in the office full time, I really think the sweet spot is in the model. It is the hybrid piece. Again, you know, we asked employees about the challenges when working remotely. Almost half of them 45% said there was no challenges at all to working remotely. But a quarter of our respondents said that their top challenge was the loss of collaboration with the colleagues, right? And then there was other challenges. Again, not having a defined workspace, not everybody has the office, IT challenges, internet, Wi Fi, those sorts of things, interruptions, and loneliness. I thought that was very, you know, that's very telling, when people are talking to you about some of those things that are on the list. Why do people like working remotely, why is a hybrid work model and that opportunity to be autonomous, important? 83% talks about commute, people do not like to spending time commuting. Better work life, balance, time flexibility, more time out of work. Some people actually even prefer working on their own right. So there's all these different things in the mix. And at the time, when this big experiment was actually going on, you have to remember that kids were doing school from home, people were trying to- everybody was in a house, either in a house with too many people or maybe isolated on their own. When people are actually working remotely without the pandemic, it's going to be a little bit different people may even prefer it a little bit more. And then one of the other things that I think is important in the electricity sector, and this gets lost sometimes is that a large percentage of our workforce doesn't work in an office. Right? They work in the field. So our PLT's, our arborists, excetera. So how do you work with that? Hybrid models can be possible for field staff, but it really depends on their specific work. And, you know, how you can accommodate that. During the pandemic, we did see some innovation; companies did make some changes. So for example, people who had their own individual work vehicles were allowed to take them home. So they didn't have to go to the office every day to pick up the work truck. They only had to come into the office now and again to pick up supplies instead of every day. New technologies allowed people to adjust field work. So they were doing safety rundowns over Zoom, for example, every morning. And they were doing remote installations directed by contractors or other team members over video who were connected to onsite staff. So that innovation there may continue once we emerge from the pandemic, depending on the circumstances. But there is a reality that it's not going to work the same way. And I think there could be perceived inequities between office and field staff, right? Regarding that continued flexibility. And I think that is a key concern for HR managers. You know, we could see resentment from those who cannot avail of those remote work benefits. So you think for an example, an office employee who's able to work from home, if they have cold or cough or they're sick, or maybe their child is sick, or there's child responsibilities, versus a field staff person who does not have that option, and is going through their sick days or their vacation days, etc. So I think there is a challenge there, and we're going to need to spend some time on that.   Dan Seguin  14:49 This is really interesting, Michelle. Let's continue the conversation on challenges. What are the potential challenges attached to leading remote teams? What skill sets do managers have dispersed workforce need to inspire innovation and drive engagement across remote teams?   Michelle Branigan  15:09 I actually think this is going to be a key area of learning for managers, and supervisors of remote teams, you know, when employees are dispersed, and sometimes it's not in the city, even in the same city, it might be even in a different province, now. That manager has less insight into what the employee is actually doing. This links back a little bit to the productivity piece, I have read about some bias existing with managers believing that those working in the office do more than those who work at home. So I think we need to guard against that, right? Especially when we have seen that productivity hasn't dropped in the Canadian electricity industry, from the employers that we've spoken with. But, there was a US survey just in the fall of 2020, Gartner survey, and they looked at and spoke to about 3000 managers and 64% of managers and executives believe that employees who are in office are higher performers than remote employees. And 76 believe that in office workers are more likely to be promoted. That's something that I want to pulse more with our industry and something to watch. I think there's a potential issue there. Obviously. Some employers are turning to software to monitor remote working employees so that the manager can verify if people are working productively from home or working at all. Now, I think that practice is pretty controversial as an employer response to remote working; it's not one that I would endorse. I think if you have to monitor your team, to that degree, you have an issue of culture and morale. And then what type of message does it send to your employees? Right? You're not trusting them from the outset, that's going to impact your ability to hire, certainly to retain. And that's not a good idea, in a tight labor market. So I think managers need to presume intent, right, presume that the majority of your teams want to go to work to do a good job to be productive, and then give them the tools to make sure that they understand and meet their deliverables. So that means that while they're doing that, there also needs to be very clear communications about an individual's role and expectations about what that role actually is, right? So that's what's really important that we don't lose that make it very clear as to what is critical. And what is important. At the end of the day, no matter what channel you're using, team communications is really important, it's too important to be an afterthought. And ensuring that you have the right tools in place for collaboration is going to make sure that your team meets the objectives, they're being productive, they're hitting their deliverables, and supporting the organization. And, from a skills perspective, very similar to what they needed to do before, you know, empathy, very strong communication skills, listening skills, I think there will be more training required on a few things. Because managers are not just going to be expected to make sure that the task gets done, but they're the main point of contact within the organization, right? Trying to make sure that the employee feels valued, feels listened to, is engaged, feels part of the company. You know, managers may need to be trained to learn to acknowledge and respond to what they hear, be that responding to topics such as work overload, illness, childcare. I do think they have a lot on their shoulders. And I would say that it's going to be really important that managers, supervisors, you know, anyone with that leadership commitment, they're all under more pressure now than ever to support their staff. And so we need to make sure that we're also looking after the managers, right? I think that is incredibly, incredibly important.   Rebecca Schwartz  19:15 Thanks, Michelle. So with the post COVID landscape coming into reality, what does it mean for office workers or field workers? Specifically with respect to maintaining that focus on employee happiness, health, and safety?   Michelle Branigan  19:29 Well, mental health was a growing concern among employers, even before the pandemic, right? So I would say, when you look at wellness, that really has become a core business priority as a result of this pandemic. You know, we've seen a major shift from an employer's responsibility for their employees physical and mental health while on the job, to looking out for their well being both on and off the clock. And I think that leaders who are mindful of employee well being really can go a long way in helping individuals balance, you know, the mental health needs by being productive at the same time, and able to contribute their best towards organizational goals. At the end of the day, most individuals want to be their best at work, right? And employers can support that through a range of different initiatives. Whether that is defining flexible work hours and flexible work, maybe focusing on effort and results rather than time spent. You know, you want to make sure managers are not micromanaging. Are you judging people's contributions to work by the fact that they are in their chair from nine to five? Or are you looking at deliverables? And I think encouraging teams to establish and respect boundaries. Because quite often, you know, a few small changes can make a really large impact in supporting employees, especially when it comes to mental health. You know, opening that discussion, and having those sort of open supportive environments where people feel comfortable communicating their needs, that's a great place to start. And really looking at your employee engagement strategy. And asking your employees, what they value most as an employee is absolutely critical. Don't presume that you know what they want or value from you as an employer, or in the workplace.   Dan Seguin  21:38 Now, Michelle, let's move from wellness to culture. How can utilities be intentional about creating a strong, positive, and inclusive company culture? What are some best practices?   Michelle Branigan  21:54 Well, I think you hit the nail on the head, Dan, in using the word intentional. There's really increasingly more pressure for organizations to be more diverse and more inclusive. And, of course, that is driven by societal forces, clear messaging from this next generation, that is values driven. They care deeply about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they are paying attention to it. They are looking at your annual reports, they are looking at your board of directors, they're looking at how your organization is represented in the media. And I speak to a lot of young people, and it still amazes me how many of them are really taking this into account, when they're actually out looking for a job. So, cultural inclusion for me, anyone knows, that knows me well, knows that I say this all the time, it starts from the top down, right? It takes commitment, it takes intention, and it has to be genuine at the end of the day. I think some of the best practices include, again, engagement and communication, you'll hear these things, we echo these words, these themes a lot. Asking employees for feedback on how to improve your company's diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Quite often, there can be a disconnect between management or leadership, and everyone else in the organization, whereas, you know, whereby the presumption is that everything is fine, there's no bias in the organization, no one feels alienated or excluded because of their, you know, their race or their gender, whatever it may be. And that's a dangerous assumption that can be easily made, just because the problems are not visible. And not just by leaders, but by anybody working in the company, right? Who may not realize that, you know, their colleague is facing any sort of difficulty or challenge based on, you know, cultural background or identity or gender. So, communication is really key. For me, another big one, setting goals and measuring results, best practice. Absolutely. If we are going to affect that cultural change and we're going to implement good practices, we need to measure and report on the progress that we've achieved and the benefits to the company and to the individual. And I would say, sometimes, you know, it can be easy for organizations to capture these good news stories or the things that they've done and report it up, report to the board, report to the C suite. Feed the information to your employees, so that they can see that there's actual genuine commitment to change there, to creating that inclusive environment, and that their feedback or input is actually being heard. And don't be afraid of the mistakes that are learned along the way because, again, this goes to the genuine commitment piece. If a company is truly responsive to the needs of the people that are working there and are making these attempts in good faith, you will get there eventually, right? So really, really important to look at that. I am going to put in a shameless plug, Dan, for the EHRC's Leadership Accord on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. So that, of course, is a framework to help companies do this; it's an actual framework that will help leaders commit to real progress and change; identify where the gaps are in their own organizations, and then put in an action plan to actually address it over a couple of years. So, it's a really good tool. And please check that out if you want to get started. And then for others who want best practices, and maybe don't know where to get started, another place is our illuminate now toolkit that's on our website. And that has tips and tools and videos to support managers to develop or enhance their best practice DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), how to strategies, right? Because there's all sorts of things that an organization can do, from diversity on hiring panels, changing the language of maternity or paternity leave, to parental leave instead, in your policies. There are so many things to do to be inclusive, to make people feel like they belong to an inclusive workplace. More than we could cover, we could cover today, but there's lots of resources there on our website to help people on that journey.   Dan Seguin  26:25 Okay, you've touched on communications earlier, let's look at it through a digital workplace lens. What are organizations discovering about effective communication and collaboration?   Michelle Branigan  26:37 It's possible, you know, IT infrastructure really is the backbone of all modern workplace communications, right? When it goes wrong, we all notice very quickly now. And with the pandemic, we actually talked to organizations about this last year, about 30% of our employers told us they had to fast forward plans for better networking and connectivity. Over half had to increase their IT functionalities by setting up VPN or buying phones and that type of thing. Most organizations were very quickly able to ensure that video conferencing applications, like Zoom, were embedded as part of that day to day work environment. We've all seen instant messaging platforms like Slack, they've grown immensely in popularity, you know, it cuts down on emails when people are working remotely. And it also provides a forum for employees to engage. It's become sort of the equivalent of the watercooler right people telling jokes or sharing. So, it becomes an engagement tool, as well as a communication tool. But regardless of all the tools that are out there, you know, there's lots of things that you can use to bring your teams together and allow them to work efficiently. But I think the key to success is actually just utilizing those, they're a means to an end, right? To encourage active communication and maintain your company culture. And that really is no easy task in a digital environment. You know, you want to make sure that folks don't feel disconnected. I personally think it will be important to try and bring people together to meet in person, at some stage, be that twice a year at a company retreat, maybe it's once a week, or once a month, at an all hands on deck day. I've heard of people doing different things; it's going to depend, of course, on the size of your company, and how geographically spread you are. But one thing, you know, that does come to mind is when people work remotely, they're less likely to have social ties at the offices with colleagues who, over time, become friends, right? And that in itself erodes the connection that they have with the company. And it makes it easier for them to quit, as well. So you know, that can impact company culture, of course, and your retention, your retention strategies. And I think of how difficult it is for that next generation of new talent, young people who are just starting on their career, maybe in the first or second job, and they're not getting all of the benefits that exist by working in the office and having the opportunity to have a mentor, to have somebody that they can connect with and to listen to some of the conversations that take place in a professional setting and to the degree that they do in the office. So, I think IT is great, but it's how we actually use it that is going to make a difference.   Dan Seguin  29:39 Thanks, Michelle. But, now, this leads me to the follow up question. How can the energy sector ensure all employees across the organization, both office workers and frontline workers, have access to digital workplace technologies and feel engaged?   Michelle Branigan  29:59 Yes. Regardless of what you do right with your office first or hybrid remote first. Getting that technology to your teams to make sure that whatever way they're doing it as a group spread out, is really important. So make sure that they have access to those tools. I think you also need to be very transparent about expectations and performance. I know I mentioned that a little bit earlier. But, I think from an engagement perspective, there's a there's a few things that can be done. You know, we've all heard the expression death by PowerPoint. I think we're all turning into- I read this yesterday, and I thought it was great. Instead of zombies, we're all turning into "Zoombies", where we're all, you know, we're all worn out by the end of the day, because we all have so many of these Zoom meetings or video conference meetings that are absolutely exhausting. So, I think there is, you know, we need to look at how many Zoom meetings that we're having, are they really necessary, sometimes the telephone is an OK way to communicate. That old fashioned way of picking up the phone and talking to each other. Do you want to have cameras on? So, for some organizations, it's very important. Maybe for small meetings, you want to make sure that cameras have to be on and that's a requirement. But, maybe if it's a bigger meeting, and you have 100 or 200 people, you don't need everybody to have their camera on. And that's okay. So, the idea is you're trying to use these tools to make and make sure that everybody is engaged, and that they're not multitasking, that they're actually paying attention to what's going on on the screen. So, taking that into account and thinking about it carefully is really important. You know, when you do have meetings, and it's a meet, you know, you have people both in the room and virtually engaged, making sure that you're calling upon those who are not physically present in the room to speak. I think that's really important; not forgetting that there's people on the screen and just gravitating towards those who are who are actually around the conference room table, for example. Have a look and see, you know, are the people in the room, do they absolutely need to be in the meeting? Looking at how many video conference meetings are necessary. You know, we're all tired of the glitchy WiFi, telling people that they're muted, all those sorts of things, right? And they can be just exhausting. And they cannot replicate real life interaction. So, just looking at your policy of how you use the tools is very important. You know, I had a mixed meeting the other day where I had people from a couple of different provinces, on my own team, and the rest of us in the boardroom, where we had to share visuals. Nothing worked; the audio was terrible and so we went away with some lessons learned from the tools that we had and how we look to set that up so that it is a more engaging meeting for everybody concerned and productive at the end of the day.   Rebecca Schwartz  32:59 I'm wondering if you have words of wisdom or lessons learned from the past two years, dealing with the pandemic, and about communicating to, I guess, such a dispersed workforce?   Michelle Branigan  33:11 I would say, and you'll both like this, in the field that you're in, you cannot over communicate. Communication, communication, communication. I think no matter what kind of work situation we're in these days, whether it's working from home, the field, the office, a mix of all three of those, one thing hasn't changed. And that's that teamwork and collaboration are as important as ever. And that teams that communicate well are going to see better business results. They're going to be more innovative, they're going to be more productive. And, really, at the end of the day, when you have teamwork that's done right, it makes everyone feel that their contributions are valued. So, providing ways and means from people to be able to communicate with each other. And as a leader, communication is extremely critical to ensure that people feel engaged. And, again, it goes back, it goes back to culture.   Dan Seguin  34:19 Very interested in your thoughts on this next question, Michelle. There's a new phenomenon taking place. It's "The Great Resignation". Has the electricity and energy sector been affected? And have we surveyed the reasons why?   Michelle Branigan  34:35 So anecdotally, we are hearing that yes, it has affected, the industry. It seems like every other week I'm hearing about retirements all throughout the industry, Dan. I actually need to do and want to do, it's on my wish list, is to do some more labor market intelligence to see how that's actually reflected in the data because it's one thing to hear about it anecdotally. I like to see the data right. So what are companies reporting on? What are their attrition rates? Where are their pain points? And what are they seeing? And is it reflected in, you know, one set of occupations more than the other, for example, are more trades people leaving because they're in the field and they've had to, you know, experience and deal with COVID implications from a safety perspective, much more than somebody that is in that office environment. Again, it goes right back to what we spoke about at the beginning and some of those differences. So, I do want to do more data on that. I would say anecdotally, yes, we're dealing with issues. I don't know we're dealing with it to the same level that we're seeing in the USA? I don't know that Canada is seeing it there. We know that there's a tight labor market out there right now. The last Statistics Canada data, just in December, reported that the National Unemployment Rate had dropped to 6%. So that was approaching pre-pandemic levels. But, at the same time, I'm talking to everybody who is struggling to find employees right now, right? In all different types of occupation. But we have actually been talking about this for years in Canada, right? Many electricity employers are seeing that with that increased turnover on that demographic time bomb that I've been talking about, you know, all the baby boomers deciding to retire even earlier than planned. Anecdotally, due to the pandemic, a lot of times. And at the same time, younger employers have different expectations as to what they want from a career in a post COVID world and the type of company that they want to work for. And so losing talent in such a competitive labor market, it's really costly. It's quite time consuming. When you factor in the cost of recruitment, interviewing, onboarding. And then there's a problem there that those who are planning to leave may check out long before they actually give in their notice, right? So you do get a loss of productivity there that can impact others in the organization and contribute to reduced morale. So I think this is something that we will definitely be looking at over the coming months and years. What does the data tell us? Why are people leaving? And if they are going, is it because of some of the things I've mentioned earlier, such as the ability to work remotely, autonomy, flexibility? Or is it because they've decided that they want a completely different career path outside of the electricity industry? And this, there's one thing that I want to talk to employers about, is their plans on workplace models and hiring. Because if you remove the requirement to live near where you work, you do open up access to a wider pool of qualified workers right across the country, right? And that's going to be attractive to some companies in a tight labor market.   Rebecca Schwartz  37:59 So, given this "Great resignation", Michelle, how can the energy sector address the work life balance? And what about promoting a healthy work culture?   Michelle Branigan  38:08 Um, it's funny, we asked employees what their managers or employers could be doing to help during the pandemic. And I think a lot of this will transition over into this new way of working, the future of work, which is not really long in the future. It's here. Flexible work hours. These are the top five things that they mentioned to us: flexible work hours, better communication, making sure that people have the equipment, or the tools for work from home needs, mental health supports, and then socialization opportunities, right? All of those opportunities to engage with their colleagues. So, I think leaders and managers can start with a few strategies to do that. First of all, just remind your teams of the many mental health resources that are available to them. If you have an employee system program, talk about it. It's amazing how many employees forget that you have one of those because it's mentioned when you are onboard, and that's about it. Again, with many employees working from home, that average workday can easily bleed into additional hours at the dining room table. So, setting boundaries for your team to ensure that they are, you know, they don't continue to work well past their usual hours just because they can. Ontario, here in Ontario, the government has just enacted the right to disconnect policy. So, setting boundaries and ensuring that your team knows they don't have to respond to emails day and night. And recognizing that people may have different work schedules, depending on what it is that they do or their home circumstances. I think it's important to communicate that. When you're looking at, you know, retaining people- simple things, this is so simple, but recognizing your staff. Saying thank you can go an awful long way, even if it's for a regular task well done, right? Employee recognition, you know, can be a note of appreciation, or just even highlighting people in your internal newsletters. Leaders really need to set an example that will build a culture of recognition throughout the organization and making sure that employees, at the end of the day, feel appreciated for the work that they do. I think those are the sorts of things that promote a healthy work culture.   Dan Seguin  40:37 Now, Michelle, what can employers and leaders do to retain and attract employees in this challenging environment?   Michelle Branigan  40:48 So, um, I would say, there's a few things here, um, again, communicate. So, to keep good employers, you want to meet their needs and their expectations, and you want to understand what keeps them inspired, right? Senior managers have to understand the dynamics of their current employee base, the drivers of turnover. And remember that the things that initially draw people to a company, which may be pay and benefits, they're not necessarily the same things that keep them there. So, think work life balance, career development, performance management, company culture, that all becomes part of the equation, when an employee starts thinking "should I stay, or should I go"? So, looking at those sorts of things from a retention perspective is really important. And at the same time, you know, there does need to be recognition that the work needs to get done. Business is business, and, so, organizations, especially when it comes to remote working, will need coverage, not everybody may be able to come from home. In some instances, employees will leave no matter what you do. And in that case, it's better to have them gone than stay and be disengaged. I think it's really important, though- and it surprises me- sometimes many people, when companies don't do this, conduct an exit interview. To gauge why they left. And then use that data to reflect on any issues that may need to be addressed. So, I think that's something important that companies need to remember. When you're looking to retain employees or attract employees, not everything is about salary, but if you're at least in the ballpark, with the industry average, or if you're not in the ballpark, that could be a reason for losing somebody to the competition. So make sure that you're competitive, highlight the non monetary benefits to address competition from other industries. So do you provide opportunities for career development, or flexible hours, or the opportunity to be mentored? For example, does your benefit plan actually benefit your employees or only a portion of those? You know, it might be time to take a look at how flexible and useful at those plans are. And then who has access to flexible work? We've seen organizations where some managers allow their employees flexibility, while others don't. So I think the principle of fairness is going to apply here. Companies need to be consistent in whatever approach that they take. Another item, this is going to be incredibly controversial over the next year, Dan, and we're watching it closely, but it's the idea of reducing pay for those who work remotely. What happens when employees move to locations with a lower cost of living? Should employers lower their compensation, even though the impact of the employee's work hasn't changed? I think that is something that I'm reading about more and more, it's coming up more and more in conversations. And I think this is going to be very impactful from a recruitment and retention perspective. You know, think about an individual who has been working remotely and you know, they're now asked to come back into the office one day a week, they have a long commute, if there's only one day a week in the office or one day a month, they're more likely to be willing to put up with that. But if suddenly that changes to three day weeks, three days a week, well, then the question is, is the job and the commute worth it? Or is it more important to me, my home base, where I live, is that more important? So these are all the scenarios that, and the conversations that we're going to be having, with employees over the coming year. And I think one of the more innovative things that people need to do, as well, is really try and look at progressive HR practices to stay on top of what's actually motivating employees. So, you know, not just talking about exit interviews, but doing stay interviews. Asking people what will make them stay? What do they enjoy about working at your organization? And then developing retention plans based on workforce demographics, you know, because your your 22 year old may have a very different perspective to your 45 year old or your 55 year old. And so these are some of the things that I think are really important to think about, as we have multi-generations working in workplaces right now that have different values, not all different values, but some different values as they move through their careers.   Rebecca Schwartz  45:36 With all these changes in the workplace, such as values and expectations, can we future proof learning and development? And how can the sector better prepare the employees for this new future of work?   Michelle Branigan  45:48 I would say that it is critical to acknowledge that we're now in a state of continuous learning, it's not enough just to get your Engineering degree or to get your Journeyperson Ticket and think "that's it. I'm set for the rest of my career". Most people will have a number of different roles in their careers now. And so, as the technology advances and the industry evolves, the skills and competencies required to remain relevant in your job are going to increase. I see that right throughout all occupations. So, I think there's personal responsibility there on the part of the employee to understand the impacts and to evaluate their skill sets and see what they need to do. From the employer's perspective, oh my gosh, it makes absolute sense to support the professional development of your employees for so many reasons, right? Offering training and development opportunities. It's a great strategy to keep engagement high. But make sure it's relevant to employee goals, ask employees what they think would benefit them in their, in their, in their aspirations. Challenge workers by giving them more interesting work and stretch assignments. And really, you know, continuous learning and managing talent should be one of the key tactics that are discussed by your HR teams, to give opportunities to your employees, just to continuously develop. Whether that's through in house training, or support for them to do something, you know, external education, but show your employees that you're interested in developing a career path along with them. I think that's really, really critical.   Dan Seguin  47:25 Okay, Michelle, we always end our interviews with some rapid fire questions. Are you ready?   Michelle Branigan  47:33 I am.   Dan Seguin  47:34 Okay, let's go. What are you reading right now?   Michelle Branigan  47:38 Well, I'm hooked right now by a series of books called the enemy. It's a post-apocalyptic young adult horror series. It's written by Charlie Hickson. The books take place in London after a worldwide sickness has infected everyone 16 and older and has turned them into creatures similar to zombies. Basically, all the adults are eating the kids. It's extremely gory. And it makes the pandemic look like a walk in the park. And it's really noted for the fact that it kills off any possible character. So it really leaves you on edge all the time. So, that's what I am hooked into right now. And I run into my 13 year old's bedroom every now and again, very, very upset that they've killed off yet another one of my favorite characters.   Dan Seguin  48:32 Now, Michelle, what would you name your boat? If you had one?   Michelle Branigan  48:37 Oh, my gosh, "Let Me Off". I'm not one for boats, Dan, I'm too claustrophobic and I feel like I should be doing other things. So, I'm great for an hour. But then after that, yeah, get me out of here and onto dry land.   Dan Seguin  48:49 Now, who is someone that you admire?   Michelle Branigan  48:53 Oh, I don't know how anyone right now could say anything but Ukrainian people at this moment in time, right? The bravery and strength and staying there to fight for their country. The fear and the strength that those who must flee, that have children and babies in their arms; it's just heartbreaking to watch. And just the strength that we're seeing coming from everybody in that, from that country right now. I think that's top of mind. For all of us.   Dan Seguin  49:23 So true. Moving on to the next one. What is the closest thing to real magic that you've witnessed?   Michelle Branigan  49:31 Oh my gosh, Dan and Rebecca, I really struggled with this one. I think I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to magic. I cannot think of anything for this except maybe that I suspend all cynicism when I go to Disneyland. And just get right into it. I love it. I would go again and again and again. So that's, I think, the closest to magic that for me,   Dan Seguin  49:54 What has been the biggest challenge to you personally, since the pandemic?   Michelle Branigan  50:01 For me, not being able to travel home to my family in Ireland. And then more generally, travel. I love to travel. Reading and travel; film. Those are my things. I get itchy feet really quickly. And so, like many people, I just think it's that sense of frustration when you can't just get up and go. Italy is my favourite country in the world. I can't wait to get back there. But, other than that, over the last couple of years, you know, I have to say that I have counted myself very lucky. We have a comfortable house, we've got a nice garden, food on the table. And I really do think that there's a big difference between want and need. And I think as a society, we have to, I think, start maybe being a little bit more grateful for what we have.   Dan Seguin  50:43 Okay. We've all been watching a lot of Netflix and TV lately. What's your favorite movie or show?   Michelle Branigan  50:52 For me, "Ozarks". Great acting, great writing. Absolutely superb. Loving it. And I'm looking forward to diving into the last six or seven episodes of "The Walking Dead". You might have got that reference from my reading material.   Rebecca Schwartz  51:10 Lastly, Michelle, what is exciting you about your industry right now?   Michelle Branigan  51:15 Oh my gosh, I would say the change. Change. Everything that's going on. It fascinates me. It drives me. it's exciting. You know, we're all talking about net-zero. We're talking about electrification, low carbon, climate change, you know, what kind of world are we going to live leave for our kids and our grandkids? And everything that's going on right now, it's probably very easy to become pessimistic, when we see some of the things and some of the challenges. And you know, you look at all the fires and the floods and everything like that. But, I think our industry is really motivated to address some of these challenges. And so, the change is what excites me and how we get there.   Rebecca Schwartz  51:58 Well, Michelle, that's it. We've reached the end of another episode of The ThinkEnergy podcast. If our listeners want to learn more about you and your organization, how can they connect?   Michelle Branigan  52:08 Go to our website, electricityhr.ca, a wealth of information there for folks. And, of course, I'm on LinkedIn, and always happy to hear from people. That's our, one of our jobs here and roles here is to talk to people about all these challenges and issues. And so, I love hearing from our industry folks as to the ideas that they may have to help us as we move this industry forward.   Dan Seguin  52:35 Again, Michelle, thank you so much for joining us today. I hope you had a lot of fun.   Michelle Branigan  52:40 I did have a lot of fun. Thank you both so much, Rebecca, Dan, always a pleasure to talk to you.   Dan Seguin  52:46 Thanks for tuning in to another episode of The ThinkEnergy podcast. And don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review wherever you're listening. And to find out more about today's guests or previous episodes, visit thinkenergypodcast.com. I hope you'll join us again next time as we spark even more conversations about the energy of tomorrow.

This week, friend of the show Abigail Thorn (@PhilosophyTube) joins us to discuss the EHRC's turn towards belligerent transphobia. One might go so far as to say that they've violated Riley's Law, but there's an American dimension: British transphobia is beginning to appear in American legal statutes, cited approvingly. Seems bad! We also discuss an app to buy your way into government? And some admittedly out-of-date reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (we recorded this on the day it started). If you want access to our Patreon bonus episodes, early releases of free episodes, and powerful Discord server, sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/trashfuture *LIVE SHOW ALERT* We will be doing a live show in London on Wednesday, March 2. Get your tickets here! https://www.designmynight.com/london/whats-on/comedy/trashfuture-live-pre-election-christmas-spectacular *MILO ALERT* Milo has a bunch of live shows this month in both London and Prague. Check them out here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/live-show *WEB DESIGN ALERT* Tom Allen is a friend of the show (and the designer behind our website). If you need web design help, reach out to him here:  https://www.tomallen.media/ Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and Alice (@AliceAvizandum)

Britain's human rights watchdog faces a legal challenge to its status over a row about transgender rights. LGBT charities want the UN to revoke the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) status as an independent group. It comes after the EHRC was criticised for calling for a pause to proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. The EHRC has raised concerns about the impact on single-sex services. Today's Justin Webb speaks to Nancy Kelley, chief executive of Stonewall. (Image Credit: Press Association)

he Equalities and Human Rights Commission is supposed to be Britain's official equalities watchdog, but after u-turning on trans rights - after a series of Tory appointments and its former chair warning it was under political pressure to back the government agenda - it's been engulfed in scandal.Investigative work by journalist Ben Hunte has uncovered private meetings between the EHRC and anti-trans rights organisations, while whistleblowers have told him about an anti-LGBTQ culture at the organisation and a failure to recognise racism, leading to an exodus of staff. Ben Hunte joins us to tell us the details, and we're joined by trans commentator Katy Montgomerie to put it all into context.Plus: after author Kate Clanchy piled on a reviewer who pointed out racist and bigoted passages in her books - which she falsely claimed she hadn't written - the author has been turned into a martyr, while women of colour who spoke out about it - and the racism of the wider British publishing industry - have been vilified and dogpiled. We speak to celebrated author Monisha Rajesh who has been viciously trolled online over the saga to tell us the truth.Please subscribe - and help us take on the right wing media: https://patreon.com/owenjones84Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-owen-jones-podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We review the further state of institutional rot in the U.K., where a lot of our most prominent dunces are feigning surprise that the met police, EHRC, etc., may simply have been rotten all along. Also, we review Ark's Big Ideas Summit, which is essentially a kind of Autonomous Cars for Christ pamphlet. Get the whole thing on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/62033688 *MILO ALERT* Milo has a bunch of live shows this month in both London and Prague. Check them out here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/live-shows *WEB DESIGN ALERT* Tom Allen is a friend of the show (and the designer behind our website). If you need web design help, reach out to him here:  https://www.tomallen.media/ Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and Alice (@AliceAvizandum)

It's LGBTQ+ History Month and we're doing things a little differently this year, giving you TWO episodes in one week! In part two, we chat to Adam Zmith, author of Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures, and third creator of the Log Books to we discuss some interesting findings from his new book! We round part two off with a brief note on the recent EHRC statement and the LGBTQ+ organisation statements that followed, plus our highlights of the week! Stay tuned to the end to hear who we have coming in next episode.If you haven't already, check out part one as we speak to two of the creators of The Log Books podcast, Tash Walker and Shivani Dave. Check out linktr.ee/bottomingpod, follow on Instagram and Twitter to see BTS video content at @bottomingpod and find more resources from this season at bottomingpodcast.com. You can now rate and review us on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts - we'd love you even more if you did! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bottomingpodcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Gray Report on Downing Street parties. Challenges to Johnson. The Ukraine situation. Neil Young, Joe Rogan and Spotify. Gender, the Scottish Government and the EHRC.

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In this episode of HJ Talks about Abuse podcast, Alan Collins and Feleena Grosvenor discuss the legal agreement between the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the East of England Ambulance Service Trust. In June 2020, the Care Quality Commission (“CQC”) concluded an inspection into the East of England Ambulance Service Trust. The CQC reported that thirteen cases of sexual misconduct by staff had been reported to the police. The information was received from seven whistleblowers in relation to "safeguarding patients and staff from sexual abuse, inappropriate behaviours and harassment". In August 2020, the CQC approached the Equality and Human Rights Commission (“EHRC”). The EHRC entered into a legal agreement with the Ambulance Service due to the “egregious breaches of the Equality Act”. This is the first legal agreement between the EHRC and an NHS Trust. The agreement lays down specific measures, including: Carrying out a staff survey to assess levels of sexual harassment within the trust Implementing training which responds to the findings of the survey Reviewing its Dignity at Work policy to include a clear harassment strategy statement and procedure Having board and senior managers take part in a workshop on sexual and predatory behaviour Completing risk assessments to identify areas in the trust where sexual harassment is most likely to occur and putting appropriate measures in place We encourage anyone who has comments or concerns relating to this subject, or about abuse in general, to get in touch with Alan Collins at alan.collins@hughjames.com or Feleena Grosvenor at Feleena.grosvenor@hughjames.com.   Sources: East of England Ambulance Service Trust in legal agreement to tackle sexual harassment - BBC News NHS East of England Ambulance Service paramedic jailed for sexual assault of patients - BBC News  

This week there is TOO MUCH NEWS The EHRC are called out by LGBT Orgs! A court case in Northern Ireland is COMPLICATED! Trans masculine surgeries halted on the NHS! And we talk with trans activist legend Christine Burns about how Coronation Street helped advance trans rights in the 90's! (As well as LOADS of other stuff). References: https://bit.ly/3u6QJrO https://linktr.ee/whatthetrans

Britain's COVID policy has failed women so badly that organisations from Amnesty to the Fawcett Society have called for the EHRC to intervene. Why can't our blokey-bloke Cabinet understand that more than half the population is being hit harder by the virus – and getting less help? Plus special guest Caroline Lucas MP explains the radical, cross-party Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill. And as Samira Ahmed (possibly) takes over Mastermind, what are our panel's specialist subjects and starters for ten?“Three million and more people have had no support since March. That's unforgivable. And it hits women disproportionately.” – Caroline Lucas “We need a lot more bolshy, aggressive, assertive policies if we're going to get gender parity around COVID and beyond.” – Miatta Fahnbulleh“To be fair to the Government's sense of imagination, they have found imaginative ways to spread COVID” – Ahir Shah“When you have a PM who uses terms like ‘girly swot' and ‘big girl's blouse', that's not someone who's very interested in gender equality.” – Caroline LucasPresented by Naomi Smith with Miatta Fahnbulleh and Ahir Shah. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trevor Phillips OBE ARCS FIC is a British writer, broadcaster and former politician. In March 2015, Phillips was appointed as the President of the Partnership Council of the John Lewis Partnership for a three-year term. His is the first external appointment since 1928.Phillips is deputy chairman of the board of the National Equality Standard, and other business appointments include chairman of Green Park Diversity Analytics, director of WebberPhillips, a data analytics provider; and director of Pepper Productions, an independent television production company. He is a member of the board of the Barbican Arts Centre and the Council of Aldeburgh Music; and a trustee of the Social Mobility Foundation, among other charities.Phillips is a former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and a former television presenter and executive.Phillips became head of the Commission for Racial Equality in 2003, and on its abolition in 2006 was appointed full-time chairman of its successor, the EHRC (initially called the Commission for Equality and Human Rights), which had a broader remit of combating discrimination and promoting equality across other grounds (age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation and gender reassignment).[3] The EHRC also had the role of promoting and defending human rights, and secured recognition as the national human rights institution for England and Wales (alongside separate commissions in Northern Ireland and Scotland). Phillips' tenure as EHRC chairman (which at his request became a part-time position in 2009) has at times been controversial.This interview was recorded during the period of the lockdown.Support the show (https://www.interactstrokesupport.org)

Nuclear is a word with numerous applications that mean wildly different things: nuclear family, nuclear bomb, nuclear war. In this episode, we chat about nuclear energy with Matthew Mairinger - a technical engineer at Ontario Power Generation and the Canadian Operating Officer at The North American Young Generation in Nuclear - and debunk some of the most common myths associated with it. Is it safe? What impact does it have on the environment? Is radiation something to be concerned about? Tune in to hear why there’s nothing forced about Matthew’s positivity over the future of nuclear energy.   Related Content & Links:  - Matthew Mairinger Twitter: @MattwithchipsLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mairinger-p-eng-19524380/  - The North American Young Generation in Nuclear Twitter: @NA_YGNWebsite: https://naygn.org/   Transcript: Dan Seguin  00:02 Hey, everyone, welcome back to another episode of the ThinkEnergy podcast. Nuclear is a word with numerous applications that mean wildly different things, nuclear family, nuclear bomb, nuclear war, and the Springfield nuclear power plant where someone like Homer Simpson seems to be the sole control room operator "d'oh". Nothing scary about that! When most people think of clean energy, they immediately conjure up images of solar panels, wind turbines, and hydro power. But how many of you also thought of nuclear reactors? The truth is nuclear power is often left out of the Clean Energy conversation despite it being the second largest source of low carbon electricity in the world. In fact, according to the American Nuclear Society, the third most popular myth about nuclear energy is that it's bad for the environment. But the reality is that nuclear reactors don't emit greenhouse gases. And over their lifetime, they have comparable emissions to wind and solar. Here in Canada, nuclear plants have been producing electricity since the early 1960s. And with 19 nuclear power reactors, mostly in Ontario, nuclear energy produces about 15% of the country's electricity. That's 13.5 gigawatts of electrical power capacity. Despite producing massive amounts of carbon free power, nuclear energy also produces more electricity on less land than any other clean air source. A typical 1000 megawatt nuclear facility will occupy approximately only one square mile for its operations. Recent estimates of the Canadian nuclear industry reveal that it employs approximately 30,000 people and creates another 30,000 indirect jobs through contracting. It also generates revenues of $6.6 billion and contributes $1.5 billion in federal and provincial taxes. So here's today's big question. What does the future of nuclear energy look like for the next generation? And how is Canada leading the way internationally with some exciting developments in nuclear technology? To help us better understand the role nuclear plays in Canada and the talented people behind the scenes, we have with us today, a nuclear engineer from the Ontario Power Generation, and the Canadian Operating Officer for the nonprofit organization, North American Young Generation in nuclear. I'm very pleased to have Matthew Mairinger on our show. Welcome, Matthew, could you maybe start by telling us a bit about yourself and what attracted you to the career in nuclear energy?   Matthew Mairinger  04:13 I guess I really got interested in nuclear in high school. It was just an essay that we got to do about any topic in science. I started looking into nuclear power. And I was just like, Wow, this is amazing the energy density, how it can fight climate change the medical isotopes we get from it so that really got me hooked. And from there, I went to University of Ontario Institute of Technology, where I studied nuclear engineering. I've been working full time at Ontario Power Generation at both the Darlington and Pickering nuclear stations ever since. And on the side I'm also a board of director with North American Young Generation Nuclear, Canadian Nuclear Association with the International Youth nuclear Congress. I'm also on the Energy Council of Canada as a young professional member. So lots of things, but it's all focused around energy and specifically nuclear,   Dan Seguin  05:09 Generally speaking, what important role does nuclear energy play in Canada? In your opinion? Why should Canada and other countries around the world continue investing in nuclear energy?   Matthew Mairinger  05:22 Yeah, so nuclear plays a huge role in Canada, and especially for Ontario. So nuclear technology, each year displaces 80 million tons of CO2 emissions, which is around 17 million cars. Also 70% of the world's supply of cobalt 60, which is used for cancer treatment, to sterilize medical equipment, to sterilize food and to do inspection of materials comes from Canada as well. So it's a huge portion of the world's cobalt 60. In terms of jobs and the economy, it contributes $17 billion to Canada's economy each year. And it has 76,000 direct and indirect jobs. So it's a lot of work behind the scenes. And it's a huge backbone of well paying stable jobs here in Canada. So why should other countries around the world continue investing? So really, it's to do with uranium and nuclear itself. So uranium 235, which is one of the isotopes that we use for nuclear fission, contains two to 3 million times the energy equivalent of oil or coal, so you're just getting so much more bang for your buck for that. And that means that it can use a much smaller land footprint, use less materials and produce less waste, it also has a huge capacity factor. So if you're looking at what's going to produce stable, dependable energy, it's really nuclear, which is over 90% capacity factor. So if we're looking to electrify the grid, we're looking to charge electric cars overnight. If we're looking to run hospitals reliably, you know, it's the nuclear facilities that have a 60 to 80 year lifespan, high dependability, high capacity factor. And if we look at the countries that have been able to decarbonize the fastest, so Sweden, France, United Arab Emirates, they've actually used nuclear to get there. So contrary to what people may think that nuclear takes a long time to build, to get going. It's really quick at decarbonizing countries.   Dan Seguin  07:30 Okay, Matthew, you're on the board of directors for the nonprofit organization, North American, young generation in nuclear. What is your organization's mandate? And what is it that you hope to provide the future nuclear enthusiasts and professionals like yourself?   Matthew Mairinger  07:50 Yes, so there's 50 young generation and nuclear organizations around the world. Typically, either countries or big organizations will have their own youth nonprofit group for NAYGN. It's all across North America. And really, we provide opportunities for young generation of nuclear enthusiasts to develop leadership and professional skills, create lifelong connections, engage and inform the public and inspire today's nuclear technology professionals to meet the challenges of the 21st century. So, so mouthful, really, we're trying to develop leaders to energize the future of nuclear. And we do that through professional development. So we put on facility tours, where members get to go see how the fuel is made, or what a research reactor looks like. We do work with Toastmasters. So to increase your public speaking abilities, we do community service, so we go out, we work with Habitat for Humanity, we work with other groups in the communities to give back as well. So we give them an avenue to give back to the community and also to put a positive spin on nuclear, but also young people as well. You know, there's this, this misconception that millennials are lazy, and we're this not the best type of group out there. So we're trying to fix that. We also do networking events. So again, just an avenue to get to know other people in the industry. So we'll do Blue Jays games, we'll go to sporting events. And we work on public information as well.   Dan Seguin  09:24 Maybe you can expand now on how your organization is working to be a source of science based information about applications of nuclear science and technology for use by the media, policymakers and the general public.   Matthew Mairinger  09:42 Yeah, so that's a huge backbone. So one of our board of directors is the public information officer. And so under that board seat, there's actually student education and government relations. So two separate committees that have a big focus for any NAYGN. So for student education, Each year we run a drawing contest. So we go to elementary schools, we have a different topic. So we'll talk to them about nuclear. And we'll get them engaged thinking about it. At high schools, we have an essay contest again. So just trying to make nuclear not a secret, not this unknown. You know, we're going to schools, we're talking about it. We actually developed our own children's books a couple years ago. So the first one is Marie's Electric adventure. And the second one, the sequel is George's energy adventure. So we bring that to schools, we do school readings. And really what we're trying to do is we're trying to talk about nuclear, in a friendly tone, we're trying to expose students at a younger age to think about it as a career to promote it as a stem opportunity as well. So just trying to debunk some of the myths out there, get them interested at an early age, for government relations, we do postcard push days. So we encourage our members to send postcards to Washington and Ottawa, we do rallies, we do stand up for nuclear, we participate in Clean Energy Ministerial United Nations Climate conferences, so really trying to advocate for nuclear from a nonprofit youth organization. So it's a little bit different than having company representatives there that we are in our free time, volunteers advocating for climate change.   Dan Seguin  11:27 Okay, Matthew, your organization recently signed a memorandum of understanding with electricity, Human Resources Canada. What can you tell us about the importance of this collaboration?   Matthew Mairinger  11:40 Yeah, being a youth nonprofit organization, we try to work with other organizations out there, we're not trying to create everything from scratch. So EHRC really has a huge network of not just nuclear groups, but clean energy groups, as well. So a lot of expertise out there that we could tap into. And really what it is, is they have a great focus for diversity. And they have a great focus for the young generation. So they've done specific surveys about young people across Canada in the electricity sector. So it made a lot of sense for us to share what we're doing with them. And then also for us to learn about what they're doing in the industry as well.   Dan Seguin  12:23 Now, your organization has also been an advocate and champion for diversity and inclusion within the nuclear sector. Can you maybe tell us about what it means to you and what it means to the nuclear industry.   Matthew Mairinger  12:41 So I think it was really, especially during COVID, and the events that happened around the world last year, that really brought diversity and inclusion to the forefront. And we saw a lot of the statements that were made across the electricity sector across other companies as well. And we want to make sure that when we said something as a board that we made it part of our long term strategic initiatives, it wasn't just a shallow statement that, you know, as soon as it went out of the public's attention span that it would go away. So every two years, we actually run our own career report, we send out survey questions to our members. And we found that the gender diversity was pretty close to the industry, but still lagging. So that's around 35% women, and the rest were men. So because of that, we also found that our diversity in terms of minorities and representation, were actually lagging in the industry. So this was kind of a shock to us. And we thought, as a nonprofit, we're doing really well on this. And really, we took a strong look at ourselves. And what we did was we had an external audit of our organization for diversity and inclusion. And really, they had a number of things that we could change. So, you know, we noticed that when we did our survey, we had a binary gender collection, so it was male or female. So we're going to change that going forward. We noticed when we had speakers, were we considering the diversity of the speakers. So that was another thing for us to self reflect on. We have a book club, where we choose diverse authors and diverse types of topics to discuss, our website -where the picture is being shown that it shows diverse and inclusive crowds, the video content, and this was really interesting. We didn't have captions on our videos. So we were actually, you know, a bias against muted viewing and hearing impaired. So again, just simple things like this, targeting our reach and amplifying NAYGN's diverse communities as well. So from that we started creating an unconscious bias webinar series. We had chapter recognition so we have awards now specifically to recognize diversity and inclusion at the chapter level, we're changing our nomination process or elections. And we actually signed on to existing types of initiatives. So that equal by 30, and then through EHRC's leadership accords, and we signed an MOU with women and nuclear and National Society of Black Engineers we're working on as well.   Dan Seguin  15:22 Now, Matthew, are you seeing a shift in what nuclear professionals care about? What are some of today's challenges for nuclear technology professionals?   Matthew Mairinger  15:34 Yeah, so I'd say young nuclear professionals today, they care more about that work-life balance, and especially now with COVID, we've seen that you know, the work from home, and having more flexible hours, that's a big thing. If you're taking care of a family, you want that flexibility. And we also see that a lot of the young nuclear professionals really care about the impact to the community. So what is that company doing to give back to the community? Are they involved in community outreach events? Are they involved in supporting local types of initiatives? So really, that's what we're starting to see more of a focus for the young professionals is, you know, they really want the company to reflect their values they want to have that are part of their core mandates. And some of the challenges right now, I'd say are the energy uncertainty right now. So, you know, nuclear does require an investment from the government. So if Pickering nuclear is shutting down, that is the uncertain future is what is the long term Energy Outlook going to look like? Will there be a job for them? Is it worth studying in school? Because it takes a long time to license to do the environmental assessment. So that's kind of always on the top of people's minds. What does the government think of nuclear energy?   Dan Seguin  16:56 So I hear that you work at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario. Maybe now you can help me better understand why nuclear power plants, particularly Canada's, are considered among the safest and most secure facilities in the world. And can you talk to us a bit about plans for the refurbishment of existing plants and why it's so important?   Matthew Mairinger  17:26 Yeah, so I think it's, it's almost like an aircraft. When people get on an airplane, you know, they may hear of an accident and they think it's unsafe. But the most unsafe thing you do for air travel is driving to the airport. It's a human's ability to risk perceive. So Nuclear Generating stations are actually among the safest in the world. And we take that down to the lowest level. So when you go to the OPG sites, hold the handrails, there's a defensive driving type of computer based training that we take. And also after the Chernobyl accident, the World Association of Nuclear Operators was created. So they do external audits for safety all across the world. There's also insurance inspections. There's the United Nations inspections. So there's all these different groups doing independent reviews for safety. But safety is the number one priority. And we definitely see that reflected in the company culture. In terms of refurbishment. So Ontario began refurbishing 10 of its 18 power reactors in 2016. And refurbishment is expected to create over 30,000 jobs for the duration of the project. So just a huge amount of jobs being created. And if we look at the cost of nuclear, it averaged around 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour, which was 30%, below the provincial average. And after the refurbishment, we're looking at the cost of nuclear in 2015 speed eight cents a kilowatt hour. So Still, the second cheapest after hydro. So that's why it's so important. It has such a big contribution to getting to net zero to reducing emissions for providing well paying jobs and fighting the climate change that we need to have as a focus.   Dan Seguin  19:18 Matthew, all nuclear power reactors in Canada are candu reactors, correct? Okay. First, what does CANDU stand for? Second, I was made aware that several other countries use our technology. At a high level, what sets Canada's reactors apart?   Matthew Mairinger  19:40 Yeah, so we have 19 reactors here in Canada, 18 of them in Ontario, and all of them are the CANDU type reactors, so CANDU is actually an acronym for Canadian, deuterium, uranium. So that's what it actually stands for. What that means is, that's really how it So Canadian self explanatory, deuterium is heavy water. So instead of using light water, which is the normal water that everyone's used to, heavy water actually has an extra neutron in it, which is really good for slowing down neutrons to make a really efficient reactor. And really, that's what set ours apart from other types of reactors. So around the world, there's gas cooled reactors, there's light water graphite reactors, there's fast breeders, pressurized heavy water reactors, pressurized water reactors, boiling water reactors, so lots of different types of technologies that they use. Fundamentally, there are three big ones, pressurized water reactors, they pressurize the one side of the system, so that the water never boils, boiling water reactor, it just has one open system. So as soon as the water is heated up from passing over the reactor, it boils, it's all open to the same type of system. And the candu type of reactors, they're really different, because instead of enriching the fuel, we use natural uranium. But what we do is we use that heavy water as the moderator. So we actually spend some money upfront and change the water to this different type of properties, which is good at slowing down the neutrons, so then we don't have to enrich the fuel. So what this means is, we don't need enriched fuel. And then when we're done with our fuel, it's a much lower enrichment. So when we're having that spent fuel put away, it's a much lower radioactivity than if we had enriched that. So it's, it's really hard to say which one is better. They all have their pros and their cons. The good thing about the candu technology as it has two independent shutdown systems, because it uses your natural uranium, it is much safer to handle and to dispose of, we have a vacuum structure. So I quite like the Canadian technology, I think it's really good. We have a really good supply of uranium here in Canada. So it made sense for us to use that natural product rather than building enrichment facilities and going through those extra steps.   Dan Seguin  22:17 Now, there's still a myth that nuclear energy is not safe. Some associate nuclear bombs with nuclear reactors. I'm not sure if you watch the HBO series Chernobyl. But can you explain to the audience why an incident, like what occurred in the Soviet Union in 1986 is very unlikely to happen here. Perhaps you can also talk a bit about radiation.   Matthew Mairinger  22:48 Yeah. So I always just like to start off with a quote, this comes from the book A Bright Future. It says, "In thinking about nuclear power safety, one should always ask compared to what? And the answer is compared to coal, the world's dominant and fastest growing fuel, the leading cause of climate change, the fuel that kills a million people a year - compared to that." So I think we always have to ground ourselves in what we are actually comparing to. And if you look at the numbers, the best analysis for safety is called the death footprint. What it does is it compares coal, it compares oil and hydro, compares nuclear, solar and wind, to the worst case scenarios from Fukushima, Chernobyl. And it says how many people are actually dying from this energy source at the same amount of energy produced, so it puts it all on the same scale. And what it actually shows is that nuclear is orders of magnitude safer than coal and oil, because it doesn't produce pollution. So millions of people every year are dying from pollution from respiratory issues. And nuclear energy, for example, results in 99.8% fewer deaths than brown coal. So it is just so clean. And again, it's this people see a Chernobyl miniseries on HBO, it's you know, produced by Hollywood, they say a large number of people died, where people hear about it in the News, the news and everything else is to amplify the message. So it's trying to do this scare tactic to really, you know, show nuclear disaster in Japan, but no one really follows up on it. So it is amongst the safest. It produces no carbon dioxide, it doesn't produce mercury, and it doesn't produce all these harmful things that burning coal and gas does as well, and why it's very unlikely here compared to Chernobyl. So Chernobyl was a nuclear design that used graphite as a moderator. It had no containment structure. It was run during the, in the Soviet times during the Cold War, where they had no external agencies looking at it, they had political appointees in the control room, just almost everything wrong you could possibly imagine was done there. So, so now we have independent shutdown systems, we have containment structures, we have external agencies looking at the safety records. So there's just so much that has changed from that. And nuclear technology is so new people forget that, you know, it's only in the last 50-60 years that we learned about it. So there was obviously going to be some bumps in the road at the start. But you know, we've learned from that, especially these new designs, they're passively safe. They're inherently safe. So we've taken those lessons learned. And it's very, very, very unlikely here. So in terms of radiation,  one thing I just want to get right off the bat is, radiation is a form of heat transfer, there's conduction, there's convection, and then there's radiation. And radiation as a form of heat transfer is how we actually heat up the planet. So across the vacuum, radiation is the only way to transfer heat from the Sun to the Earth through space, which is a vacuum. Now, the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes x rays, gamma rays, but also radio waves, and microwaves and visible light that we see, we can only see a billionth of a billionth portion of that electromagnetic spectrum. And for non ionizing radiation, that ionization means that the radiation's energy can produce ions, which are charged atoms by knocking negatively charged electrons off of a neutral atom. So non ionizing radiation, there is no proven biological mechanism whereby non ionizing radiation might cause cancer. So those are the radio waves that we come in contact with. That's all the microwaves that we see out there. It's only when we come into the higher energy, which are the X rays, and the gamma rays, which are actually higher frequency waves, that they are considered ionizing radiation. So with that in mind, just want to say that, on average, we all receive around two to three millisieverts of radiation each year. And that varies considerably based on how high up you are, you'll get more radiation at higher altitudes, and also the environment that you live in. So for resonance in Ramsar, Iran, they can receive up to 260 millisieverts per year, which is around 100 times the global average, just due to naturally occurring radioactive elements around them. But there's actually no evidence of any adverse health effects in those areas. So this is always good to keep in mind that there's no just standard level of radiation that people are exposed to. And it also depends on how many medical treatments you have. So some of the chemotherapy or medical imaging can introduce quite a bit more radiation into different people, radio sensitivities. So really the best analysis is the ICRP estimates that around 200 millisieverts raises the risk of cancer (fatal cancer) by 1%. So that's always good to keep in mind when we hear all these numbers and we see the dose charts after Chernobyl or Fukushima, and sometimes people forget, but the baseline lifetime cancer risk for females is around 38%. And for males is around 45%. So there's actually quite a bit of cancer, regardless of radiation just from the cells dividing. But radiation actually has a lot of positive things that it does. So when we have food, we can actually bombard it with radiation. So gamma rays, and this doesn't make the food radioactive. It doesn't make it harmful, but it destroys the bacteria which can cause a lot of problems around the world which has a lot of health issues. We can sterilize medical equipment with this. With radiation, we can treat cancers, we can do medical imaging, we can look for defects and products that we produce. So radiation is all around us. There's radon in your basement, there's potassium 40 in your bananas in the soil, there's radiation, actually, coal burns, releases quite a bit of radiation as well because they're just burning natural elements from the ground. So you'll release thorium, you'll release uranium, release polonium, so actually the stack from coal actually releases around 100 times more radiation than the nuclear station. So being around that. So I think that's always key, as well as to compare the radiation to other things around us. But radiation has been around since the start of the universe. It's, it's, it's there forever. And we're still living with the products there as well. Hope that explained it,   Dan Seguin  30:18 Matthew, how has the pandemic changed the nuclear landscape for Canada. Did you need to pivot, whether in terms of production or operations?   Matthew Mairinger  30:31 COVID, has actually really opened people's eyes to risk. So you know, now every day you go to the grocery store, you're taking a slight risk. And it really shows that there's always risks in the world. And we just need to define what we're comfortable with. And nuclear has also really been a backbone here during COVID. Because we need the hospitals, we need our homes to be heated, we need the grocery stores, we need these fundamental sources of electricity. And we need to be assured that while everyone's running around scared about toilet paper, I saw no one panic about electricity, which was really important. So I think people are learning more that electricity needs to be stable. We don't want blackouts, blackouts cost lives. And that was something that I think people are starting to become aware of. We did need to change some of our outages, so across the nuclear sector for refurbishment and outages, they do have a large amount of contractors and other people coming together. So some of those were deferred a couple of months due to COVID. But other than that, we've had stable electricity being produced across North America and across the world, to nuclear.   Dan Seguin  31:47 Let's talk about the future and Canada's role in nuclear innovation. I know this is something your organization is part of. But can you talk to us a bit about small modular reactors? What are they? And what are their benefits?   Matthew Mairinger  32:06 So I think we saw in the nuclear sector a growing trend to get bigger and bigger and bigger. You know, we started out with very small reactors, and then they got to 1000 megawatts electric 1300-1400. Because as you get a bigger type of reactor, in terms of neutron efficiency, it does have some advantages. But what we saw then was, you know, the only countries that could start to build these were countries that had fully developed nations, they had a lot of government support. And really, we're starting to exclude some of the key sectors. So for example, in the mining communities, for remote communities, for developing nations, they couldn't have access to this. So what small modular reactors really are, are, they're smaller. So you know, we're looking at the order of 300 megawatts electric and smaller, all the way down to under one megawatt electric, which is very good for remote communities for mining communities as well. They're modular, so they're prefabricated in manufacturing. So instead of doing everything on site, you can almost do it through economies of scale, where you produce all the components together and then that reduces the cost as well. And that also allows countries or organizations to start with one type of module. And you know, if the community expands in size, they can add a second one, so it's a modular design that allows them to expand as they need to. And again, this is the new type of designs that they're doing. So they would put these in the communities, they can't melt down, you can't make weapons from them. So they're using the latest type of physics in these types of designs. So there's many different types of designs, but really, what they're doing is they're taking the latest learnings, the latest operating experience, just to make them the safest. The other advantage of small modular reactors as well as they operate at a much higher temperature. So now what you can do is you can use that waste heat, you can split water into hydrogen, so you could be producing hydrogen for the transportation sector, you could look at desalinization, you have all these other type of benefits, since they operate at a much higher temperature, and they could be placed within communities   Dan Seguin  34:32 Per the small modular roadmap, when do you expect the first ones to come online?   Matthew Mairinger  34:39 Yes, so the first demonstration unit is going to be cited at Chalk River by 2026. And the first on-grid small modular reactors are actually going to be built at the Darlington site as early as 2028. But again, small modular reactors really have been in existence since the start of nuclear. They've been in submarines. They've been in demonstration units. So I think some people are concerned that this is a new technology, but really, we've had them for quite a long time. But now they're getting focused. They're trying to do new designs. But we've already seen this in the nuclear sector since the early 50s.   Dan Seguin  35:21 Okay, Matthew, are you ready to close this off with some rapid fire questions?   Matthew Mairinger  35:27 Sure.   Dan Seguin  35:28 Let's go with the first one. What is your favorite word?   Matthew Mairinger  35:32 Got to say, verbosity, it's just the quality of using more words than needed. wordiness I just think the word itself is so pretentious to describe pretentiousness, it's great.   Dan Seguin  35:45 What is one thing you can't live without?   Matthew Mairinger  35:48 Oxygen.   Dan Seguin  35:49 What habit or hobby Have you picked up during shelter in place?   Matthew Mairinger  35:55 So with the gyms closed, I really got back into running. So I ran my first marathon during that. So opened up a positive trait, I guess.   Dan Seguin  36:03 If you could have one superpower, what would it be?   Matthew Mairinger  36:08 Oh, time travel for sure.   Dan Seguin  36:11 If you could turn back time and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you tell him?   Matthew Mairinger  36:17 I'd say to get more involved in nonprofit into these types of organizations through high school through university. They provide a lot of benefits. And I really wasn't aware of them until after I graduated.   Dan Seguin  36:30 And lastly, what do you currently find most interesting in your sector?   Matthew Mairinger  36:37 So I think it's really our impact on fighting climate change, fighting pollution, you know, we're still kind of the underdog out there. So we're still fighting to get recognized but lots of opportunities. And I really think it's going to be the sector that makes the difference.   Dan Seguin  36:53 Well, Matthew, we've reached the end of another episode of The ThinkEnergy podcast. Again, thank you so much for joining us today. And I hope you had a lot of fun.   Matthew Mairinger  37:03 Yeah, no, thanks for having me. And great to be part of this.   Dan Seguin  37:11 Thank you for joining us today. I truly hope you enjoyed this episode of The ThinkEnergy podcast. For past episodes, make sure you visit our website hydroottawa.com/podcast. Lastly, if you found value in this podcast, be sure to subscribe. Anyway, this podcast is a wrap. Cheers, everyone.

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