Celebrating women for IWD – Florence Newman

It’s day 3 in our week of celebrating the female colleagues in the Hub for International Women’s Day 2024. Today, we’re joined by Florence Newman, Senior Project Support Officer for our regional team.

What do you do at the Hub?

I am a senior project support officer in the Regional team. This means I support all local authorities and community groups with their energy projects in any capacity that they need.

What made you want to get into the net zero sector?

Working in the sustainability sector makes me feel like I am making an impact and helping others understand a very complex and daunting area of business that is often overlooked. To work as a project officer in the regional team, I go to work everyday proud in what I do. I am working alongside likeminded people that are not afraid of a challenge and willing to think outside the box to make the world a better place.

What has your greatest success been?

My greatest success is building confidence in myself and pursuing a career in this sector. I started my career in a very male-dominated industry and was often embarrassed to have an input in case I was seen as not knowledgeable enough about sustainability or not knowing the technical answer. The Hub has enabled me to gain that knowledge and understanding to be able to support our partners overcome their constraints and barriers.

What role has the Hub played in supporting your journey?

The Hub has empowered me as an individual to grow on my key strengths. I’ve gained confidence to lead on discussions with our partners to support them and use my initiative to push forward ambitious targets. The Hub has allowed me to develop as an individual and find my voice while making me feel like a key asset in the team.

Do you have any advice for women who want to work in sustainability?

Sustainability can be a little daunting due to the scientific nature of the technical details of projects however everyone as a project team has a valid input, sustainability is like a giant puzzle and needs a range of abilities in order to complete. Be confident, ask for help, and be interested in learning as there will be a lot of it!

Join us tomorrow for another story from our inspirational team. If you missed them, make sure you read our first two stories from Serena Bacuzzi and Stephanie Jananga.