Adriènne Kelbie, ONR Chief ExecutiveONR's Chief Executive Adriènne Kelbie, was recognised as Transformational Leader at the Northern Power Women Awards 2019, an event that celebrates the women and men working towards accelerating gender diversity across the Northern Powerhouse.
Adriènne, who is also the Patron for Women in Nuclear and POWERful Women ambassador, was one among this year’s 900 high calibre nominations, across categories including Agent of Change, Person with Purpose, Innovation, and Mentor of the Year, as well as her own, Transformational Leader.
She won the award in recognition of her work in leading ONR through significant change while, in parallel, driving gender balance. In just over two years, she drove an increase in women working for ONR of 32%, by encouraging them join and to reach their full potential.
During her time at ONR, staff trust in leadership has increased by 40 percentage points, alongside a 20% increase in feeling proud to work at ONR – significantly above the public sector benchmark.
Adriènne, who is the first Chief Executive and the first female senior officer in ONR in 60 years, said:
“I am shocked and humbled just to have been nominated for this award, and to have reached the shortlist among some of the highest calibre of women, men and organisations in the north of England feels overwhelming.
“I do believe that the sector is full of great people, and I’m thrilled to work with many of them at ONR. Thank you to everyone who made this possible and congratulations to all the 900 nominated: we are all working hard to help people feel included and be their best. Playing a small part in such a big legacy is incredibly rewarding, and I am grateful to be able to help and to make a difference.”
Adriènne promotes the benefits of diverse teams because they improve decision making, and so safety - clearly a vital consideration in the nuclear industry.
Northern Power Women is a collaborative campaign to from the North of England, creating opportunities and transforming the culture of organisations by recognising, celebrating and showcasing role models.