Discover Shell’s structured approach to delivering diversity through DEI, promoting workforce representation and inclusion.
Shell: Delivering Diversity Through DEI Planning
Shell is a UK-headquartered global energy leader and leading FTSE multinational company.
Shell has an ambition to become one of the most diverse and inclusive organisations in the world. A key enabler of this is creating a diverse workforce that reflects the communities Shell operates in and developing a culture of belonging.
Shell UKās actions and progress
Shell UK has taken a structured and transparent approach to advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) across its operations, putting in continued effort, collaborating, and having a continuous improvement mindset.
DEI Planning: Race & Ethnicity actions are embedded in annual DEI plans and made visible to employees.
Workforce representation, retention and development:
Since 2020, Shell UK has set Race & Ethnicity aspirations aligned to the Census and reports on progress internally and externally.
Voluntary self-ID was introduced to better understand workforce demographics, identify gaps, and inform actions.
In 2024, ethnic minority groups made up 25.5% of Shellās UK employees (up from 24.8% in 2023) and 19.6% of senior management positions (up from 18.2% in 2023)
Ongoing initiatives addressing areas of challenge regarding representation and inclusion:
A middle-management diagnostic, conducted in partnership with BITC, examining representation and recommending actions.
A reverse mentoring programme pairing Black employees with Shell UKās senior leadership team. Leaders are accountable for translating insights into actions, with the UK DEI team.
Ethnicity Pay Gap:
Shell UK has voluntarily reported its ethnicity pay gap since 2020, disaggregating data from 2022 onwards to highlight differences in outcomes across different ethnic groups.
In 2024, the mean ethnicity pay gap – calculated across five separate ethnic groups compared to employees from a white ethnic group – ranged from ā28.1% to 20.5%, an improvement from ā31.4% to 38.9% in 2023.
Early Careers Pathways:
Shell UK focuses on Early Careers as a key lever for improving diversity and representation. In 2025:
The Shell Apprenticeship Programme recruited 15 Apprentices.
A partnership with social mobility charity upReach led to:
One upReach student securing a graduate role
A one-week work experience programme delivered in collaboration with Shell UKās Black Employee Network.
Four Assessed Interns recruited through participation in the 10k Black Interns programme
38% of incoming graduates were from ethnic minority backgrounds, with 15% identifying as Black.
Meaningful partnerships:
Signed the Change the Race Ratio commitment and joined its Steering Committee.
Participates in the BITC Race and Gender Leadership Teams.
Supports volunteer led employee networks, sponsored by Shell UKās senior leadership team.
Social investment impact:
Shell UKās SkillsTransition programme aims to help 15,000 people into jobs with a focus on the energy transition by 2035, through upskilling, reskilling and empowering the next generation of energy professionals.
This programme, focused on broadening access to those with barriers to employment, has already engaged over 5000 people through partnerships with further education colleges and specialist employability charities like Catch 22, Breaking Barriers, Shaw Trust, upReach, and Good People (over 50% from ethnic minority backgrounds and over 25% Black).
Lessons learned
Shell UK is proud of its progress, while recognising there is still more to do. Drawing from experiences and challenges, Shell encourages other organisations to:
Prioritise fewer, more impactful activities.
Align plans across all levels, from the senior leadership teams to networks to employees. Everyone has a role to play.
Ensure accountability sits across stakeholder groups outside of HR, including senior leadership teams.
Reprioritise when needed to improve quality of delivery.
Strengthen collaboration with employee networks and seek their input.
These learnings are now part of Shellās ways of working, enabling continued progress in advancing workforce diversity and fostering a culture of belonging across Shell UK.
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