The Women in Defence Charter (WiDC) welcomes their newest signatory, Ultra, in supporting gender balance in the Defence industry. Ultra joins the Charter’s growing list of signatories and supporting organisations from across the defence industry, from prime manufacturers, SMEs and trade associations.
By signing the Charter, Ultra pledges to be the very best at driving inclusion and diversity within their organisation and to provide opportunities for women to succeed at all levels. Ultra has also committed to supporting the progression of women and publishing progress annually against their internal targets. The Charter was signed by Steve Izquierdo, Chief HR Officer and Executive Team member at Ultra.
Signing the Women in Defence Charter aligns with Ultra’s long-term Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, which focusses on promoting the fair treatment of everyone within Ultra and our stakeholders. Ultra believes diversity is key to success and so in 2021 created a Uniquely Ultra Employee Resource and Networking Group, which helps shape priorities, raise issues, and share best practice for Ultra. Uniquely Ultra reports directly to Ultra’s Executive Team through the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As a result, Ultra is making a significant commitment to supporting gender balance in the defence industry and transparently reports its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion index scores for 2020 and 2021 and showcases its targets for 2022-2024.
Mark Ealing, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ultra said:
“It’s been proven that more diverse and inclusive companies are more successful businesses. One of Ultra’s key areas of focus is to ‘succeed through all types of diversity’ this includes gender balance but also much more.
“We are very proud of the progress we’ve made so far in improving all areas of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Joining the Women in Defence Charter is another great step in supporting underrepresented groups in the defence industry and accelerating our support and development of women in Ultra.”
Sophie Thomas, Industry Co-Chair of the Women in Defence Charter and Service Delivery Director at AQUILA, said:
“Ultra is a very welcome signatory to the Women in Defence Charter. Their pledge to supporting our 30 per cent female representation at all levels across the defence sector by 2030 is crucial as we look to progress gender balance in the defence industry.
“All at the Women in Defence Charter look forward to working alongside Ultra to drive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the defence sector and create more opportunities for women to succeed at all levels, creating long lasting change.”
ENDS.
About the Women in Defence Charter
The Charter was launched in 2019 and its purpose is to bring gender balance across the defence sector by bringing together organisations across the UK who are committed to building a more gender balanced environment.
We aspire to see women represented and succeeding at all levels across the defence enterprise because a balanced workforce is good for government and for good for business, good for customers and consumers, for profitability and workplace culture, and for showing everyone matters in building stronger and more peaceful communities.
For more information about the Women in Defence Charter, its signatories, and its initiatives, please visit the website, or follow it on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Ultra
Ultra provides application-engineered solutions in the key elements of mission critical and intelligent systems. Through innovative problem solving, using sustainable capabilities and evolving technologies, we deliver outstanding solutions to our customers’ most complex problems in defence, security, critical detection and control environments. For more information, visit www.ultra.group.
Women in Defence Charter Media Contact
Joscelyn Turner
T: 0207 091 4531
Ultra Media Contact
Gabriella Colley
T: 07891206239