Response to news reports on workplace culture at Sellafield
Our response to Guardian article on workplace culture
We’re incredibly proud of our world class workforce and we do not recognise the opinion in the Guardian as truly reflective of the culture at Sellafield today.
Much of the Guardian’s commentary relies on the opinions of a former contractor Alison McDermott, who was contracted by Sellafield Ltd for a total of 21 days in 2018.
Her contract was legally terminated owing to performance issues. This was the judgment of the Employment Tribunal, which was later upheld on appeal.
We have been open about historical cultural issues and our focus on addressing them.
Our regulator has confirmed that there is no risk to public safety as a result of these issues.
Mental health and suicide are complex and affect people in all walks of life. Every suicide is a tragedy for all those touched by it.
We are not aware of any link having been made between working at Sellafield and an increased risk of suicide. No public authorities have ever raised a link between working at Sellafield and an increased risk of suicide. There is no evidence of unusually high prevalence of suicide among our workforce.
There are also references made to sexual assaults and harassment in the Guardian’s reporting. We have asked the Guardian for evidence to investigate as we are not aware of the specifics of these claims. The Guardian has not provided this. We urge anyone with knowledge of these claims to provide details so we can take action.