October

We started October by formally launching our newest network group, Ethnicity Inclusion, to coincide with the start of Black History Month. Chaired by our Head of Airborne Communications, Folayo Osekita, the group aims to create a better and fair ethnicity balance within Leonardo at all levels. Following its launch, we published an interview with Folayo about his time in the Aerospace and Defence sector, in which he spoke about challenging and changing perceptions.

During Black History Month, we hosted a virtual panel session alongside our partners at Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK), where guests from across UK industry debated how to make positive strides in achieving ethnicity balance. Later in October, we teamed up with AFBE-UK again to deliver virtual NextGen STEM events, including a talk on 'Becoming an Aerospace Engineer' from Leonardo Systems Engineer, Hania Mohiuddin, based at our Luton site. Earlier in the month, Hania had spoken to BBC Three Counties Radio about the dream that inspired her to follow a career in engineering, and why she thinks diversity is so important to the sector.

Continuing the Black History Month celebrations in October, AFBE-UK Scotland hosted their Diversity and Inclusion Awards. At the event, we were proud to sponsor the Outstanding Mentor award, presented by Nerys Thomas, Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Leonardo UK, and won by Philip Enegela. Rounding off the month, our colleagues took part in Wear Red Day, marking the 25th anniversary of the national anti-racism awareness initiative.

We shared a Sustainability Statement in October, including a Carbon Reduction Plan, coinciding with the run-up to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Put forward by our Head of Sustainability, Jane Cumisky, the statement outlined our UK sustainability strategy, which is is set across these three core pillars: People, Planet and Prosperity.

Also in the month, we published AW149 - A Pilot's Perspective, a video featuring Mark Burnand, Chief Test Pilot for Leonardo Helicopters. In the short film, Mark describes some of the key features of the multi-role helicopter, which brings the latest generation capability to the modern battlefield. In other helicopter news, the Royal Canadian Air Force celebrated 20 years of service of the CH-149 Cormorant, which was first delivered by transatlantic flight from Italy, via Yeovil, in October 2001.

We marked World Mental Health Day with a virtual session for employees, with guest speakers, Clarke and Carrie Carlisle. Former professional footballer Clarke, and his wife Carrie, a columnist and author, joined leaders from across our UK business to share their inspiring story of overcoming depression.

There was plenty to celebrate at awards ceremonies in October, too. At the Make UK Midlands and East Regional Awards, Leonardo apprentice Solomon took home the Engineering Apprentice Rising Star Award. A week later, Devon, an apprentice at our Yeovil site, won the Engineering Apprentice Rising Star Award in the South Regionals. We wish them all the best of luck in the national finals in January. Meanwhile, at the Women in Defence UK awards, each of the shortlisted Leonardo nominees was put through to the final, which would take place in November. The news came just weeks after Ada Lovelace Day, on which we celebrated the achievements of all the women at Leonardo, who contribute so much to every part of our business, in reference to Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer.

Finally, Nick Whitney, Leonardo Helicopters UK MD, joined trainees to bury a time capsule at our Yeovil site, alongside representatives from the local business community. The capsule, which was designed and manufactured by our Helicopters trainees, is due to be opened in 100 years’ time. Graduates from across our UK sites were invited to contribute towards the project, which will provide recipients with a fascinating discovery in 2121.