Executive Search

Pride Conversations: Why They Still Matter

As a fully remote company, it’s more important than ever to keep learning and developing in ED&I, making sure every voice is heard no matter where we work from. Demi Pilavakis, Senior Business Services Administrator and proud Musketeer, offers a personal reflection on what LGBTQ+ progress looks like from her home in Cyprus. Her honest perspective reminds us why it’s so important to keep the conversation about Pride going, no matter where we are in the world. Reflecting on LGBTQ+ Progress from Cyprus While we continue to celebrate the progress made in the UK, I felt it was important to reflect on the ongoing challenges that many LGBTQ+ people still face, especially from my perspective living in Cyprus, where acceptance and visibility can be very different. Having recently moved to Cyprus, I’ve observed stark cultural differences in many areas of life. Cyprus is more conservative than the UK, influenced by its strong religious foundations, particularly the Orthodox Christian faith. These beliefs shape societal views on sexuality, often leading to challenges for the LGBTQ+ community. Cyprus’s division into the predominantly Turkish Cypriot north and Greek Cypriot south adds complexity. Despite differing religions and languages, both communities share conservative cultural values. This contrast made me start to compare Cyprus’s and the UK’s advancements in LGBTQ+ rights. I am not part of the community, but support all humans and their rights to be authentically themselves in society, if they are not harming others. Small Freedoms, Big Differences In the UK, same-sex couples can live openly, express affection publicly, and access a variety of LGBTQ+ spaces, including bars and clubs for their communities, all protected by law. Although, I have heard in recent years these are closing due to rising costs. These freedoms, though commonplace in the UK, are harder to exercise in Cyprus, especially for locals. Legally, Cyprus protects LGBTQ+ rights, and expatriates I have personally spoken with often feel freer due to fewer familial expectations. However, for Cypriots with traditional families, there’s a strong sense of shame associated with being open about their sexuality. This shame stems not from internal conflict but from the fear of bringing embarrassment to their families. In smaller, close-knit societies like Cyprus, everyone knows everyone, intensifying this pressure. The emphasis on family values and maintaining a certain image can delay individuals from coming out until later in life. Making progress with Pride Although Cyprus is making progress with a Pride parade and increasing visibility, the cultural and religious landscape still poses challenges. For instance, Paphos, with a population of approximately 35,961, has only one gay bar, operational since 1933. In contrast, Sitges, near Barcelona, with 20,000 residents (which increases to 60,000 over summer), boasts 20 gay bars and LGBTQ+-friendly hotels. That is not to say there aren’t gay-friendly establishments on the island, just not so many created specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. Many younger Cypriots returning from studying abroad bring back more open-minded views. Exposure to multicultural environments fosters acceptance, but returning to a smaller, closely monitored community can feel stifling. Some of my LGBTQ+ friends here feel freer in cities like Athens, not because of a vastly different culture but due to the anonymity larger populations offer. In Cyprus, gossip travels quickly, and even distant acquaintances can pose judgment. Keeping Pride Visible All Year In the UK, we might take our freedoms for granted. Perhaps our quicker progress is due to being a more multicultural society, where diverse norms have led to greater acceptance. There will always be bullying and close-minded people in the UK too. Cyprus, though progressing, is doing so at a slower pace, and many still feel compelled to conceal parts of their identity to protect their families from perceived shame. This isn’t about being ashamed of ourselves; it’s about not wanting to bring shame upon our parents. This recurring theme in conversations highlights the strength of family ties but also underscores the work needed to create a truly open and safe environment for all. I reached out to the LGBTQ+ Cypriot Diaspora community to review this piece. Their insights are invaluable. They pointed out that Cyprus banned conversion therapy in 2023 - a move the UK has yet to make. The law also prohibits advertising and penalises guardians who refer minors to such practices. As an EU member, Cyprus repealed British colonial anti-LGBTQ+ laws in 1998. Hope and Activism in Cyprus Activists on the island are making meaningful changes. Notable organisations include: Accept – LGBTI Cyprus: Founded in 2011 in Nicosia, focusing on legal reforms, public campaigns, education, and support. Organisers of the official Cyprus Pride Parade. Kuir Kıbrıs Derneği (Queer Cyprus Association): Established in 2007 in North Nicosia, concentrating on LGBTQIA+ rights, strategic litigation, and community support. Played a role in decriminalising homosexuality in the north in 2014. Queer Collective CY: A grassroots group active since 2020, emphasising queer art, cultural events, and intersectional activism. Prioritises safe, expressive spaces over formal advocacy. Cyprus still has work to do in terms of visible social options for the community and fostering a society that balances its religious heritage with acceptance of all communities. However, change is underway. Initially, I viewed Cyprus as lagging, but I’ve witnessed positive developments in a short time. Why This Matters at Rullion Supporting Pride shouldn’t be limited to one week or month. For me, it’s about staying aware of what freedom, safety and belonging look like for our colleagues, wherever they live and work. In Cyprus, I’m lucky to work alongside others in our Rullion family, including our CEO James Saoulli, who shares a commitment to ED&I and people-first values. These conversations remind me that we must keep showing up, listening, and learning (even when progress can feel slow). Our people power everything we do at Rullion. That’s why we support the Musketeers, share real voices and stories, and stay focused on unlocking potential for everyone, everywhere. Unlock Your Potential with Rullion Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond the workplace, it’s at the heart of how we help candidates find roles where they can truly thrive. Whether you’re starting a new journey or looking for the next opportunity in critical infrastructure, discover how Rullion’s people-first approach can help unlock your full potential. Explore current opportunities and take the next step in your career with us: Jobs at Rullion. Written by Demi Pilavakis, Senior Business Services Administrator and Musketeer at Rullion.

How Rullion and SAP Fieldglass are Powering Workforce Transformation in Renewable Energy

As governments and industries commit to ambitious climate targets, the energy sector is undergoing the biggest workforce transformation in a generation. But the promise of solar, wind, and nuclear energy won’t be realised without one critical resource: people. And right now, the demand for skilled talent far exceeds supply. In a recent conversation between Alistair Haigh, Commercial Solutions Director at Rullion, and Vicky Revis, EMEA Lead at SAP Fieldglass, they explored how workforce management must evolve to support the energy transition. The growing talent demand in renewable energy This big push is seeing the renewable energy sector scaling at a rapid pace. And with this comes a growing urgency for skilled talent to plan, build and operate energy infrastructure across solar, offshore wind, hydrogen, and nuclear. Hiring has been brought into sharp focus. Organisations are working harder to engage directly with talent, align with universities, and sell purpose-driven missions. They're also turning to consultancies like Rullion and SAP to streamline their workforce planning processes and ensure they have the right people in place to meet their goals. Workforce challenges in renewable energy One of the major challenges is the reliance on external talent. Because external contractors, consultants, and service providers account for approximately 50% of the energy sector's workforce, visibility and control over how they are brought into your organisation must be swift, reliable, and process effective. And if you’re still reliant on emails and CVs buried in inboxes, that’s not a sustainable way forward. The energy sector also brings added complexity: health and safety onboarding, fluctuating project needs, and high compliance risk. Margins are tighter than in traditional energy. That makes it vital to strike a balance between accessing the right skills and maintaining cost control, especially when nearly half of the workforce is external. How technology enables workforce agility In the renewable energy sector, workforce needs shift rapidly depending on the stage of a project. Managing this dynamic demand calls for a system that provides full visibility and control across the external workforce lifecycle. That’s where platforms like SAP Fieldglass come in. They enable organisations to standardise and streamline how they manage contingent talent, covering everything from sourcing and onboarding to compliance and invoicing. Managers aren’t buried in admin, and processes become repeatable, scalable, and aligned across suppliers. As Vicky Revis put it, “Technology is not a silver bullet, but when it's supported by strong policy and processes, it creates a sustainable and repeatable system for engaging talent.” Flexibility throughout the project lifecycle Every energy project moves through distinct phases, from early design and planning through to construction, commissioning and operation. Each phase requires a different set of skills and workforce demand. For instance, the build phase may require large-scale contractor mobilisation, while the operational phase focuses more on maintenance and repeatable tasks. There will be different commercial setups, contracting models, and recruitment flows depending on the work required at each phase. Fieldglass helps organisations build those variations into their processes by providing visibility on the best way to engage talent for each stage, benchmarking and setting appropriate rate cards to avoid overpaying for in-demand skills, and automating workflows so managers aren’t expected to become procurement experts overnight. Utilising data for strategic workforce planning As energy infrastructure evolves, so too must the way organisations plan and manage talent. And at the centre of this shift is data. Access to historical data allows hiring teams to understand what happened on previous projects: how much was spent on contingent labour, what caused budget overruns, and how talent mixes impacted delivery timelines. It gives you the opportunity to question what you can learn for new and upcoming projects. Rather than relying on retrospective reporting alone, businesses can now use this data to make more confident decisions in real-time. AI and large language models can identify patterns across workforce trends, project data, and other external factors to help forecast the skills and resources needed for upcoming work. But for AI to work, it needs fuel. The output is only as good as the data you put in. That means ensuring all valuable data, such as timesheets and onboarding notes, change requests, and delivery timelines, are captured in a structured, accessible way. If your data lives in inboxes or is buried on someone’s desktop, it can’t be analysed. The more accurate and complete your data is, the more powerful your insights will be. Reskilling and transitioning talent into renewables With an ageing workforce and growing demand for talent, there’s a huge question around where talent is going to come from and whether there’s a skills shortage. That all depends on how you look at it. For years, adjacent industries have been developing skilled professionals who already have the qualities and transferable skills or knowledge we value in the renewables space. For example, moving rotating mechanical engineers from oil rigs into wind farms is just a matter of reskilling. Data and AI can come in real handy here, too. Instead of reviewing thousands of CVs, organisations can use AI to scan databases, detect patterns in career paths, and surface candidates with the potential to seamlessly pivot into renewables. These tools make it easier to understand which skill sets are adaptable and which individuals could be trained quickly and effectively. Once a shortlist is created, the human element is still needed, especially when it comes to assessing cultural fit, motivation, and readiness to retrain. But AI helps teams get to that point faster, with more confidence and less manual effort. Future trends with new skills and new tools As energy systems modernise and evolve, so will the nature of work. Where engineers once climbed turbines, drones now capture images. And instead of needing just engineers, we now need drone pilots, data analysts, and AI modellers to process the imagery. However, this shift doesn’t replace humans; it redefines where their value lies. You still need people, but now you need data at the heart of your workforce strategy to plan intelligently and act with confidence to make informed strategic decisions. Building a future-ready workforce The renewable energy transformation depends on new approaches to workforce management, one that’s agile, data-driven, and widens the scope of traditional methods. Explore how SAP Fieldglass helps organisations manage external talent with greater control, visibility, and speed. Talk to Rullion for expert support in attracting, engaging, and retaining the skilled renewable energy professionals you need to help you get work done. Book a discovery session or explore our full-suite of workforce solutions. Watch the full interview between Alistair and Vicky.