WiRE at Canada-UK Chamber: A Reflection on Impact
By Shraddha Nair
LONDON, England – September 22, 2026 — Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) continued its ongoing engagement with the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce on September 22 at Dion, St Paul’s in London. As the WiRE UK London Chapter Leader, I attended on behalf of the organization to reinforce WiRE's presence within the international business community.
As with every networking event, the evening opened with a short speech by Nigel, followed by acknowledgements of a few new chamber members. The room then opened up for networking. I spoke with representatives from a legal firm’s litigation team, learning how their practice spans both Canada and the UK. As the evening progressed, I also reconnected and met with representatives from the Ontario Trade & Investment Office and Aplomb Translations.
Towards the end of the event, after speaking with the chamber's committee team, I learned about their upcoming annual flagship gala in November. This closed, fundraising event brings together private and public sector organizations to support the chamber’s treasury. It is through these funds that the chamber is able to host events throughout the year where NGOs and charities—like WiRE—are offered complimentary attendance. While WiRE (and I am sure other non-profits) is deeply grateful for this platform to accelerate our advocacy work and mission, the event left me reflecting on the broader efficacy of such networking setups.
A large segment of the attending organizations comprises regional government departments, fellow NGOs, law firms, and private financial institutions. Yet, there remains a missing link in how an NGO like WiRE can network effectively to build mutually beneficial partnerships—where the other party clearly sees the value of collaborating with an organization dedicated to empowering and advocating for women in the energy sector. There is a clear need to step back and evaluate how WiRE can network with greater purpose to ensure a meaningful return on our engagement.
Ultimately, this is also a reflection on how outside organizations, including the Chamber, view NGOs—often as entities that bring minimal commercial value to the cohort. That narrative needs to change, and perhaps the upcoming year-end gala is the right place to start turning things around.
That being said, turning things around starts with choosing to show up. A sincere thank you to the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce for hosting us at Dion, St Paul’s and for generously supporting Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE). Platforms like the Chamber are invaluable, and we encourage organizations across the energy sector to get involved in their network. As we look toward the November Gala, WiRE is excited to evolve this relationship—moving from complimentary presence to true strategic partnership, and setting a standard for how NGOs and industry leaders can build lasting, mutually beneficial impact together.
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