2026.04.09
Parallel Potential - Supporting Female Rugby Players to Thrive in Dual Careers On and Off the Pitch
Following the success of the ground-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup held in 2025, Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V has continued to its support for Women in Rugby by launching ‘Parallel Potential’, an initiative which aims to support female rugby players to develop workplace skills alongside their playing careers. Recognising that this was an area requiring further support, Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V took a bold step towards helping to shape the future of female athletes. While sports sponsorships are often associated with brand awareness and fan engagement, this initiative goes further — creating an environment where players can successfully balance their sporting careers with professional development. In this article, we explore the background, key activities, and future of this commitment.
Contents
Partnership with Women in Rugby
As a partner of Women in Rugby since 2023, Mitsubishi Electric Europe has worked on several initiatives to support female athletes, including a content series on LinkedIn in partnership with World Rugby featuring members of the World Rugby organization giving insights into workplace challenges such as work-life balance, career development, as well as providing practical advice on ways to navigate them. Using this knowledge and personal experience from some former and current athletes, the series supports education around what athletes’ experience in the workplace really looks like.
Parallel Potential Campaign
’Parallel Potential’ is a purpose-driven campaign that advocates for women who pursue rugby while building careers off the field. The launch was aided through a collaboration with professional women’s rugby team, Trailfinders Women, who play in the PWR league in England.
Mitsubishi Electric Europe created a series of videos in collaboration with Trailfinders Women, highlighting the challenges players face in balancing work and sport. Insights from these interviews emphasized the importance of flexibility, trust, and understanding, which shaped the ethos of the campaign and can be viewed on YouTube (above) or on the Parallel Potential website.
Putting Parallel Potential into Practice
Sally Williams
Trailfinders Women Back Row & Corporate Communications Co-ordinator at Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V.
Through Mitsubishi Electric Europe’s research, it became clear that female athletes develop workplace-relevant skills such as clear communication, confidence in speaking up in traditionally male-dominated fields, and being at ease with adaptability and change. Putting these themes into practice Mitsubishi Electric hired Trailfinders Women’s player Sally Williams as part of the European Corporate Communications team. Sally’s full-time role has been designed with flexible hours, allowing her to balance both her professional rugby commitments and her corporate career. With her club based nearby to the office, she is able to transition between both roles easily.
Next Steps
The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 was an iconic moment which put Women’s Rugby firmly on the world stage. However, the work to support women playing rugby continues. The ultimate goal of Parallel Potential is to create a space for athletes, not just rugby players, to thrive in and out of their sport. There is a requirement for a change in mindset on all sides to achieve this, and Mitsubishi Electric wants to be the kick-starters to initiate this change.
