A Lookout for Women of Energy

The new world order is evolving every other day. The dimensions of social, familial and professional lives are reshaping to adapt to a changing paradigm, the essence of which lies in holistic inclusion- a place for one and all. Skills and expertise are taking centre stage and a conscious effort is being made to break gender stereotypes and empower people of all genders through equity.

On International Women’s Day, we decided to get a reality check and comprehend what lies behind a vision of such magnitude. Gender inequality has been identified as a key constraint and myriads of steps are being taken to enhance women’s participation in the workplace at all levels. But how far have these been effective, really?

In the energy and power sector, the figures are far from satisfying. Despite policy changes and strategized approach to increasing the female ratio in employment and leadership roles, the percentage of women in this sector lies below 25%.

The findings of research conducted by Energy and Economic Growth stated that “women account for just 17% of total board members, 21% of non-executive board members, 6% of executive board members and 15% of senior management team members”. It was also noted therein that female employees were mostly found working in desk jobs like administration, legal, HR and accounting departments than those involving core scientific and technological applications.

With the energy transition, gender inclusivity has undeniably gained momentum. The multidisciplinary nature of renewables has attracted interest from female aspirants as well as actively sought diversity at the workplace. A report by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed that 32% of the total female workforce of the energy sector was found in the renewable industry alone, with the rest scattered along the remaining energy spectrum.

Yet, the participation is at best nascent with a higher female proportion still found in administrative departments. Higher engagement of women must be affected as far as leadership is concerned. It must be a point of action to deliberately enhance the role of women in industrial decision-making and upper management.

The social stereotypes related to gender roles act as a key deterrent in diversifying the growth of women into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) jobs. The typecasting of female aspirants to limited potential in non-scientific fields largely restricts the influx of women into the energy industry.

For this, more women must be educated and encouraged to take up jobs in the energy sector. This could be complemented by the expanding prospects of employment in the face of energy transition and growth of the renewable energy industry to be primary.

About Us: Enerlly is an organization rooted in industrial automation that deploys Internet-of-Things (IoT) based controllers and online platforms to create sustainable eco-conscious brands through real-time energy monitoring, energy data analytics, and consultancy.