CALL TO ACTION

Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

Establish high-level
corporate leadershipfor gender equality.

Treat all women andmen fairly at work –respect and support
human rights andnondiscrimination.

Ensure the health,safety and well-beingof all women andmen workers.

Promote education,
training and professional development
for women.

Implement enterprisedevelopment, supply
chain and marketing
practices thatempower women.

Promote equality
through community
initiatives andadvocacy.

Measure and publicly
report on progressto achieve
gender equality.

CALL TO ACTIONGENDER EQUALITY IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY
The energy industry has long been known for its male-dominated culture andunequal opportunities for women’s career advancement. While progress has been
made, more can be done to diversify the industry and ensure women’s equal
participation in sustainable development.

Women also experience a glass ceiling within the industry resulting in limited
opportunities for upward mobility, as well as a lack of inclusive corporate culturesthat do not provide flexible work arrangements, promote equal uptake of care
responsibilities, or provide equal training and mentorship opportunities.4

Globally, women account for 32 per cent of the renewable energy workforce,with 45 per cent working in administrative positions and 28 per cent working in
STEM-related roles.1 Research from Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UnitedStates shows that women typically hold less than 30 per cent of jobs in the
renewable energy sector. 2

Meaningful inclusion of women in the energy section leads to increased benefits forcompanies, namely better access to talent and critical skills, enhanced innovationand competitiveness, and improved retention. 5 A critical step towards sustainableclean energy and global climate action initiatives is the advancement of progresson gender equality in the energy industry to ensure that women’s perspectives
and expertise in this field are valued.

The inclusion of women in renewableenergy weaves together Sustainable
Development Goal 5 on gender equality
and women’s empowerment, Goal 7 onaffordable and clean energy, and 13 on
climate action. Companies in theenergy sector can use the Women’s
Empowerment Principles (WEPs) for
guidance to ensure that workplaces,
marketplaces and communities are
gender-equal.

Key barriers to women’s inclusion in the renewable energy sector are stereotypicalgender roles alongside cultural and social norms that determine the jobs womenand men can pursue. These norms and stereotypes translate into girls and young
women choosing other sectors, and the sector offering limited job opportunities
for those that try to enter. Women often face lack of access to career information
and relevant networks, and biased hiring practices in the industry. 3

This Action Note is interactive. Click the small Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) icons featured on each page to be taken directly to a particular principle.
CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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THE DEFINE, PLAN, ACT, CHECK MODEL
Principle 1
ESTABLISH HIGH-LEVEL CORPORATE LEADERSHIPFOR GENDER EQUALITY
Principle 1 encourages companies and organizations to focus on establishing companywide goals and targets for gender equality and women’s economic empowerment,
and to measure progress through clear performance indicators. It asks them to ensure
managers at all levels are accountable for the results of these goals and targets throughtheir performance reviews, and encourages the engagement and consultation of internaland external stakeholders in the development of company policies, programmes andimplementation plans.
Principle 1 focuses on ensuring that existing policies are gender-sensitive and identifying
factors that impact people of all genders differently. Corporate culture can advanceequality and inclusion including reviewing the requirements for membership of theboard and other governance bodies and committees to remove any discrimination orbias against women.

RECOMMENDATIONSGender stereotypes are prevalent in the energy sector and there is still widespread belief
that men are more suited to work in the industry.6 The creation of inclusive corporate
cultures requires the commitment of senior executives to encourage and model
respectful and welcoming environments that champion gender diversity and challenge
gender biases.7
An executive diversity and inclusion policy that outlines strategies for inclusive work
environments and follows a ‘define, plan, act, check’ methodology can be promotedby the executive team. 8

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

For effective integration of gender dimensions into energy sector policy cycles, theDefine, Plan, Act, Check model can be applied.9•

Define: Gather data on the experiences of individuals of all genders in the workplaceand conduct an analysis of existing programmes and policies. This analysis will help
shape future planning and address existing gaps.

•

Plan: Identify how budget allocations contribute to promoting gender equality
within the company and assess accountability and transparency on how company
funds are being spent.

•

Act: Implement the policy or programme while ensuring objectives and targets areclearly laid out, that all those involved are aware of objectives and plans, and that
all workers are included in the process.

•

Check: A policy cycle or programme should be monitored regularly throughout its
existence, and be evaluated upon completion.

All employees have a responsibility to implement the directive. Managers in particularneed to be empowered to monitor daily interactions amongst employees to encourage
the active and equal participation of women in the workplace.10 Gender equality
objectives can also be embedded in manager’s annual performance plans.11
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace can enhance innovation and develop stronger
customer service, higher employee engagement and higher team collaboration.12
Employee training can highlight these benefits, thus providing a clear business case fordiversity and inclusion and presenting a clear opportunity, and need, for companies tobuild it into their business strategy.

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Principle 2
TREAT ALL WOMEN AND MEN FAIRLY AT WORK –RESPECT AND SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION
Principle 2 calls on companies and organizations to make a commitment to equal remuneration, including benefits and bonuses, for work of equal value; and to ensure, at a minimum,
a living wage for employees of all genders while fostering an inclusive workplace culture that eliminates gender-based discrimination from all policies and practices.
Employers are encouraged to implement gender-sensitive recruitment, retention and promotion practices to proactively recruit and appoint women to managerial, executive and board
director positions. Offering gender-responsive policies and measures help attract and retain the talent, including flexible working arrangements, leave and re-entry opportunities topositions of equal pay and status, and support to child and dependent care through services, resources and information.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recruitment

Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion•

Ensuring that gender diversity and inclusion is embedded in the foundation of thecompany, including their policies, practices, and business strategy is crucial for ensuring
a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Ensure hiring practices are free from subjectivity, use gender-neutral language in job
descriptions, and remove stereotypically male-related skills and word descriptors
in job requirements.13•

Broaden and diversify hiring matrices from traditional engineering criteria to include
candidates from STEM-associated fields like physics, chemistry, environmental
sciences, psychology (consumer behaviour), law, communication, economics
and policy.14•

Develop relationships with industry networking groups to identify qualified
women candidates.

•

Develop diversity and inclusion goals and minimum standards or quotas for hiring
women in entry-level positions.

Special efforts are required to recruit and retain women for science, technology andengineering roles and to promote them for senior management roles.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

Page 3Retention

Equal Pay

Women cite more frequently than men that their reasons for leaving careers in STEM
are due to family-related issues.15 Moreover, women who return to STEM jobs after acareer break can face promotional barriers linked to missing out on changes in skills
and knowledge that have developed while they have been out of the workforce.16 To
encourage the equal uptake of care responsibilities and ensure that workers with care
responsibilities are supported and retained, companies can provide paid parental
leave and flexible work arrangements.17 Companies may also provide ‘returnships’
which are programmes that enable those returning to the workforce to update theirknowledge and skills.18

Research indicates that women continue to earn less across all occupational categories
within the renewable energy sector. 21 Conducting and establishing regular pay equity
reviews and defining objective and quantifiable compensation standards based on skills,
qualifications and accomplishments are effective measures to ensure that workers of
all genders who perform the same work are paid equally. 22 Similarly, developing
anonymized salary data grouped by a range of factors such as qualifications, skills andyears of experience contribute to increase transparency and set applicant and worker
expectations. 23 Abandoning the practice of requesting job applicants’ previous pay
history also prevents perpetuation of historic underpayment. 24

Promotion•

Increase the visibility of available career progression opportunities both internallyand externally to the organization.19•

Establish objective evaluation and promotion systems. 20•

Develop diversity and inclusion goals and minimum standards or quotas to promotewomen along the corporate pipeline and ensure they make up a significant percentage
of board members and management teams.

•

Implement professional development and mentorship opportunities within company
programming to ensure women’s upward mobility and board readiness.

•

Create an interactive community and network for women within the company(such as through an employee resource group).

•

Offer visible opportunity for men to step up as allies.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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Principle 3
ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL WOMEN AND MEN WORKERS
Principle 3 encourages employers to establish policies that eliminate all forms of violence and harassment at work and offer support services for survivors of violence and harassment.
It calls for the training of security staff and managers to recognize signs of violence against women, human trafficking, labour and sexual exploitation.
Companies and organizations are encouraged to ensure all workers, including part-time, short-term and contract workers, have equal access to health insurance. Workers’ right to time
off for medical care and counselling for themselves and their dependents should be respected. Employers should provide safe working conditions and protection from exposure tohazardous materials and disclose potential risks, including to reproductive health, and address safety and security issues, including traveling to/from work and business trips.

RECOMMENDATIONSThe health and safety of women workers in the energy sector can be protected by companies and organizations in
the following ways:•

Develop separate and sufficient facilities and accommodations for women working in field roles to address theirsafety and security needs including providing adequate lighting, uniforms and on-site-health facilities.

•

Consult both all employees on the design of their workspace to address their specific needs.

•

Provide tools, equipment, safety devices and required clothing fitted and sized
appropriately for women.

•

Design and implement health and safety policies that adequately address theneeds of parents, including health and safety workplace examinations for
expecting mothers and parents.

•

Provide accessible and confidential channels to report cases of sexual harassment.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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Principle 4
PROMOTE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR WOMEN
Principle 4 calls on companies and organizations to invest in workplace policies and programmes that open avenues for women’s advancement at all levels and across all business areas.
This includes ensuring women can enter perceived non-traditional job fields and revenue generating roles, and have access to all company-supported education, training programmes,and networking opportunities. Providing dedicated training and professional development that empowers women ensures they have the tools and skills necessary for advancementin the workplace.
The Principle further emphasizes the importance of holding sexual harassment and unconscious bias training and raising awareness on corporate gender equality policies and action plans.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Companies can organize company-wide training on gender bias25 and workshops to engage men as allies
and champions for gender equality. 26 Trainings can help raise awareness and present tangible strategies
to advance gender equality, tackling both conscious and unconscious bias, and stereotyping in theworkplace.
Motivating girls and young women to choose STEM education and women to pursue their careers in theenergy sector needs to be a key strategy. Effective actions include:•

Sponsor girls and young women’s internship opportunities.

•

Ensure women and girls’ equal access to professional industry-specific networks.

•

Offer mentorship, skill building and training opportunities and for women throughout their careers. 27

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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Principle 5
IMPLEMENT ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, SUPPLY CHAIN AND MARKETING PRACTICESTHAT EMPOWER WOMEN
Principle 5 encourages companies and organizations to require business partners, contractors and suppliers to adopt the WEPs. It also advocates for signatories to establish
supplier diversity programmes that actively seek to expand business relationships with women-owned and women-led enterprises and support their access, while also supporting
gender-sensitive solutions to advance women’s access to financial products and services. It is important for companies and organizations to remain accountable for gender equality
in supply chains by ensuring that products, services and facilities are not used for human trafficking and/or labour or sexual exploitation.
Companies can further reduce harmful gender-based stereotypes in all media and advertising by depicting all people as empowered individuals with progressive, intelligent andmulti-dimensional personalities.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Companies can collect sex-disaggregated data with strong
attention to intersectionality that highlights trends or changes
in women’s participation in the global supply chain. Suchdata can include, for instance, domestic and internationaltransportation, import/export facilitation, materials handling,
testing and logistics to help assess gaps and identify
opportunities.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

Efforts to source from women-led businesses can include:•

Proactively recruit women for procurement roles, including by appointing them tomanagerial and executive procurement positions. 28•

Provide training to strengthen the female talent pool and women’s leadership in
supply chain management and procurement. 29•

Award a certain share of contracts to ‘preferred firms’ – gender-responsive
companies and women-owned businesses – and communicate openly about it. 30

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Principle 6
PROMOTE EQUALITY THROUGH COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND ADVOCACY
Principle 6 calls on companies and organizations to lead by example by showcasing concrete actions to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. It asks themto leverage influence, alone or in partnership, to advance gender equality and collaborate with business partners, suppliers and community leaders.
Working with community stakeholders and officials to target discrimination and exploitation is a key way to open opportunities for women and girls, promote and recognize women’s
leadership in, and contributions to, their communities, ensure their active participation in community consultation, and use philanthropy and grants programmes to support
community initiatives.

RECOMMENDATIONS
It is important that girls and young women are exposed to STEM subjects and insights into possible career
opportunities in the energy sector from a very young age, starting in primary school, and complemented byextracurricular programmes and school clubs (like Girls Who Code) developed in partnership with private
sector leaders. 31 Creating marketing campaigns encouraging girls to enter STEM (like the #LikeAGirl campaign)
boosts the visibility of these sectors among young girls. 32
Companies can further lead and invest in community development programmes that make valuable, effective
and responsible contributions to gender equality and women’s empowerment. They are encouraged to actively
engage and consult with women and girls on their views, needs and aspirations, and to ensure that their
voices are heard.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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Principle 7
MEASURE AND PUBLICLY REPORT ON PROGRESS TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY
Principle 7 encourages companies and organizations to use the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool to establish a baseline for the implementation of
the principles, as well as develop incentives and accountability mechanisms to accelerate the process. Companies can collect, analyze and use
gender statistics, benchmarks, and sex-disaggregated data with strong attention to intersectionality to measure and report results at all levels;
report annually on progress in the implementation of the WEPs; share lessons learned and good practices in the implementation of the WEPs;
and publish them on the WEPs website.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Incorporating reporting frameworks into the internal Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and diversity
policies that many in the energy industry use to assess their progress towards ESG standards and Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) goals is a crucial step to ensuring diversity and inclusion in the energy sector. The reporting
frameworks can also monitor progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.
Currently, a lack of gender-disaggregated data is masking women’s underrepresentation in the renewable energy
sector. Companies are encouraged to collect sex-disaggregated data with a strong focus on intersectionality tobetter understand where the gaps are in women’s participation. Alongside employee experience surveys, such data
can help monitor a range of indicators such as promotion rates, women’s participation at various organizational
levels, and harassment complaints33 Goals and targets for increasing the number of women from diverse backgrounds,
identities and abilities along the corporate pipeline and on boards of directors or among executive leadership canbe made public to employees, customers and vendors and local communities.

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

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ENDNOTES1.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This action note was prepared by the United
Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
under the WE EMPOWER – G7 programme
funded by the European Union and jointly
implemented with the International Labour
Organization. Under the overall leadershipof Anna Fälth, the note was led by Stephanie
Dei and Nancy Mitchell with substantive
contributions from Elysha Enos, Stephenie
Foster and Meral Guzel of UN Women;
Claudette Hayle, Cygnus Energy Group;
Michelle Branigan and Merertu Frissa Mogga,
Electricity HR; Julia Cushing, Women in
Renewable Energy (WiRE); Amrit Takhar,
Schneider Electric Canada, and Patricia
Loria, Global CCS Institute.

Catalyst, 2019. Women in Energy – Gas, Mining, and Oil: Quick Take.
Available at www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-energy-gasmining-oil/

2. International Renewable Energy Agency (2019). Renewable Energy:
A Gender Perspective. Abu Dhabi: IRENA. Available at: https://irena.
org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2019/Jan/IRENA_
Gender_perspective_2019.pdf
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Electricity Human Resources Canada, 2020. Leadershift: Pathways to
Gender Equity. Ottawa: EHRC. Available at: https://electricityhr.ca/
wp-content/uploads/2020/05/EHRC-Leadershift-Report-EnglishWEB.pdf

12. Deloitte, 2013. Waiter, is that inclusion in my soup? A new recipe to
improve business performance. Sydney: Deloitte Australia. Available
at: www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/
human-capital/deloitte-au-hc-diversity-inclusion-soup-0513.pdf

28. UN Women, 2020. Guidance note on Gender Responsive
Procurement. Available here: www.weps.org/resource/
gender-responsive-procurement

13. Zsofia Beck and Andrea Panczel (2018). Women in Energy: Gender
Diversity in the CEE-SEE Energy Sector. Budapest: Boston Consulting
Group/ Women in Energy Association. Available at: www.
womeninenergy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Women_in_
Energy_in_the_CEE-SEE_Region_Dec2018_final.pdf

30. Ibid.

14. Clancy and Feenstra, Women, Gender Equality and the Energy
Transition in the EU.

7.

20. Ibid.

9. European Institute for Gender Equality, 2017. Gender and Energy.
Vilnius: EIGE. Available at: https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-and-energy
10. Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, 2020. Women for
Sustainable Energy: Strategies to Foster Women’s Talent forTransformational Change. Vienna: GWNET. Available at: www.
globalwomennet.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Gwnet-study.
pdf
11. Electricity Human Resources Canada (2020). Diversity, Equity andInclusion Checklist. Ottawa; EHRC. Available at: https://electricityhr.
ca/resources/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-checklist/

CALL TO ACTION Gender Equality in the Renewable Energy Industry

32. Ibid.
33. EHRC, “Diversity, Equity”.

16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.

8. Clancy and Feenstra, Women, Gender Equality and the Energy
Transition in the EU.

31. GWNET, “Women for Sustainable Energy”.

15. Ibid.

6. Joy Clancy and Marielle Feenstra, 2019. Women, Gender Equality, andthe Energy Transition in the EU. Brussels: European Parliament.
Available at: www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/
STUD/2019/608867/IPOL_STU(2019)608867_EN.pdf
Electricity Human Resources Canada, 2020. Leadershift: Pathways to
Gender Equity.

29. Ibid.

18. Ibid.
19. Beck and Panczel Women in Energy.
21. Ibid.
22. UN Women, 2020. Guidance Note on Closing Gender Pay Gaps toAchieve Gender Equality at Work. Available here: www.weps.org/
resource/closing-gender-pay-gaps-achieve-gender-equality-work
23. Clancy and Feenstra, Women, Gender Equality and the Energy
Transition in the EU.
24. UN Women, 2020. Guidance Note on Closing Gender Pay Gaps toAchieve Gender Equality at Work. Available here: www.weps.org/
resource/closing-gender-pay-gaps-achieve-gender-equality-work
25. Beck and Panczel, Women in Energy.
26. EHRC, Leadershift: Pathways to Gender Equity.
27. Clancy and Feenstra, Women, Gender Equality and the Energy
Transition in the EU.

Page 10Equality
Means
Business
Sign the Women’s Empowerment Principles
and say #WeCommit to advancing genderequality in the workplace, marketplace andcommunity. Make today your signature
moment at weps.org

WOMEN’SEMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLES
Principle 1

Establish high-level corporate leadership forgender equality.

Principle 2

Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect andsupport human rights and nondiscrimination.

Principle 3

Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all womenand men workers.

Principle 4

Promote education, training and professional
development for women.

Principle 5

Implement enterprise development, supply chain
and marketing practices that empower women.

Principle 6

Promote equality through community initiatives
and advocacy.

Principle 7

Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve
gender equality.

The work on WEPs is funded by the European Union through the
WE EMPOWER – G7 programme, implemented in collaboration
with the ILO (2018-2020).

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the European Union, UN
Women, International Labour Organization or the United Nations and their Member States.