Today and every day, Greensolver celebrates International Women’s Day, promoting equality and diversity within the workplace. International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women worldwide.
Today, we turn our focus to women’s achievements in the renewable energy industry that attracts more and more female workers. However, there is still a significant gender gap in STEM fields, and the renewable energy sector is no exception.
Overview of women employment in the renewable energy sector
Currently, there is a global gender disparity in access to employment, which is further reflected in the renewables industry.
A 2020 study by IRENA[1] examined the gender equity within the clean energy sector and found only a 32% share of women in the overall renewables workforce and 21% of the wind energy workforce.
A previous report[2] from 2019 also highlights that there are considerably fewer women in STEM jobs (28%) than in administrative jobs (45%) within the renewables field.
These statistics show that women’s representation is lower in technical roles and emphasize the increasing importance of promoting female diversity in STEM positions.
Challenges
Women pursuing a career within the renewable energy sector are facing numerous challenges. These are mainly related to the persistence of traditional gender roles and related social norms, affecting women’s self-perception.
Women’s under-representation is additionally associated with a lack of information and awareness about the renewable energy industry. Many young women are not made aware of possible career opportunities within the field since they are not actively promoted through traditional formal channels. This is why conversations like this, and our most recent #WomeninRenewables campaign, are so important.
Sector is changing
With the renewables sector experiencing rapid growth, new and existing markets will experience a surge in job openings. The challenge would be distributing these equally between a male and female workforce. This can be achieved with the support of businesses across the sector, a process that is already underway.
Organisations are identifying and addressing gender bias within the industry. Many companies are working towards creating a supportive culture that promotes access to education, training, and networking opportunities to ensure equal chances for women in the renewable energy sector. There is a clear shift towards a more inclusive environment, which is encouraging.
How is Greensolver addressing this
As diversity and employee development are paramount at Greensolver, back in 2021, we launched our #WomeninRenewables campaign to celebrate the incredible work our female team members do and encourage more women into the sector. We interviewed several women within the organisation, spanning a variety of job roles and varying levels of experience, to find out what working in the industry, and Greensolver more specifically, meant to them.
The renewables industry is deemed progressive in many ways, but there is still much more progress to be made. At Greensolver, we aim to contribute towards a more inclusive work environment and lead by example – we have an almost equal split of males and females in management positions, and women fill a large share of our technical roles.
We are further making focused efforts to spread awareness on this matter internally. We believe that the clean energy sector can significantly benefit from changing attitudes and approaches. Acquiring new and gender-diverse talent is essential in this fast-developing, innovative industry.
Are you interested in a career in renewables? Browse our current opportunities and apply today.
References:
[1] https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/Jan/Wind-energy-A-gender-perspective
[2] Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective (irena.org)
