Background:
Despite recent advancements in gender equality, the energy sector continues to suffer from gender imbalance. Energy utilities around the world remain male-dominated workplaces, and women have few opportunities for career advancement or placement in technical and leadership roles. At the same time, the benefits of a diverse workforce are clear: over 65 percent of companies surveyed by the International Labor Organization in the Asia Pacific region report that gender diversity and equality initiatives enhanced business outcomes, including profitability and productivity. Most surveyed companies increased profits by 10 to 15 percent.
How can we create equal opportunities for all employees to thrive, grow, and lead? What is needed to catalyze and sustain organizational change? And how can we apply these lessons to holistically develop the global energy sector? Our panelists discussed how utilities are working to promote more women in technical and leadership roles to achieve gender equality in the energy sector.
Objectives of the Session
- Learn from best practices from the USAID’s Engendering Utilities program, which works with 29 energy and water utilities around the globe to improve gender equality. Three partner utilities from India and Philippines shared their direct experience and lessons learned.
- Support the ADB’s efforts to accelerate progress in gender equality, which is a core component of their Strategy 2030.
- Many ASEAN countries still struggle with male-dominated energy sectors and are looking for concrete actions to increase women’s participation and leadership throughout the energy value chain. Participants from across the region stand to benefit from learning about best practices and examples of global success.
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About the Organizers
USAID’s Engendering Utilities program works with electricity and water utilities in developing countries to increase economic opportunities for women and improve gender equality in the workplace. Expanding women’s participation in the traditionally male-dominated energy and water sectors leads to tangible economic empowerment outcomes for women, such as formal employment opportunities and higher income.
Engendering Utilities delivers a unique approach to improving gender equality in the energy and water sectors. Using customized best practices, demand-driven coaching, and a Gender Equity Executive
Leadership Program, Engendering Utilities builds the capacity of utility leaders within 21 utilities across 29 countries to implement gender equality interventions in their organizations. Engendering Utilities partners receive:
- Global best practices to implement gender equality interventions. USAID’s Delivering Gender Equality: A Best Practices Framework for Utilities provides tools and resources to implement gender equality interventions throughout the employee life cycle.
- Gender Equity Executive Leadership Program (GEELP). Developed by USAID and Georgetown University, this 12-month certificate program empowers partner utility employees to effectively integrate gender equality initiatives within their corporate structure.
- Demand-driven change management coaching. Each utility is paired with an expert change management and gender equality coach who provides tailored technical support.
Point of Contact:
Jessica Menon, Engendering Utilities (Tetra Tech)
Email: Jessica.menon@tetratech.com