A range of Canadian and international initiatives focused on advancing gender equity in the energy sector were brought to the fore by both government and non-governmental organizations in co-ordination with the international meeting of G7 Ministers which took place in Halifax on September 21.
Among the developments begun or announced on September 21 were:
• Culmination of key initiatives under the international “Equal by 30” campaign in which energy industry representatives committed their organizations to specific actions to advance gender equality.
• Reinforcement of a government commitment made by Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, in which he said “The Government of Canada is committed to addressing the gender imbalance in our energy sector.” An official statement said Trudeau, “has made gender equality a priority for Canada's G7 Presidency, dedicating one of five main themes to Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.” The statement went further noting that, “Canada's energy industry remains gender-imbalanced, with women making up just 24 percent of the workforce. Women's representation in clean energy is only slightly higher at 25 percent.”
• A panel composed of leaders of Canadian organizations highlighted recent accomplishments and outlined the range of initiatives and solutions each group is championing to advance gender equality in the energy sector.
Joanna Osawe, who is the Global Business Development Manager – Major Projects with DMCPOWER, as well as being Chair, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE), said “This was a remarkable combination of events, working together to create momentum for further progress on gender equity in the energy sector.”
Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, underlined the significance saying, “Canada is leading by example to address the issue of gender equality in the G7 energy agenda. We will continue to engage key private sector and public sector leaders on this important issue and take actions to improve gender equality, particularly in the energy sector. We want to influence current and future leaders of Canadian industry to commit to meaningful action in the area of gender equality.” Canada's work with the G7 presidency has included appointing a Gender Equality Advisory Council that has produced a “ground-breaking” report called “Making Gender Inequality History.” It enumerates 60 specific and measurable commitments that governments and organizations can take to increase gender diversity.
Equal by 30 describes itself as “a public commitment by public and private sector organizations to work towards equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.” Equal by 30 asks organizations, companies and governments to “endorse principles, then take concrete action to accelerate the participation of women in the clean energy sector, and close the gender gap.” The Equal by 30 Campaign is part of the Clean Energy, Education and Empowerment Initiative (C3E), which works to “advance the participation of women in the clean energy transition, and close the gender gap.” It is co-sponsored by the Canadian Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) organization and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
With respect to Equal by 30, Ms. Osawe said, “Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) is excited to partner with Natural Resources Canada to promote the Equal by 30 Campaign. WiRE supports the Equal by 30 Campaign as it provides organizations a practical framework to develop concrete commitments and take action to make their cultures more inclusive. The campaign is also creating a community of organizations that can share, learn and grow together while keeping each other accountable.”
In preparation for the G7 meeting, Women in Renewable Energy hosted a panel discussion and networking event September 5 aimed at increasing women's participation and leadership in the energy sector. The event sought input on ways to promote female role models in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The event featured the following leaders in the field as speakers:
• Jane Travers, Vice-President of Strategic Operations – Renewable Generation, Ontario Power Generation;
• Michelle Branigan, CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada; and
• Michael Kaufman, a G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council member.
The panel discussed the barriers that women face in the energy sector and explored possible solutions including organizational culture and the role of men in what was described as “the gender equality revolution.”
At the close of the event, the Ontario Waterpower Association and the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium signed on to the Equal by 30 Campaign, joining more than 30 Canadian and international signatories who have committed to work toward equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030. See related article “OWA signs on to Equal by 30,” elsewhere in this issue of IPPSO FACTO.
WiRE will also be presenting the Woman of Distinction Award at the Canadian Power Banquet in Toronto on November 12.
For more information, readers may contact WiRE or the other agencies identified in the links below.
Links to associated organizations and initiatives:
Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE)
https://www.womeninrenewableenergy.ca/
Equal by 30
G7 Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
https://g7.gc.ca/en/g7-presidency/themes/advancing-gender-equality-women-empowerment/
Leadership Accord for Gender Diversity
http://electricityhr.ca/workplace-support/diversity-inclusion/ehrc-leadership-accord/
Equal by 30 principles
Private Sector
We aim to lead by example, integrating equality principles into our organization and policies, and will step up our efforts to promote gender diversity activities, in areas of recruitment and career advancement in particular.
We pledge to highlight and support women, and close the gender gap, by promoting actions in our business.
We will provide leadership, and share our experiences and lessons learned on gender diversity programming and initiatives.
We recognize the importance of reporting on progress and will support efforts to improve the collection of gender disaggregated data so that we can and report on our progress in a transparent, open manner.
Public Sector
We aim to lead by example by taking concrete steps to promote gender equality so that our lessons can serve as an example for others to follow.
We aim to integrate a gender lens into all levels of our work, mainstreaming gender equality into our organizational culture and process.
We will set high standards for the recruitment, promotion and participation of women, adopting more rigorous requirements where necessary.
We will report regularly within our organizations and to the public we serve, so that progress is measured, visible, well-communicated, and we are fully accountable to our citizens.