This International Women’s Day, the Clean Energy Council reflects on the role that women have played and are continuing to play in the clean energy transition.
This year’s theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognises the vital role that women and girls play in clean energy initiatives across our communities.
“Globally, renewable energy is an outlier within the broader energy sector, employing more women,” says Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton. Women represent 32 per cent of the clean energy workforce, compared to 22 per cent in the broader energy sector.
“Ensuring a more inclusive and diverse renewable energy sector will go a long way to progressing the clean energy transition,” says Thornton.
Women currently make up 31 per cent of in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) roles within the Australian clean energy workforce. This is above the proportion of women working across all STEM-qualified industries (28 per cent in 2020[1]), however, it is lower than the proportion of women employed in administrative roles.
The Clean Energy Council’s recent Diversity Report also found that women hold 19 per cent of Board positions in the Australian clean energy workforce, well below the 34.2 per cent of women on ASX 200 Boards.
“Skills development, knowledge-sharing and mentorship, play an essential part in improving the representation of women in leadership roles,” says Thornton.
“The benefits in creating greater equity in leadership will go beyond the renewables industry.”
To celebrate International Women’s Day in 2022, the Clean Energy Council will be highlighting stories of positive change, eye opening shortfalls in the gender gap and importantly, promoting ways to equip the industry to achieve improvements that will span significantly further than the industry itself.
The Clean Energy Council Women in Renewables program will continue to keep this conversation going today, and every day in efforts to include, inspire and encourage all businesses and individuals to mainstream gender equity in conversations all year.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Jane Aubrey
Clean Energy Council Media Manager
[email protected]
+61 409 470 683
[1]https://www.industry.gov.au/news/second-national-data-report-on-girls-and-women-in-stem
