Full potential of Women Needs to be Utilised

 

 

11 August 2015: Significant talent is being wasted because organisations still don’t know how to fully utilise the potential of women, says Marie-José Nadeau, Chair of the World Energy Council. The global persistence of gender inequality in the workplace and the link between women’s participation in the workforce and economic growth and sustainable energy is becoming increasingly clear, particularly in the energy sector.

Marie-José Nadeau is leading the charge for more equality in the energy industry and a more diverse workforce at a time when there are many challenges in the energy sector. She said: “Finding solutions for a sustainable energy future requires a diversity of voices.Businesses need to be able to wrest the full value of more than half of the world’s labour pool.  One way companies benefit from gender diversity is a more balanced mix of leadership strengths.

"The reasons for the global persistence of gender inequality in the workplace are numerous: educational disparities, cultural norms, women consistently taking on the double burden of balancing work and domestic responsibilities and the absence of consistent enabling infrastructures in countries around the globe.  Amongst other things there are the barriers of anti-discrimination laws and lack of support for child and elderly care. If we are to find the solutions for a sustainable energy future then there must be a diversity of voices, and that includes women.”

Commenting on the challenge of eradicating energy poverty and achieving sustainable energy for all, Marie-José Nadeau said: “World Energy Council scenarios’ work tells us that we are not on the right path to eradicating energy poverty by 2050 when as many as 350,000 to 500,000 people will still be deprived from access to energy.   And without energy, there can be no adequate health care, sanitation, education, economic growth or job creation.”