Equal by 30: Countries Commitments

G7 Strengthened Joint Commitments

G7 Strengthened Joint Commitments contries

 

We agree to deepen efforts to advance gender equality and diversity in the energy sector, including under the Equal by 30 Campaign, by adopting a set of strengthened commitments. This will support our commitment to make diversity and gender equality central to the global energy sector’s recovery efforts, and help to build a more inclusive and equitable energy future.

Commitments:  

  1. We will make gender, equity, and diversity central to the global energy sector’s recovery efforts, recognising the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has on women, and other marginalised groups and communities, particularly in the workforce.  
  2. We will take action at the national level to implement the 2018 public sector principles.
  3. We will invest in the growth and development of diverse talent to ultimately advance them into leadership roles.  
  4. We will combat harassment and discrimination experienced by women and marginalised groups and communities in the energy sector.  
  5. We agree to set an inclusive tone from the top and seek to eliminate bias among peers and all levels of leadership. 

Canada

Canada endorses the Equal by 30 Campaign principles on gender equality, and commits to the following actions, with the goal of achieving equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities by 2030 in the energy sector:

  • To implement historic proactive pay equity legislation that will ensure women and men in federally-regulated industries receive the same pay for work of equal value.
  • To establish new pay transparency requirements so that Canadians have information on pay practices within federally-regulated sectors. 
  • Launch a new C3E Awards program to recognize efforts to advance gender equality in the clean energy sector.
  • Ensure GBA+ is applied comprehensively to all aspects of policy development and decision-making, and strengthening the quality of GBA+ with better data and the full consideration of impacts.
  • Create a new Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics to address gaps in gathering gender-disaggregated data.
  • Enhance federal apprenticeship programs so that underrepresented groups, and in particular women, have the knowledge and support they need to explore trades, make informed career choices, and succeed in trades.

Sweden

Sweden signs on to, and agree to act on, the overarching principles Equal Pay, Equal Leadership and Equal Opportunities by 2030 in the energy field.

To reach those overarching objectives the Swedish government has identified the following actions:

  1. Always to ensure gender diversity when appointing executive boards, committees, advisory panels and other similar bodies.
  2. On an annual basis, request the the Swedish Energy Agency, the Energy Market Inspectorate, the Electricity Safety Board and the National Grid Operator, to report on its actions on promoting gender diversity within their respective competences.
  3. The Swedish Energy Agency shall in addition integrate the gender dimension into the RD&D programs funded by the Agency, by ensuring and promoting that gender diversity guides the division of funds when appropriate.
  4. The Swedish government will where it's relevant take an active role raising gender diversity matters within EU and International affairs.

Finland

Finland signs the Clean Energy Ministerial guiding principles for ensuring gender diversity by 2030

Finland signs on to, and agrees to act on, the overarching principles Equal Pay, Equal Leadership and Equal Opportunities by 2030.

To reach those overarching objectives the Finnish government has identified the following measures:

  • Gender diversity and equal representation of women and men on state-owned company executive boards is to be ensured. Objective is to extend the action to publicly owned companies.
  • Pay gap between men and women is reduced by implementing a tripartite Equal Pay Programme
  • Awareness of gender equality in education is strengthened. Equal opportunities for self-development, individual learning and growth will be ensured for all boys and girls.
  • All governmental institutions are encouraged to produce gender dis-aggregated data and use this data is used planning and decision making. In connection with the societal reform, all government ministries define equality objectives and report progress.

United Kingdom

The UK endorses and agrees to act on the overarching principles of Equal Pay, Equal Leadership and Equal Opportunities in the energy sector by 2030.

To progress towards this goal, the UK government commits to the following actions:

  • To continue its support for POWERful Women and other energy sector groups in their work towards increasing gender equality in the clean energy sector, targeting 40% of middle management, and 30% of executive board positions, to be female by 2030.
  • To achieve its Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) commitment to 50% women in senior civil service positions by 2025.
  • To support the Nuclear Sector Deal target of 40% women in the nuclear sector by 2030, with 50% women apprenticeship starters by the same date, and work with other sector deal partners under the Industrial Strategy to include similar diversity targets.
  • To sustain the high levels of compliance with gender pay gap reporting legislation and support companies to develop action plans to close their gender pay gap.
  • To support the work of Energy UK and other energy sector actors to improve diversity in the sector.
  • To continue efforts to boost the number of girls taking STEM subjects to increase the pool of women entering STEM careers, including by encouraging more women from the energy sector to become STEM Ambassadors.
  • To set up a taskforce to work with business to make flexible working a reality for more employees across Britain and consider creating a duty for employers to consider whether a job can be done flexibly, and make that clear when advertising.
  • To encourage FTSE 350 companies to meet the Hampton-Alexander Review target of 33% women in senior leadership by 2020.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands endorses and agrees to act on the overarching principles of Equal Pay, Equal Leadership and Equal Opportunities in the energy sector by 2030.

To progress towards this goal, the Dutch government commits to the following actions:

  1. Equal pay for equal work.
  2. Increasing the representation of women in upper management positions.
  3. Actively promoting education and training programmes.
  4. Removing barriers to ensure equal representation in the workforce, as a way for women to achieve financial independence.
  5. Reporting periodically on the advancements of topics such as equal pay and labour participation for women.
  6. Increasing the participation of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, which includes the energy sector.

To increase the representation of women in leadership positions, a majority of the Dutch parliament voted for the implementation of a quota of at least 30% of women/men in boards of supervisory directors of listed companies. This is a push for equality and the government has started with the implementation of this decision. An existing informal network of women in energy, involving women from mainly the corporate energy sector also offers opportunities. Participation from the civil service-side recently started.

These developments contribute to the improvement of gender equality and a campaign like Equal by 30 underlines its importance.

Japan

Japan promotes to form a Gender-equal Society based on the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society (PDF 6.3 KB) by identifying the following 4 targets:

  1. Made vibrant and rich in diversity, by men and women demonstrating their individuality and abilities, respecting their own choice.
  2. A place where the human rights of men and women are respected, where individuals can live with dignity.
  3. Realized work-life balance of both women and men through reformation of "men-oriented working styles".
  4. Recognized internationally for gender equality, which should be positioned as the most important issue in Japan.

The targets of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI):

  • Making an effort to increase the percentage of women employed in the Ministry.
  • Establishing a system where resigned, but talented employees are encouraged to re-enter the public sector.
  • Taking positive promotion measures for women, based on their capabilities.
  • Providing active support, such as various job and promotion opportunities, and training programs, for female employees who have demonstrated excellent potential and have returned from childcare duties.
    • We are targeting talented female employees not only who have just returned from childcare duties, but whose promotions have been late consequently because of reasons such as an unwillingness to promote.
    • We are accelerating their promotion speed by providing active support.

Germany

Germany endorses and agrees to act on the principles of Equal Pay, Equal Leadership and Equal Opportunities in the energy sector by 2030. To progress towards those overarching objectives, Germany supports – and takes active steps on – the cause of gender equality in society and economy. With regards to the energy sector in particular the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action considers advancing gender equality not only a question of fairness but also crucial for fully harnessing all skills and talents to develop the technologies needed to fight climate change and remain economically competitive. Examples of actions taken by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action include:

  • several initiatives to increase the participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas and to encourage and support women and girls in becoming entrepreneurs,
  • measures to increase the share of women in upper management positions in the energy sector as well as in the public and other sectors,
  • numerous events to promote women’s career development, to provide platforms for experience sharing and to strengthen female networks (e.g. Women’s Lunch at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue),
  • efforts to increase gender equality within the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and to strengthen working conditions that allow employees to better reconcile family and work.

Australia

Australia endorses the Equal by 30 campaign public sector principles on gender equality.

Australia commits to undertake actions towards the goal of achieving equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.

Australia will:

  1. Create an Australian Women in Energy Roundtable for industry to promote and share equality initiatives and policies which accelerate the participation of women in the clean energy workforce.
  2. Promote gender balance in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) leadership roles by June 2023 to align with the Australian Public Service’s Gender Equality Strategy 2021-26.
  3. Drive practical actions towards equality based policies within industry by sharing and promoting Australian Public Service flexible workplace arrangements aimed at closing both the gender balance and the gender pay gap.
  4. Work across government agencies to create a Women in Energy Resources Hub. The Hub will include sample guidelines and procedures, providing small-medium enterprises the opportunity to identify relevant and meaningful actions for the achievement of gender equality within their workforce.
  5. Expand engagement across domestic and international forums within the energy sector by championing diversity and gender equality matters.

Spain

Spain endorses the Equal by 30 campaign public sector principles on gender equality in the energy transition.

Therefore, Spain commits to undertake actions towards the goal of achieving equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities for women in the clean energy sector by 2030.

Particularly, Spain commits to:

  1. To drive the visibility of women workers or students in energy transition fields, especially those in the technical areas, and to strengthen the educational and reskilling opportunities and conditions in these fields, both aimed at increasing the interest of girls and women in studying and working in fields related to renewable energies and energy efficiency.
  2. To facilitate significant progress towards effective equality between women and men in the different spheres of the energy transition regarding employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership.
  3. To systematically generate, spread and consider data, indicators and studies on gender and energy aimed at orienting and optimizing the impact of the energy transition public policies.
  4. To progress in the collaboration with other entities which are driving effective gender equality in women and men’s participation in the energy transition, and to foster spaces for periodically sharing knowledge and good practices for generating ambitious goals on the promotion of gender equality in energy transition fields.

Each one of these commitments implies a set of concrete actions which are detailed in the Spanish full version.