Research

Women in Energy (Quick Take)

May 31, 2022

GLOBAL

There Are Fewer Women in Energy Than Almost Any Other Major Sector1

Women accounted for less than a quarter (22%) of employees in the oil and gas industry in 2020, unchanged from 2017.2

  • Europe shows the most gains in gender diversity, with women’s representation rising from 24% in 2017 to 33% in 2020.3
  • Asia-Pacific is the only region where women’s representation declined.4
Technical Expertise is Seen as a Prerequisite for Senior Leadership Positions5

Women made up only 10% of entry-level technical and field roles in 2020,6 a decline from 15% in 2017.7

Among entry-level positions requiring college degrees, women made up 39% of office and business support roles in 2020.8

There Are More Women Senior Executives in the Utility Industry Than Any Other Energy Sector9

Women made up 17.1% of senior management roles in the utility sector in 2021.10

A Higher Share of Women Work in Renewable Energy11

Currently, women make up nearly a third (32%) of the global renewable energy workforce.12

  • Within the industry, more women work in administrative jobs (45%) than in STEM-related roles (28%).13
Women’s Representation in Senior Leadership Has Barely Budged14

In 2018, only 19 women (10%) were executives in the top 20 energy companies in the Fortune Global 500. This is a small increase from 8% in 2014.15

  • Half of the top 20 companies in this industry have zero women on their executive teams.16

CANADA

The Extractive Industry is the Fourth Largest Industry in Canada, Yet Remains Male-Dominated17

In 2019, Canadian women represented 31.0% of the energy sector.18

In 2021, Canadian women made up:19

  • 27.4% of the labour force in utilities.
  • 18.7% of the labour force in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction.
People of Colour Account for a Small Share of Canada’s Energy Sector

In 2019:20

  • 18.0% of the Canadian energy sector identified as a visible minority.
  • 5.0% of the Canadian energy sector identified as Indigenous.

Mining is the largest private sector employer of Indigenous peoples in Canada.21

Women Remain a Minority Among Senior Leadership in TSX-listed Companies

Women accounted for a larger share of senior leaders in the utilities and pipelines industry (30% of board directors and 27% of executive officers) compared to other industries in 2020.22

  • Energy services: 14% of board directors and 13% of executive officers.
  • Mining: 16% of board directors and 14% of executive officers.
  • Oil and gas: 17% of board directors and 11% of executive officers.

Clean energy ranks at the top for women board directors (30%) but near the bottom (17%) for women executives.23

UNITED STATES

Women and People of Color are Underrepresented in the US Energy Workforce24

In 2020:25

  • Women made up just a quarter (25.0%) of the total energy workforce.
  • People of color represented 28.0% of the total energy workforce.
    • Asian workers represented just 7.0% of the total energy workforce, Black workers made up 10.0%, and Hispanic/Latino workers had the most representation at 16.0%.
Women CEOs in Energy are Scarce, and Their Representation is Decreasing26

The Energy and Utilities sectors had fewer women CEOs in 2020 than in 2017.27

  • Energy companies saw a net decrease of three women CEOs and had no incoming women CEOs in 2020.28

LEARN MORE

 

How to cite this product: Women in energy: Quick Take. (May 31, 2022). Catalyst.

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  2. Von Lonski, U., Ostby, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Riemer, P., Fjaeran, T., Miras Salamanca, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021). Untapped reserves 2.0: Driving gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  3. Von Lonski, U., Ostby, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Riemer, P., Fjaeran, T., Miras Salamanca, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021). Untapped reserves 2.0: Driving gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  4. Von Lonski, U., Ostby, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Riemer, P., Fjaeran, T., Miras Salamanca, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021). Untapped reserves 2.0: Driving gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  5. Rick, K., Martén, I., & Von Lonski, U. (2017). Untapped reserves: Promoting gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  6. Von Lonski, U., Ostby, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Riemer, P., Fjaeran, T., Miras Salamanca, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021). Untapped reserves 2.0: Driving gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  7. Rick, K., Martén, I., & Von Lonski, U. (2017). Untapped reserves: Promoting gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  8. Von Lonski, U., Ostby, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Riemer, P., Fjaeran, T., Miras Salamanca, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021). Untapped reserves 2.0: Driving gender balance in oil and gas. Boston Consulting Group and World Petroleum Council.
  9. Pilgrim, G., Nicholson, D., Johnstone, N., & Nghiem, A. (2021). Women in senior management roles at energy firms remains stubbornly low, but efforts to improve gender diversity are moving apace. IEA.
  10. Pilgrim, G., Nicholson, D., Johnstone, N., & Nghiem, A. (2021). Women in senior management roles at energy firms remains stubbornly low, but efforts to improve gender diversity are moving apace. IEA.
  11. Ferroukhi, R., Renner, M., Nagpal, D., García-Baños, C., & Barua, B. (2019). Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. International Renewable Energy Agency.
  12. Renewable energy includes “bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.” About IRENA. International Renewable Energy Agency.; Ferroukhi, R., Renner, M., Nagpal, D., García-Baños, C., & Barua, B. (2019). Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. International Renewable Energy Agency.
  13. Ferroukhi, R., Renner, M., Nagpal, D., García-Baños, C., & Barua, B. (2019). Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. International Renewable Energy Agency.
  14. 20-first’s 2018 Global Gender Balance Scorecard: Energy Top 20: Women Still a Slow-Burn. (2018). 20-first.
  15. 20-first’s 2018 Global Gender Balance Scorecard: Energy Top 20: Women Still a Slow-Burn. (2018). 20-first.
  16. 20-first, 20-first’s 2018 Global Gender Balance Scorecard: Energy Top 20: Women Still a Slow-Burn (2018).
  17. The extractive industry combines mineral extraction with oil and gas extraction. Marshall, B. (2022). Facts & figures 2021: The state of Canada’s mining industry. The Mining Association of Canada.
  18. Energy fact book 2021-2022. (2021). Natural Resources Canada.
  19. Statistics Canada. (2022). Table: 14-10-0023-01: Labour force characteristics by industry, annual (x 1,000) [Data set].
  20. Energy fact book 2021-2022. (2021). Natural Resources Canada.
  21. Marshall, B. (2022). Facts & figures 2021: The state of Canada’s mining industry. The Mining Association of Canada.
  22. MacDougall, A., Valley, J., & Jeffrey, J. (2021). 2021 diversity disclosure practices: Diversity and leadership at Canadian public companies. Osler.
  23. Diversity among directors and executives in Canada’s clean technology sector. (2021). Osler.
  24. United States Energy & Employment Report 2021. (2022). U.S. Department of Energy.
  25. Help wanted: Diversity in clean energy. (2021). E2.
  26. Tonello, M., Schloetzer, J., & McKenna, F. (2021, July 7). CEO succession practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 2021 edition. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.
  27. Tonello, M., Schloetzer, J., & McKenna, F. (2021, July 7). CEO succession practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 2021 edition. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.
  28. Tonello, M., Schloetzer, J., & McKenna, F. (2021, July 7). CEO succession practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 2021 edition. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.