As countries around the world celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, EcoCareers CEO Joseph Boll called for more support for women entering the renewable energy field.
“Sustainable jobs are expected to grow by the thousands in this year alone, not to mention over the coming years,” said Joseph Boll, EcoCareers CEO. “But this massive development cannot leave women behind. While embracing sustainable development, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past by ignoring inclusivity as we go along. Sustainable development is not just about the climate but also about society, and the ideal is for equal participation of men and women in this innovative, lucrative industry.”
EcoCareers is an online jobs board and resource website for all jobs in sustainability, whether traditional green jobs like solar panel technicians or environmental scientists to jobs in industries that are newer to sustainability, like fashion and manufacturing. EcoCareers seeks to connect employers, hiring managers and HR personnel in the green sector with jobseekers and the top talent in their respective industries.
Boll pointed out that despite the massive boom in green jobs over the past few years, which is expected to continue into the future, companies have been challenged to find enough workers. Yet, data from the World Bank found that only around a third of workers in the green economy were women, and even less were in management or decision-making positions. Further, only 62 women for every 100 men were even considered when trying to apply for green jobs.
The World Bank attributed this sharp difference to “restrictive policies, discriminatory legal frameworks, unconscious biases and unfavorable hiring practices,” which in turn reduce women’s meaningful participation” in male-dominated industries like renewable energy, STEM and others.
“Imagine how the green energy labor shortage could change once more women are encouraged in this field,” Boll said. “This is why we need companies to not just say they will tackle inclusivity but actually follow through on it. We need less stigma around women in renewable energy and more support for them entering male-dominated fields. We need businesses to commit to creating inclusive, welcoming company cultures that will foster more equality.”
