The Equality Platform for the Energy Sector
The European Union is committed to strengthening equality and inclusion in all fields of EU activity, including in the energy sector. To this end, at the EU Sustainable Energy Week in 2021 the European Commission launched the Equality Platform for the Energy Sector in order to offer a space for discussing gender-related issues, facilitating exchanges of experiences and highlighting best practices.
The Platform was launched following a call to energy stakeholders from all EU countries, to inform the European Commission of any actions they were already taking to promote equality and inclusion in their environment.
The Platform serves as a forum for companies, organizations and institutions to share successful strategies for fostering diversity and inclusion within their workplaces. This allows others to learn from these examples and implement similar initiatives. By sharing concrete actions that contribute to achieving equality in the energy sector and promoting workplaces that are more diverse and inclusive, the Platform contributes to strengthen the EU commitment to equality and inclusion, acknowledging that they are also drivers of economic growth and social well-being. The Platform promotes diversity based on race, age, sexual orientation, disability, and other factors.
Membership is structured on two levels:
- Signatories sign the platform’s declarationand commit to submit within a year examples of specific actions to promote equality in their workplace;
- Full members sign the platform’s declaration and submit at the application stage examples of specific actions to promote equality in their workplace.
All members are expected to report during the Platform meetings about the implementation progress of their concrete actions. Examples of actions include the installation of specific facilities for women or persons with disabilities and the development of diversity strategies and action plans.
The Platform advocates for fair and unbiased hiring practices across the energy sector, eliminating gender bias in job descriptions, interview processes, and promotion opportunities. It emphasizes the importance of fostering inclusive work cultures within energy companies, for instance via unconscious bias training for managers, flexible work arrangements, and support networks for women in the workplace. Training programs and mentorship initiatives specifically designed to support women in the energy sector are particularly encouraged as they equip women with the technical skills and leadership training needed to advance in their careers.
