February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. As part of our commitment to this cause, we opened our doors to a group of young women and showed them the many professional opportunities offered by the flourishing energy sector.
The energy sector remains one of the professional fields with the lowest level of participation by women. Bridging the gender gap is crucial, as women are key drivers of innovation and sustainable, inclusive growth. Despite the significant steps taken in recent years, with the number of women among students at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level steadily increasing, research shows that women continue to be under-represented in the technology sector, accounting for only 25% of jobs and only 3% of positions of responsibility and leadership.
For this reason, we are encouraging women to start careers in the energy sector. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11) is an opportunity for us to open our doors to women who want to get a glimpse of a professional future in the energy sector. And that is why we welcomed a group of beneficiaries of the EXELIXI ZOIS program. These girls, who have either just finished school or are taking their first career steps, were given a tour of our company's facilities. They also got to to talk to our executives and female engineers about the great professional opportunities offered by the energy and technology sector, which is enjoying dynamic growth in Greece.
State-of-the-art technology
We operate the most modern Control & Monitoring Room in Greece and we are applying new technologies with revolutionary sustainable practices in our projects. We are a company that not only combines renewable energy with the implementation of innovative solutions, but also provides our employees with continuous training in new technologies.
This helps explain why we offer practical support for the work of EXELIXI ZOIS, and empower the residents of gated child protection facilities in their first steps as active, self-reliant and self-sufficient members of society. The young women who came to see us had the opportunity to visit the offices and Control & Motoring Room. Our executives then shared useful tips on how to handle a job interview, which nowadays largely determines whether a candidate is hired or not.
Personal experiences
During the session, female employees shared their experiences in the energy sector and talked about the difficulties and challenges they faced during their careers, as well as the unconditional support they received from the company.
In the discussion that followed, we focused on the challenges posed by the rapid technological evolution for energy companies, as well as the stereotypes that women who want to work in technology and energy – two areas still considered to be predominantly male – have to face.
We need more women in the energy and technology sector
Our company has undertaken several initiatives to empower women and encourage their development in positions of responsibility, creating an equal and inclusive work environment. One such initiative is "Her Community" in which all our female colleagues freely discuss and organize workshops with special guests on issues of concern to them. Another initiative is the "Women engineers at schools" program, which entails our female executives talking to schoolgirls about the challenges and opportunities of engineering as a profession. This is in order to show that women can also be excellent engineers and to encourage more girls to choose this career.
At the same time, we will continue to support the work of EXELIXI ZOIS by covering part of the female students' expenses for the coming academic year. We are placing a strong emphasis on technology and innovation, while also remaining committed to equality and removing barriers to the participation of more women in the sector. In actual fact, we are first RES company in Greece to have signed the EU Diversity Charter.
We demonstrate every day our commitment to a sustainability model based on initiatives and targeted actions with a significant impact on people's lives and especially on the future of young people. Our actions for the Creation of Shared Value (CSV) are fully aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, with this initiative being part of SDG 4 - Quality Education and SDG 5 - Gender Equality.
