Big increase in women in energy firm boardrooms

● More than one-third of firms still have all-male boards, though

New figures show a large jump in the number of women in boardroom roles in the UK energy sector.

But they also reveal more than one-third of firms still have all-male boards and in excess of two-thirds have no women at all in executive director roles.

Industry body POWERful Women (PfW), which in 2015 teamed up with professional services firm PwC to start tracking women’s presence in energy company boardrooms, says faster progress is needed towards its target of 40% of middle management and 30% of executive board positions to be female by 2030.

PfW chairwoman Ruth Cairnie said: “There is a long, long way to go before the representation of women at senior levels is sufficient or sustainable.

“Special attention is needed with all the Covid-19 disruption to ensure we don’t fall back on old habits and lose the progress that has been made – especially in building a strong pipeline of female talent for senior leaders who will tackle the energy challenges that lie ahead.

“At times of uncertainty and disruption, the benefits of diversity and inclusion are more critical than ever.”

The latest analysis shows 21% of board seats in the sector are now occupied by women – up from 16% in 2019 and 13% in 2018.

Some 13% of executive board seats are now occupied by women – more than double last year’s 6%.

Eleven companies, or 15% of those surveyed, have reached the PfW target for 2030 of having at least 30% of their executive board seats occupied by women.

Since the last review in 2019 there are 25 more women board members, while the number of female executive directors has increased by twothirds.

PfW said the 38% of firms with no women on their boards at all was better than last year’s 42% but still “unacceptable”.

Jeanette Forbes, chief executive of Inveruriebased oil and gas technology firm Blue Gentoo, said: “These companies should be taking note of that and to redressing the balance.”

GLASS CEILING: The number of females in energy company boardrooms is increasing, but representatives say there is still work to be done