The success and long-term sustainability of the petroleum industry will largely depend upon its ability to embrace workplace diversity, industry leaders said during ADIPEC’s ‘Women in Energy’ conference this week.
Diversity is proving to be an essential driver of the progress of the industry. This is particularly true now, they said, with innovation being a critical element amid an evolving energy landscape and an increasingly competitive business environment.
“Roles that have been traditionally male-dominated are witnessing an evolution, and women are increasingly taking the helm in leadership positions,” said Merete Juhl, Danish Ambassador to the UAE and Qatar, a key speakers at the conference.
Ada Perniceni, Partner at A.T. Kearney, said, “The benefits of increasing gender diversity in the workplace are significant. Closing the gender gap can alone add 12% growth to the OECD economy by 2030 and generate a positive impact on the profitability of companies.”
According to recent research done by the firm, female participation in the regional workforce has increased by 33% since 1993. Growth in female participation across industries in the GCC ranges from 15% in Kuwait to 63% in the UAE.
“In the energy sector, the role of gender diversity is as important as for other industries,” said Perniceni. “Traditionally, the oil and gas industry has been a male-dominated environment, and it only seems natural that organisations will find it difficult to optimise their performance if they are excluding half of the population.”
Innovation will play an instrumental role in helping the industry operate more safely, responsibly, and efficiently, which is important not only for meeting current challenges, but also for the industry’s long-term sustainability, added Intisaar Al Kindi, Exploration Director at Petroleum Development Oman.
Conducted at ADIPEC 2016, the ‘Women in Energy’ conference included eight sessions, including on-stage interviews and a live voting discussion with global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney.
