Company board statistics 2021

POWERful Women’s Annual State of the Nation

 

 

 

Every year in Spring we report on gender diversity at the top of the UK energy industry.

  

In partnership with PwC UK we gather and publish   statistics on the number of women in board and executive director roles in the top 80 energy companies, focussing on the most significant employers in the UK energy industry, based on data gathered in April 2021.

 

Below we present our 2021 Company Board Statistics.

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Please contact us to download the above infographics.

“I am passionate about championing diversity and increasing the representation of women in the energy sector. Not only will talented female minds help the industry transition to a green economy but they will inject innovation and creativity ensuring our energy sector is fit for the future. “2021 is a pivotal year for the energy sector to support our commitments to tackle climate change and build back greener from the pandemic. As the industry transitions, diversity and inclusion must be high up on the agenda.” – Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Energy Minister

 

 

 

“Our energy industry is sitting centre stage of the green recovery. It has to transform itself completely and support the transition for all other sectors. Yet, woefully, we still lack the diversity we need in the top ranks. This year’s figures show that we are ignoring a vast pool of female talent – only 18 out of 80 companies have any female executive directors, for example. That doesn’t bode well for success in the urgent race to Net Zero. We need to deliver diversity much faster if our sector and our economy are going to be fit for the future.” – Ruth Cairnie FEI, Chair of POWERful Women

 

 

 

 

“Our industry continues to completely reinvent itself in the face of climate change and the 2050 Net Zero target. This transformation, at both an industry and individual company level, can only happen successfully if the entire pool of talent is harnessed to meet its full potential. That’s why monitoring the progress of female representation is critical. It’s perhaps understandable why progress towards diversity targets has stalled in the last 12 months as it’s been one of the most stressful times this industry has even seen. This should not preclude, however, the need for boards to react now, looking at their composition and whether they are best positioned to guide their companies into a post pandemic and decarbonised future that will look very different to the past.” – Elisabeth Hunt, Partner, PwC UK

 

 

 

“Reporting the state of the nation on the number of women at the top of the UK’s energy industry every year is a vital part of POWERful Women’s campaigning role. What gets measured gets managed and transparency on data really does drive better diversity & inclusion.” – Baroness Verma, Co-Founder, POWERful Women

 

Why report this data?

  • Publication of the annual statistics is an important part of POWERful Women’s campaigning and reporting work.
  • Gathering, monitoring and reporting data provides transparency and drives tangible progress towards diversity targets – “what gets measured gets managed”.
  • This exercise is part of the constructive support PfW provides to UK energy companies, such as the Energy Leaders’ Coalition, in setting clear expectations and encouraging ambition and action.

We would like to thank PwC for their support once again in our Annual State of the Nation data analysis. We are grateful to all the companies and stakeholders who have provided input and who are working hard to improve their gender balance within their own organisations and in the energy sector as a whole.