Women are often put down for their ability to be empathetic. It’s seen as a sign of weakness, and, therefore, they are rejected from high-responsibility roles. This is a huge mistake made by businesses every day, as only 19% of leadership roles are held by women globally. We are letting opportunities slip through our fingers to protect the egos of those who perceive the world to be theirs.
Despite job opportunities within sustainability rising, corporations, much like the BBC, referred to female jobs in sustainability as a ‘trend’, but we’re here to make a difference, not tick a diversity box. Our ability to empathise means we care for society and the environment, we place our value on the earth, not the money we extract from it. However, this does not give males an excuse to ignore the issues we cause and excel the gender responsibility gap. Males are not above taking responsibility, especially since their actions as leaders have caused the problems Earth faces today. This is not to say that all women care about our Earth and not a single man takes responsibility, but those acting to make change are predominantly female.
Having said this, it is important to have women in sustainability roles, as they are usually disproportionately affected by unsustainability therefore, their involvement in sustainability decisions ensures policies and strategies developed are responsive to their needs, enhancing equity. Furthermore, having more female leaders within a business improves productivity and efficiency as they provide diverse knowledge, skills and problem-solving opportunities. This leads me to introduce Inger Hanssen-Bauer, a Norwegian climate scientist and head of the Department of Meteorology and Climate at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, is a leading female scientist. At the beginning of her career, working at the Norwegian Polar Institute, she noticed there was a clear line of communication between the male scientists, but the same could not be said for the females, as she was the only one, making her feel isolated as she was often left out of important communication channels. Despite this, Hanssen-Bauer is now undertaking some of the most important research to better understand climate and environmental change.
We, as women, can make important and necessary changes, but we are often dismissed from the opportunity, so, if you are in a place of influence, use it to empower women and make a powerful change.
“Men who are truly role models, don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful” – Michelle Obama
Not My Monkey 