Energy organizations offer support for solar-led diversity initiative
The energy industry united this week in pledging to take additional actions to become more diverse and inclusive as part of an initiative led by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
The Solar Foundation, in partnership with SEIA, recently released a report that found companies can do even more to address diversity and improve wage gaps and job satisfaction in the solar industry. A number of studies have shown that more diverse and inclusive companies are more profitable and innovative.
“This week I challenged our members and energy organizations broadly to take steps to address diversity. Nearly 80 energy companies and organizations answered that call,” Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO, wrote on Wednesday. “They made commitments to diversity on social media, signed a formal pledge to address diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and are already taking steps toward creating a more equitable work environment.”
SEIA’s #DiversityChallenge calls for energy organizations to embrace a “sustained effort to address diversity and inclusion at their company and in their industries.” As part of the challenge, company leaders are asked to take the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge and share their efforts to improve diversity on social media.
The U.S. Solar Industry Diversity Study 2019 found that while the solar industry has made strides toward diversity, its workforce remains predominantly white and male. Women in solar make 74 cents on the dollar compared to men, and just 36 percent of solar companies formally track employee demographics and diversity.
In addition, the majority of solar employees surveyed reported a positive working environment, with 73 percent of respondents agreeing their firm cultivates a culture of respect, equity and positive recognition of differences.
“As leaders, we have a responsibility to create cultural change and address the systemic forces that have allowed discrimination to fester,” Hopper said this week. “We need to take account of our own actions and ask ourselves, are we doing enough?”
SEIA and The Solar Foundation also released the Diversity Best Practices Guide for the Solar Industry as a companion to its study. It provides companies with suggestions for building and sustaining diverse and inclusive work cultures by giving examples of what industry leaders are already doing, as well as pointing out where organizations can look for areas of improvement. The guide is organized into five key focus areas, including outreach and recruitment, interviewing and hiring, retention, upward mobility, and cultural inclusivity.
Energy organizations quickly accepted and shared their support of the diversity initiative.
“To achieve SEPA’s vision of a carbon-free energy system by 2050, our industry must tap a diverse set of skills, backgrounds, cultural beliefs, and experiences in much the same way we must utilize a diverse mix of energy technologies and solutions,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA president and CEO. “SEPA is committed to leveraging diversity in our workforce to achieve the best outcomes for the clean energy industry.”
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which represents all investor-owned electric companies, also announced its support this week.
“EEI is proud to join @SEIA’s #DiversityChallenge and to continue to focus on developing the next-generation energy workforce – one with diverse, highly skilled, and qualified employees capable of delivering on the responsibility to meet customers’ evolving energy needs,” EEI said.
EEI announced in June 2018 that it would develop a three-year plan to improve diversity and inclusion results throughout its member companies.
As part of its program, EEI created an online resource center of best practices, projects and successful strategies for its member companies to use. While member companies have pledged more than $100 billion each year to creating a smarter, cleaner energy infrastructure, EEI also asked its member companies to work toward building the next-generation energy workforce.
NEI President and CEO Maria Korsnick praised the work of SEIA’s Hopper in encouraging energy companies to pursue more diverse and inclusive workforces.
Korsnick, in a statement, said that she will sign the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, joining the CEOs of 600 major companies, including NEI members such as Dominion, Duke Energy, Exelon, First Energy, PSEG, Southern and Xcel, to raise awareness about issues relating to diversity and inclusion.
The American Petroleum Institute (API), the Natural Gas Supply Association, the Energy Storage Association, the U.S. Energy Association and others also offered their support of the initiative and commitment to diversity and inclusion practices.
