![]() Being part of an industry driving such fundamental change also means being part of the change we wish to see for women in our society. Climate change is undoubtedly one of the most imposing threats to our health, safety, and security-with more severe and disproportionate impacts expected for marginalized communities across the globe. I believe it is vital to amplify and support women, especially in an industry that is truly on a mission to change the world. Utilizing Charlottesville’s impressive renewable energy network, our branch works to attract women to the industry by offering a local mentorship program, lunch-and-learn opportunities, and networking events. I founded the Charlottesville chapter in 2018 with the support of Apex and other local clean energy companies. “As a champion of both renewable energy and intersectional feminism, I found my fit at WRISE. Ray joined Apex in 2019 and has worked in the renewables industry since 2017. Madeleine Ray (front left) and other Charlottesville clean energy professionals at a WRISE networking event. When she and her husband started a family, the company’s progressive family leave policy and other new-parent benefits proved instrumental as Baker navigated professional and personal life with an infant. Under Baker’s leadership, the branch diversified educational offerings for its membership and experienced its most successful fundraising period to date.Īt Apex, Baker has actualized some of the positive benefits women bring to their workplaces, taking a lead role in helping shape the extension of Apex’s paid parental leave. In 2017, she was elected president of WRISE’s Chicago chapter, one of the largest. In 2015, the organization named her its Rising Star of the year. ![]() “It’s a crucial outlet and platform from which women can advocate for greater diversity, more progressive policies, and themselves.”īaker has been an active member of WRISE since first joining the industry. “WRISE is a group of female leaders I can look to, learn from, and work alongside to overcome challenges,” Baker says. A Catalyst for Positive Change at ApexĮrin Baker, senior development manager at Apex, has personally experienced the workplace improvements that have been made as more women join the ranks-and has contributed to them herself, encouraged in part by the support she gained through WRISE. As companies continue to diversify their renewable energy portfolios, WRISE can offer more opportunities to more women and, ultimately, cultivate better professional support. The organization, founded as Women of Wind Energy, rebranded in 2017 in an effort to serve women working and facing similar challenges in solar, biofuels, and other renewable technologies. ![]() Through networking opportunities, workshops, and mentorship programs, WRISE seeks to promote the education, professional development, and advancement of women in the renewable energy space. One of these organizations, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), was founded to foster a positive and supportive community for females in the industry. It’s in this last arena that certain nonprofits are looking to make a difference. IRENA’s study, Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective, finds that the barriers to female representation in the industry include cultural and social norms, such as gendered divisions of labor a lack of gender-sensitive policies (maternity leave being the most prominent) and a dearth of mentorship opportunities. Compared to the overall energy sector’s 22%, both Apex and renewables in general are making progress, but there remains much room for improvement. With a staff currently comprising 34% women, Apex is intentionally striving to achieve a better balance. According to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), women account for only 32% of the clean energy workforce. Energy remains one of the most gender-imbalanced sectors, and renewables-as advanced as they are-aren’t immune. ![]() Women make up nearly half (48%) of the labor force worldwide, but looking at the energy industry, this might not be evident. ![]()
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