By Margaret Nongo-Okojokwu

Despite making up 48 per cent of the global labour force, women only account for 22 per cent of the labour force in the oil and gas sector and 32 per cent in renewables, the Director of External Affairs & Sustainability, Seplat Energy, Dr Chioma Nwachukwu has said,  citing data from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
She stated this in an address at the Africa Women in Energy Forum organised by Energy Corporate and Africa in Houston, Texas, United States.
Nwachukwu, who spoke on “Improving Diversity, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability in the Energy Sector for Ensuring Economic Growth,” noted that more work needed to be done at all levels to drive greater participation of women in the industry.

She noted that the energy sector plays a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of the world and “has been the engine for development from the era of steam to coal and on to fossil fuels”, adding that the sector will continue to play this key role even as the world embarks on the energy transition journey.
According to Nwachukwu, diversity is key to organisational growth, adding that for the oil and gas industry to reap the benefits of diversity, there should be inclusion.
“The concept of Diversity and Inclusion in the Energy sector strives to harness the strength, knowledge and expertise of erstwhile excluded groups of people. It goes beyond just gender and includes race, age, disability status, and ethnicity, just to mention a few. It is proven that the value of decision-making benefits from the strength of diverse perspectives,” she said.

“In today’s world, the importance of diversity in all walks of life cannot be overemphasized, as well as the dangers of exclusion. Diversity in the workplace is much more than checking a box. Research has shown repeatedly that more diverse workforces are better for innovation, result in happier and more productive employees, and increase retention levels. These dividends ultimately drive economic growth and sustainability globally.
“In the Energy sector, embracing diversity will be vital for companies looking to drive value creation cum retention toward realising sustainable business goals in the short, medium and long term.”

To improve diversity and inclusion in the energy sector, she said that long term efforts need to be made to boost inclusion. Nwachukwu averred that there was a need to also work on the supply of talent by boosting the number of women entering STEM programmes, which she said, will enable the energy sector to achieve gender-balanced recruitment.

The concept of Diversity and Inclusion in the Energy sector strives to harness the strength, knowledge and expertise of erstwhile excluded groups of people. It goes beyond just gender and includes race, age, disability status, and ethnicity, just to mention a few.

“Strengthening gender diversity in the energy industry requires unrelenting long-term efforts to boost inclusion. Although there is a growing demand for talent, the industry currently faces a significant challenge in finding and retaining talented staff in a competitive global market. “The energy sector needs to recruit aggressively in the next decade to enable its workforce to keep pace with the energy transition. To truly foster innovation and equity, recruitment needs to include goals to improve diversity within the energy industry. Employees with different backgrounds and lived experiences bring their unique strengths to help teams tackle problems, uncover new ideas, and create the right environment for innovation to thrive,” she said.
On diversity and inclusion at Seplat Energy, Nwachukwu informed the audience that at the top management level of Seplat, there is 33 per cent female representation, while the companywide representation of females is 25 per cent.
As part of Seplat’s commitment to improving diversity and inclusion, she said that the company in October 2021, launched the Seplat Awesome Women Network  — part of its sustainable business approach toward the achievement of SDG5 — to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
“As part of the reforms to improve our inclusion policy, we reviewed the policy on maternity leave to allow expectant mothers to spend more time with their newborns. We extended the leave period from 12 to 16 weeks with an option of an additional annual leave which makes it 20 weeks of paid leave. And for the paternity leave, we reviewed from 2 working days to 14 working days,” Nwachukwu informed.
“The Company is a signatory to the principles of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact and is committed to its principles in our operations. Accordingly, Seplat has robust policies on Whistleblowing, Bullying and Harassment, Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures.
“The Company adopted a Diversity and Inclusion Policy to set the parameters within which Seplat Energy will promote diversity and inclusion within the organization. This Policy applies to all Directors, employees, and business partners, including their respective recruitment, engagement, compensation, evaluation, and promotion.”
She defined corporate social responsibility as an organisation taking accountability for how its activities impacted the environment, employees, communities and other stakeholders, adding that CSR was not just about charity, but an act of expressing the duty of care.

“As part of the reforms to improve our inclusion policy, we reviewed the policy on maternity leave to allow expectant mothers to spend more time with their newborns. We extended the leave period from 12 to 16 weeks with an option of an additional annual leave which makes it 20 weeks of paid leave. And for the paternity leave, we reviewed from 2 working days to 14 working days,” Nwachukwu informed.

“The fundamental core of corporate responsibility is ensuring that everyone in your organization is accountable and works to earn the trust of all stakeholders by meeting their expectations of ethical and responsible behaviour,” Nwachukwu said.
Discussing Seplat’s CSR, she said that the company is committed to contributing its quota to improving energy access for all by growing its gas business and supplying over 30 per cent of the gas that powers the electricity supply in Nigeria.

“We, in tandem, deliberately create opportunities to boost livelihood and economic growth at the individual level, especially in the areas in which we operate,” she said.
“In a little over ten years, we have invested ca. $4.28 million in health programmes, $3.47 million in Education programmes, $5.05 million in Empowerment programmes for women and youth and $19.64 million in community Infrastructure development projects and thousands of lives impacted positively.”
The energy landscape is changing and as a result, sustainability has become a core element in the operations of energy companies. Nwachukwu said that she believes that sustainability should be driven by the vehicle of ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) imperatives.

She said, “Sustainability is vital in all aspects of the energy sector business, from reducing emissions to securing better and more efficient ways of doing business and, indeed, the Energy Transition. The demand in the energy sector is to drive Sustainability by raising the standards, anticipating market needs and investing in tailored solutions. In other words, the industry must continuously commit to evolving to survive.”
Nwachukwu further noted that Seplat’s belief in and focus on sustainability has contributed immensely to its achievements and the strong foundation it has laid as a leading indigenous energy company in Nigeria.

In a little over ten years, we have invested ca. $4.28 million in health programmes, $3.47 million in Education programmes, $5.05 million in Empowerment programmes for women and youth and $19.64 million in community Infrastructure development projects and thousands of lives impacted positively.”