Where is the ‘social’ in ESG? The gender diversity progress in the gas industry.

Diverse organisations outperform rivals and foster a climate for diverse perspectives on organisational strategies (Yanosek et al., 2019). This underlines the crucial role of gender diversity in increased sustainability, as diverse teams are more likely to consider information exhaustively and accurately because they can leverage a larger variety of perspectives (Homan, 2019). Actioning and delivering the ‘social’ in Environment Social and Governance (ESG) principles should be a key focus in the gas industry. The social aspect of the ESG principles looks at the value of equity and fairness to stakeholders, including workforce diversity and inclusion. The oil and gas industry has historically and demographically been predominantly male. This imbalance is further heightened by the underrepresentation of women at corporate events, which are not mere gatherings but crucial platforms for professional visibility. The lack of gender diversity at these events can significantly influence female employees’ underrepresentation in the oil and gas industry, underscoring the urgent and pressing need for change. In this research, interviews were conducted with Nigerian oil and gas employees to explore their lived experiences in the industry and the impact of gender diversity on their careers and at corporate events. Participants were open about their diverse experiences, which cut across decades of experience and working in diverse locations across the globe. They indicated that, despite corporate awareness of gender diversity across the sector, women in leadership roles are still limited across the industry value chain. The underrepresentation of women as speakers at events, from large conferences to smaller internal company events, was a consistent trend in the interviews. Women were often put in particular roles or departments, viewed as more suited to women, and thus excluded from other core roles. The findings from this research provide evidence of a lack of gender diversity across the sector, especially at executive and senior leadership levels. Participants acknowledged their organisation’s awareness of gender diversity, with most companies adopting gender diversity principles; however, the impact on actual female representation in the sector is still limited. Participants repeatedly noted that a lack of gender diversity trends is a norm across the global oil and gas industry. Gender diversity at corporate events can begin to improve female representation in the sector. Moreover, it can motivate younger females to enter the industry, creating a more diverse talent pool. However, organisations will need to significantly increase their gender diversity efforts to close the gender gap in the sector. This is not just a suggestion but a necessity to truly embody the ‘social’ in ESG.