The Taiwanese offshore wind industry employs more women than the sector in other countries, especially in senior roles, a study commissioned by the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei showed.
The report, released on Wednesday, showed that 95 percent of offshore wind companies in Taiwan employed female managers, while 60 percent had at least one woman in a director-level role.
While female workforce participation in the global offshore wind energy sector is as low as 21 percent, with an even lower average of 15 percent in Asia, women make up 26 percent of employees in Taiwan, the report said.
Photo courtesy of the British Office Taipei
Among firms operating in Taiwan, developers employed the highest number of female directors, it said.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners K/S new markets development director Maya Malik said that when she moved to Taiwan, she noticed the relatively high number of women working in the sector, including in senior roles.
With her observation, she approached the business group and suggested the study, she said, adding that the report validated her impression.
“Globally the offshore wind industry even lags behind oil and gas when it comes to female participation, but here in Taiwan, there are indeed more women as we have noticed,” Malik told an event in Taipei to reveal the findings. “This is very high compared to other countries, with strong acceptance for women as leaders, especially for the region.”
However, the report also highlighted two factors that limit female participation in the sector: the relatively low number of women studying in field related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics; and the expectation that women adopt the role of wife and mother, and bear the brunt of domestic duties, which might lead them to leave the workforce.
The report recommended that companies support female employees who wish to have children, and offer them more flexible working hours, longer maternity leave and other measures.
At a forum after the event, some of Taiwan’s top female offshore wind executives shared their experiences, which often included overcoming sexism in the industry.
Monica Liu, who is now a project director at Northland Power Inc, described having to break through barriers earlier in her career before becoming a success story.
"Earlier in my career, I've been mistaken for interpreters at meetings and been overlooked for senior roles," Liu said.
Her negative experiences were before starting at her current firm.
Hopefully her experience will help other women overcome the barriers, she said.
This story has been modified since it was first published to avoid any inconvenience caused to Northland Power Inc.
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