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Our Journey to Gender Parity and Inclusion

What is gender parity?

Gender equality, gender gap, gender bias, gender parity… there is a lot of talk about gender issues in the workplace, with good reason. But what exactly is gender parity? It is a ratio measurement: Gender parity refers to a balanced representation of women and men.  

Why are gender parity and inclusion important?

Because an unbalanced proportion of men to women in workforce is not sustainable. Diversity is crucial to the success of any organization, and gender parity is part of that diversity. A workforce built on a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and experiences, to name just a few factors, provides an invaluable depth of perspective that translates into improved performance, innovation and employee satisfaction over more homogenous competitors. At Tractebel, we are committed to setting and achieving gender parity and inclusion goals: not only as part of our larger commitment to economic sustainability, but also to increasing diversity and reducing inequality on a global scale.  


The numbers: narrowing the gap

Of our 5000+ people in over 70 countries across the globe, Tractebel is roughly 27% women, with women holding 21% of management positions. While the numbers appear heavily skewed on the surface, there is more to them than meets the eye: the reality is that in the engineering profession overall, just 13% are women. That means completely closing the gender gap among our engineers is not feasible. But we can narrow that gap.

Tractebel reaches first level of EDGE certification in five countries


Our headquarters in Belgium, Brazil, Germany, India and France have reached the first of three levels of EDGE certification, EDGE Assess, which demonstrates commitment to gender equity in the workplace. This level officially recognizes our commitment and will be followed by a concrete action plan.  

EDGE is the leading global assessment and business certification for gender and intersectional equity. The certification process involves a rigorous third-party review of representation across the organization, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices, and inclusiveness of a company’s culture. EDGE certification is an important step in our Journey to Gender Parity and Inclusion.

 

From the moment I joined Tractebel as a Project Management Officer over a year ago, I found myself in an environment of professionalism, dynamism, productivity, excellence and mutual respect. These are values that I think every woman looks for in a company: to grow and develop professionally within a positive environment, without sacrificing physical, intellectual or emotional well-being. I know from experience that Tractebel encompasses all of it. The Journey to Gender Parity is integral to healthy companies, and Tractebel undoubtedly promotes, values and is committed to a positive environment for its people.

Engineer Daniela Franco, Project Management Officer, Tractebel in Abu Dhabi

"Anyone - regardless of gender - who is diligent, creative, meticulous, detail-oriented, and organized has what it takes to excel in engineering or project management. We need to break away from the old perception and outdated stereotype that engineering is for men and acknowledge that the diversity women bring to the field is an invaluable contribution to the sustainability of any organization. There are unlimited opportunities and room for growth for women in engineering, and our Tractebel women engineers are living proof of that."

Ernesto Q. Malicad Jr., Project Manager – Energy - Tractebel in Philippines

“As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, we are building an actionable, step-by-step plan to increase gender parity. We are not there yet, but despite the challenges inherent to the engineering sector, we are working to make Tractebel a great place to work and the company of choice for women in engineering. That means fostering a positive environment that is open and inclusive to all. Through initiatives like the EDGE program, we are encouraging more women to join our ranks of imaginative experts in the fascinating field of engineering, so that together, through the diversity of our people, we are better equipped than ever to drive our purpose of engineering a carbon-neutral future.”

Karen Goovaerts

Chief Human Resources, QHSSE & Communications Officer

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