Empowering Women, Empowering Sustainability: The Role of Gender Parity in Environmental Leadership

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023 and exploring the critical role of women leaders in sustainability.

Photo by Giacomo Ferroni on Unsplash

As advocates for gender parity and EVE’s mission to promote sustainability, we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) by acknowledging the contributions of women to building a more sustainable future for all.

This year’s IWD theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” highlights the crucial role of technology in advancing gender equality. The UN’s 2022 IWD theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” emphasized the critical role women and girls play in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response. With environmental challenges on the rise, sustainability, and environmental stewardship have become issues that leaders worldwide must address. From activists and scientists to politicians and entrepreneurs, women have made significant contributions to the sustainability movement, promoting innovative solutions and inspiring others to take action.

Commissioned Artwork by UN Women

Several reasons explain why women are considered better leaders in sustainability. Women bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to sustainability leadership, which can help drive progress toward a more sustainable future. Their collaborative approach, long-term thinking, empathy, inclusivity, and commitment to social responsibility make them effective leaders in addressing the complex and interdisciplinary nature of sustainability challenges.

1. Collaboration: Women tend to be more collaborative in their leadership style. They are more likely to seek input from others, listen to diverse perspectives, and work collaboratively towards solutions. This collaborative approach is particularly useful in sustainability leadership, where the challenges are complex and interdisciplinary, requiring a range of perspectives and expertise.
2. Long-term thinking: Women leaders are more likely to prioritize long-term thinking over short-term gains. This is crucial in sustainability leadership, where decisions must be made with an eye toward the future and the needs of future generations.
3. Empathy: Women are often seen as having higher levels of empathy and emotional intelligence. This can help them better understand and respond to the needs and concerns of stakeholders affected by sustainability issues.
4. Inclusivity: Women leaders are more likely to promote diversity and inclusivity, both within their own teams and in the wider community. This is important in sustainability leadership because it requires the engagement and participation of a range of stakeholders, including marginalized communities.
5. Commitment to social responsibility: Women are often seen as being more committed to social responsibility and community development. This can help them prioritize sustainability initiatives that benefit not just the environment but also the social and economic well-being of communities.

We celebrate some of the most influential women leaders in sustainability, exploring their achievements and the impact they have had on the world. These women’s efforts demonstrate the diversity of women’s leadership in sustainability.

Photos by Giacomo Ferroni, Lannan Foundation, Arno Mikkor, and Jakob Polacsek on Flickr

1. Greta Thunberg — Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who gained international attention for her school strikes for climate action. She has spoken at numerous international conferences and events, calling on world leaders to take immediate action to address climate change.
2. Winona LaDuke — LaDuke is a Native American environmentalist and political activist who has worked for over 30 years to protect Indigenous land, water, and culture. She is the founder and executive director of Honor the Earth, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating awareness and support for Native environmental issues.
3. Angela Merkel — Merkel is a German politician and scientist who served as the Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. During her tenure, she was a strong advocate for climate action, leading Germany to phase out nuclear power and increase its reliance on renewable energy.
4. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim — Ibrahim is a climate activist from Chad and a member of the Mbororo people. She advocates for indigenous people’s land rights and fights against climate change’s disproportionate effects on indigenous communities.

Photos by Francesca Leonardi, STEPS Centre, Diseño Ciampagna, and Hervé Cortinat on Flickr

1. Lina Attalah — Attalah is an Egyptian journalist and founder of Mada Masr, an independent media outlet. She leads the publication’s coverage of environmental issues, including Egypt’s water crisis and the impact of climate change on the region.
2. Sunita Narain — Narain is an Indian environmentalist and director-general of the Centre for Science and Environment, an environmental research and advocacy organization in New Delhi. Narain’s advocacy work has led to significant policy changes in India, including the banning of highly polluting fuels.
3. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Ocasio-Cortez is a US congresswoman from New York who has been a leading advocate for the Green New Deal, a comprehensive plan to address climate change and economic inequality. She has also been a vocal critic of the fossil fuel industry and has called for greater investment in renewable energy.
4. Jacinda Ardern — Ardern is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand and made climate action a top priority for her government. She has committed New Zealand to a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and has implemented policies to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

From Greta Thunberg’s global activism to Jane Goodall’s pioneering work on conservation and biodiversity, women leaders in sustainability have demonstrated the urgent need for change and the power of diverse leadership. However, gender disparities still exist in environmental leadership positions across countries and sectors. This issue is particularly pronounced in countries vulnerable to climate change, where the gender-differentiated impacts of environmental issues are most acute. It’s vital to recognize that diversity in leadership is necessary to drive progress toward a more sustainable future. Promoting more women leaders, especially those from diverse backgrounds, is not only the right thing to do from a social justice perspective, but it can also lead to better outcomes for organisations, communities, and society as a whole.

Photo by Eyoel Kahssay on Unsplash

It’s essential to support women-led sustainability initiatives that promote gender equality, diversity, and technological innovation. For example, the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) in Europe is a network of women working towards climate justice, promoting solutions based on indigenous knowledge, and defending biodiversity. The group supports gender equality and the participation of women in decision-making processes on climate change. Another global initiative focused on innovation and technology for gender equality, is the Women in Tech Network (WIT) which empowers women to step into the world of technology, creating a more gender-equal industry. WIT provides mentorship, training, and networking opportunities for women in technology, enabling them to develop the skills and confidence to succeed.

We urge everyone to promote gender equality and diversity in leadership to drive sustainable change. Happy International Women’s Day from all of us at EVE!

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