In order to increase the number of women in the oil industry, the idea of establishing gender quotas is being looked at within our own industry. At a conference which took place in St. John’s yesterday, an executive in Norway’s oil sector said it’s already changed politics and business in her home country. “There are a lot of women in politics in Norway.” She credits those women with establishing quota programs that allow women to participate in the oil and gas sector, through things like universal daycare and parental leave with full pay. She explained how gender quotas in her country work for everything from political parties to companies on the stock exchange. Linda Ross, of the N.L. Advisory Council on the Status of Women, also believes quotas could change Canada. She said yesterday, “It’s how it’s done and it’s not tokenism…it is a recognition that there are a lot of competent, capable women who need to be in these positions.” For more on the conference, see Indy coverage.
