Schneider Electric, UN Women and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) are promoting mentorship and institutional support to help young women build careers and leadership roles in STEM and the energy transition. The organizations convened a Women in STEM Mentorship Café during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, bringing young women together with experienced professionals.
The initiative uses a “circular mentorship” approach in which young women receive guidance while senior leaders hear directly about their expectations of employers, workplace barriers, missing skills and opportunities, and the conditions that would help them remain and advance in their careers.
The organizations said mentorship should be combined with measures including equitable recruitment, promotion and pay, safe and inclusive workplaces, supportive care policies, professional networks and clear pathways into technical and leadership roles.
Schneider Electric links the approach to its Youth Education and Entrepreneurship Program and global Women in STEM initiative. Its Sustainability Impact 2030 roadmap includes ambitions to equip three million young people with skills for electrification and sustainability, reach 40% women in leadership, and engage more than 30% of employees as change agents in their communities.
UN Women supports workplace action through the Women’s Empowerment Principles community of more than 13,000 companies across 170 countries. SEforALL, meanwhile, uses initiatives including the Gender and Energy Compact to bring sector participants together around gender equality and women’s empowerment in the energy transition.
“One of my biggest takeaways was to own our place and take a seat at the table. It was incredibly inspiring to connect with women across generations and industries, learn through mentorship, and be part of a conversation truly led by women,” said Anu Kadyan, Student Fellow at Columbia Business School.