The AXIS Network is a non-for-profit members’ network, focussed on increasing gender balance in the UK Energy Industry to support a prosperous and sustainable future across the sector.

 

Sir Ian Wood’s UKCS Maximising Recovery Review Report 2014, stated that “effective collaboration will be fundamental to the successful future of the UKCS” and called on industry to commit to improving collaboration. AXIS firmly believes that increasing diversity across all levels of the workforce and recognising the voice of the minorities can significantly contribute to meeting this objective. Evidence has shown that group performance can be significantly improved by the presence of women in teams, with women more likely to demonstrate skills that contribute to improved collaboration between participants. What’s more, AXIS sees that gender diversity will also lead to the diversity of thought, increased innovation and more favourable working practices needed for the future success of the industry.

 

Better gender balance makes business more successful. The McKinsey Global Institute (2015) estimated that a scenario in which women achieve complete gender parity with men could increase global output by more than one-quarter relative to a business-as-usual scenario. While analysis of a global survey of 21,980 firms from 91 countries carried out in 2016 indicated that the presence of women on corporate boards and in leadership roles can contribute to company profitability, with a move from no female leaders to 30% representation associated with a 15% increase in net revenue margin.

 

Women currently make up less than 1 in 10 of the global oil and gas workforce; while in the UKCS women represent only 3.6% of the total offshore workforce. AXIS want to work across the industry to significantly improve these statistics and make the sector more attractive to the female workforce by pursuing our key strategies:

• Engage leaders across all areas of the industry to recognise the benefit of diversity and to drive through cultural change

• Provide a collaborative learning and personal support environment and access to role models

• Provide access to mentors to support each other and share industry insights and practical career advice

• Be a source of best practice gender diversity information and contacts