In anticipation of our interview with Michelle Branigan,
Chief Executive Officer of Electricity Human Resources Canada, this
week’s blog post takes a preliminary look at the Leadership
Accord for Gender Diversity, its genesis, purpose and the effect it
is having on the industry.
The Leadership Accord for Gender Diversity
(“the Accord”) was launched by Electricity Human
Resources Canada (“EHRC”) in March 2017 and is “a
public commitment by employers, educators, unions and governments
to promote the values of diversity, equality and inclusion
throughout their work.” In announcing the Accord, Michelle Branigan, the
CEO of EHRC, noted that women still represent only 25 percent of
the electricity workforce, with that number plummeting to 5 percent
in the trades. In addition, less than 13 percent of practicing
licensed engineers are women. While the percentage of women in the
industry continues to rise, Ms. Branigan noted that it still sits
below the Canadian average.
