Gretyl Lunn, on behalf of the Women in Pipelines Forum, explains why the pipeline industry needs to keep talking about gender equality.
It feels like International Women’s Day is more important than ever this year. This year’s theme of ‘March Forward’ is about moving beyond reflection and making concrete efforts to drive change and ensure a ‘truly equal future for all women and girls’.
In 2024, psychological safety and the benefits diversity brings to an organisation have been more prominent than ever. Companies now have a legal obligation under Respect@Work to eliminate harassment. Diversity programs have moved away from equality and towards high level cultural change.
However, the reality is that sometimes we are reminded of how far we have to go. While reflection and psychological safety is important, moving on to these topics may have blurred the lines in the original fight for gender equality in the industry: ensuring a safe workplace where women are respected and are truly equal. Despite the progress made, sexual harassment and assault in the workplace and harmful cultures remain pervasive issues that cannot be ignored. While we move forwards with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies at a high level, are we marching backwards on the ground?
The reality on the ground
It has been three years since the release of Creating Cultural Change for Gender Equality within the pipeline industry. Yet, in the past three years, multiple women working on projects and at networking events in the industry have experienced incidents of assault and harassment. These complaints span multiple states, highlighting a continual pervasive issue. Despite high-level efforts to address these concerns, and widespread support, day-to-day behaviours and attitudes continue to undermine these initiatives. This includes dismissive comments and a mentality such as: ‘What did you expect putting female graduates on site?’ and ‘don’t talk to her today, she’s moody’.
Despite the progress made in reducing harmful behaviours, reports like the Everyday Respect report highlight a troubling trend: Backlash, resistance, and retaliation against women. This resistance is particularly evident among a small but growing percentage of young men in Australia. The Diversity Council of Australia found in February 2024 that seven per cent of Australian workers strongly opposed DEI programs at work – up from three per cent in 2017.
The persistence of misconduct is a stark reminder that DEI cannot be relegated to a mere checkbox exercise. The experiences of women within the industry illustrate the urgent need for comprehensive DEI programs and training that address not only diversity but also create safe and inclusive environments. While it would be ideal for DEI to be seen as an added benefit to all, it is still a necessity.
One significant issue is that diversity and inclusion efforts often seem confined to the cultural and economic elite, focusing on diversifying the C-suite. This can lead to a perception among average workers that these initiatives have no impact on their lives, fuelling further backlash.
A call to action
When DEI initiatives are genuinely embedded into an organisation’s culture, they become an integral part of ‘who we are’ rather than just ‘what we do’. This requires a shift from treating DEI as a plug-and-play initiative to making it a core value. To make DEI a core value, the pipeline industry must commit to change and take action such as:
- If you see or hear something that’s not right, report it or speak to someone immediately
- Pay attention to your coworkers. If someone seems different or off, check in with them. Your support can be crucial
- If you witness harmful behaviours, call them out. Silence can be complicit
- Actively promote an inclusive and respectful environment. Encourage diverse perspectives and ensure everyone feels valued.
- Continuously educate yourself and your team about diversity and psychological safety for all
- Demonstrate inclusive behaviour in your daily actions. Your example can inspire others to follow suit.
International Women’s Day 2025 is a call to action for everyone to continue the fight for gender equality. The reality is that without continuous effort, we risk marching backwards.
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