The Society of Petroleum Engineers conducted a survey in May 2023 to determine the status of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the energy industry from the workforce perspective. The survey consisted of seven demographics and 15 multiple-choice and five open-ended questions similar to those from a 2020 SPE D&I survey.
A few additions aimed to capture changes in the workplace because of the pandemic and the ongoing energy transition. The proposal was reviewed and approved by the SPE D&I committee. SPE Marketing Research Group submitted the survey to SPE members and nonmembers located worldwide. The survey was also promoted on social media to increase its reach. The responses were analyzed with the help of charts and tables that summarized key findings.
More than 900 responses were received from all over the world. 74% were men, 21% were women, 1% were nonbinary, and 4% preferred not to answer the gender question. Most of the participants were from North America (58%) and Western Europe (12%), followed by Asia (8%), South America (8%), and Africa (7%). 96% of the respondents held college degrees. Their ages were 26–35 years old (12%), 36–45 years old (20%), 46–55 years old (17%), 56–65 years old (21%), and older than 66 years old (23%). 58% worked for upstream companies, 14% worked for oilfield services and equipment companies, and 13% were consultants.
Most professionals have positive perceptions about the industry’s benefits, work environment, and contributions to the energy transition, top conditions to recruit and retain younger generations. Most respondents said they prefer to work virtually or part time from home.
Women reported that they face gender biases at work and that their careers are limited by negativity or discrimination by management.
While some participants express skepticism or opposition to D&I initiatives, the majority emphasize the importance of creating an inclusive work environment. Hiring, assignments, and promotions were supported based on merit regardless of differences or merit without using quotas to benefit minorities.
The understanding of women and men about important D&I topics differs. For example, a majority of women perceive that, even today, they are not treated equally at work, while a majority of men perceive that everyone is treated equally.
D&I has matured to include not only aspects of identity (e.g., gender and race) but also aspects of the value and benefits obtained by promoting diversity of thoughts, making merit-based decisions, challenging biases, and fostering equal opportunities for all employees.
The different opinions that women and men have expressed in the survey illustrate how organizations can be nurtured by the presence of diverse individuals that bring their unique perspectives and contributions for long-term success.