How we contribute to achieving objective no. 5
2 March 2023
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So, what is the current state of gender balance in the industry? Let’s take a look at some statistics.
Women make up:
- 41% of scientists and engineers in all sectors, and 22% of the manufacturing sector.
- 34% of graduates in STEM careers in the EU.
- 9% of CEOs in all industries.
- 15% of employees in the technology sector in the EU.
- 30% of entrepreneurs and 32% of economic leaders in the EU.
- 15% of founders or co-founders of deeptech startups.
Objective no. 5
Objective no. 5 of the EIT Gender Equality Policy 2022-2027 says: “The equality between men and women is at the core of values of the European Union. Gender equality is also a matter of human rights and lies at the heart of the Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030”
Above figures show that there is still a long way to go for gender equality and closing the gender gap across all STEAM sectors. This is the reason why initiatives like the panel at Transfiere on 15 February about “The challenge of the gender gap in the STEAM sectors: driving innovative policies”, are still needed. This initiative was co-organized by EIT Manufacturing, EIT Food, EIT Raw Materials and EIT Health and gathered representatives from the business ecosystem, who discussed challenges, results, gaps and needs to be addressed in their respective sectors.
The panel moderated by Antoni Pijoan, Managing Director of EIT Manufacturing West, counted with the participation of Maite del Castillo, Regional Human Resources Manager at Arteche; Sol Villar, Human Resources Director at Atlantic Copper; Magda Rosenmöller, Associate Professor at IESE Business School and María Eugenia Martín Hidalgo, CEO & Co Founder of ColorSensing.
At EIT Manufacturing we are commited to working towards a more inclusive and equal workplace, which is why we have started taking the first steps towards creating discussions internally to improve our practices. The numerous initiatives that have emerged throughout the years also show our continued effort to better ourselves, which will hopefully inspire our entire ecosystem.
Antoni Pijoan, Managing Director at EIT Manufacturing West
Programmes and initiatives promoted by the different Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) of EIT, like Supernovas, in which I have been honored to participate, play a crucial role in reducing the gender gap in entrepreneurship and technology. By providing tailored support, visibility of female role models, and networking opportunities, these programs empower women to have entrepreneurial ambitions and pursue them, contributing to building a more diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem.
María Eugenia Martín, CEO & Co Founder of ColorSensing
The biggest challenge that organisations and society face regarding gender equality is putting an end to unconscious biases. In this sense, it is essential to implement actions aiming to help each person achieve the best version of themselves, and that integrate and give visibility to hidden female talent, and promote the collaboration between diverse profiles
Sol Villar, General Director of Organization and Human Resources at Atlantic Copper
However, we need to walk the talk. EIT Manufacturing takes part in various initiatives that foster entrepreneurship among women, offering them the means, knowledge and motivation to start their journeys:
- Supernovas is a programme developed by EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. It takes into consideration the main existing barriers to improve the presence of women in the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. It proposes activities that seek to unleash their potential to fill ecosystem gender gaps by identifying key groups of women and supporting them with specific instruments as best suited for the purpose.
- Girls go Circular aims to equip 40,000 schoolgirls aged 14-19 across Europe with digital and entrepreneurial skills by 2024 through an online learning programme about the circular economy.
- EIT Woman Award recognises the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs and leaders from its Innovation Communities.
- EIT Women is the community that unites the women linked to the EIT and any of its communities. It aims to increase the power of women in the European ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship, through initiatives that encourage the creation of a network or the exchange of learnings and experiences.