We have heard much about sexism in recent years, but do you know what the term refers to? It is a «pattern of behavior that affects women and other sexually diverse genders»[1], which is reinforced by acts of misogyny, individualism, gender role stereotyping, machismo and objectification of women. It also affects other men.
At Iberdrola México we want to build safe workplaces for all the people in our team, both in the offices and in the plants and parks. At the same time, we are aware that the energy sector, as well as a large part of STEM degree programs, are comprised mostly of men.
In this regard, we need to become aware of certain practices and expressions that will help us understand how this phenomenon occurs and how we can counteract it. Here is a list of different situations that could arise inside and outside the workplace:
To prevent sexist behavior, it is not only necessary to identify bad practices but also to take specific measures to combat them, for example: internal diagnostics that enable us to know what employees think and establish internal policies with the aim of stating the rights and obligations of each worker. This allows us to grow in and share a healthy work environment and combat women’s stagnation at work, better known as the «glass ceiling».
The Iberdrola People does an excellent job of applying values of respect for diversity and equality within the company, and our commitment is to continue moving towards the creation of workplaces where respect is encouraged. At Iberdrola México we are in no doubt that diversity does not divide the world but actually enriches it.
[1] Interview for Iberdrola México (2022), Institute for the Development of Antihegemonic Masculinities.
