Omani women occupy 30pc of PDO’s senior positions

Business Reporter -

MUSCAT, FEB 13 -

Changing perceptions of women in leadership roles, acquiring and retaining local female talent, and overcoming practical challenges in terms of logistics and infrastructure are key issues that employers in the GCC face. These are the findings of a report released by The Pearl Initiative, a forerunner of women’s empowerment in the Gulf.

Developed in collaboration with the Sharjah Business Women’s Council (SBWC) the report is titled ‘Women’s Careers in the GCC — Four Good Practice Case Studies’ — and focuses on various aspects of diversity in the workplace. This has been done through surveys of four of the region’s leading companies — General Electric (GE), Olayan Group, Pepsico and Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) —each a leader in their domain. The participants shared best practices that ensure inclusion and diversity in the workplace while discussing the strategies they devised to acquire and retain top female talent, thereby achieving stronger governance.

The results suggest that an integrated approach involving schools and universities, aggressive awareness drives at multiple levels, implementing supportive infrastructure and work environment, family engagement as well as women-specific policies and programmes are the most effective ways to address the challenges of female employment. Developing more role models from the region, creating women-centric opportunities, investing in segregated offices and other useful services at the workplace, and organising transportation to and from work are a few of the strategies companies can adopt to create an enabling work environment.

In the recent years, Oman has recorded increasing female enrollment in higher education — a promising sign towards further inclusion in the workplace. According to the Oman Education Council’s Higher Education Report, 45,029 female students were enrolled in private colleges and universities, compared with 23,723 men during the 2014-2015 academic year. The Ministry of Education is also collaborating with private sector companies to offer scholarships to Omani students pursuing higher education in various fields.

Commending Oman’s efforts in enriching education, and discussing the way forward in promoting further diversity, Carla Koffel, Executive Director of The Pearl Initiative said: “Even with scores of highly qualified women graduating from universities, the real challenge now lies in attracting and incentivising the right talent, fostering an organisational culture which will retain them and providing professional development tools to enable them climb to top positions in every sector and industry. When women are provided with the right opportunities, they can demonstrate the business benefits they bring to any institution, and shift the region’s social perceptions on working women in the process. In fact, it has already begun, and Petroleum Development Oman is a great example of this.”

Through implementing a multi-faceted programme promoting inclusion and diversity, PDO has succeeded in ensuring that a third of its directorial team — four out of 15 directors — comprises women, both in technical and non-technical roles. The fact that over 30 per cent of senior leadership team comprises of Omani women has made PDO the employer of choice for female engineering graduates in Oman. Today, the company has a 50:50 gender ratio of entry-level petroleum engineers, including the first female Omani driller, and a balanced talent pool at junior and mid-career levels.

Raoul Restucci, Managing Director, Petroleum Development Oman said: “PDO fully supports this excellent endeavour and congratulates all involved for their invaluable contribution to this cause and the raising of awareness, challenges and opportunities across the region. Oman is already seen as a pioneer in female empowerment in the Middle East and this is very much underpinned by the unwavering support and wise leadership of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos. During his first speech when he ascended to power in 1970, His Majesty stressed his ‘interest in the importance of the role of women in society, and in supporting the economy.’ Since then, women have increasingly and impressively contributed to the country politically, economically and socially.

“PDO is determined to do all we can to advance the cause of women in the workplace both within our own boundaries and beyond as a pre-requisite and fundamental enabler for delivering and sustaining high performance, greater equity, respect and collaboration.”

As a leading independent, not-for-profit, by-business for-business organisation, the Pearl Initiative works across the Gulf region to improve corporate accountability and transparency through good governance best practices, including positioning women in leadership roles. The organisation’s goal is particularly important in today’s economic landscape given that diversity breeds innovation, creativity, and business sustainability. In fact, industry experts find that companies which practice diversity in leadership enjoy better financial returns and higher profitability.