Women working in the rooftop solar sector : a look at India's transition to clean energy

"India's rooftop solar targets represent a major opportunity for sustainable development and for women's employment. While India has shown a strong commitment towards a clean energy transition through its renewable electricity installation target for 2022, deployment of rooftop solar technology has been slow. With the potential to create a large number of jobs in general, the rooftop solar sector also generates the types of jobs attractive to highly skilled women in particular, a largely untapped pool in India. Our analysis, based on a survey of rooftop solar companies as well as qualitative interviews with women currently employed in the sector, seeks to identify opportunities for better gender balance at work, as well as barriers to achieving it. Women currently account for only 11% of the workforce in the companies we surveyed. Participation of women is particularly low in roles involving frequent travel and a required onsite presence at project sites. We recommend that the government enhance policies to scale up the rooftop solar market by addressing the general challenges facing this sector, and introduce gender-targeted policies to enable and encourage companies to advance actions that effectively support women's employment in this sector."--Publisher Women working in the rooftop solar sector Abstract Highlights Executive summary Section 1. Employment in India’s clean energy sector Why rooftop solar? Indian women’s participation in the labour force is low at present Why women’s participation matters Section 2. Gender profile of India’s rooftop solar sector Men dominate the workforce, but gender diversity varies across the value chain More women in office-based jobs Fewer women have onsite jobs in core business activities Higher positions have lower female representation Fewer women applicants for engineering jobs in project management Section 3. Existing barriers to and support for women’s participation in the sector 1. Access to opportunities for women The perceptions of insufficient safety and security may limit opportunities for women to work in some roles traditionally held by men Organisational support plays a key role in encouraging women employees to take up roles in male-dominated functions Role models and mentorship could help to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions 2. Formal policies and procedures Support is needed beyond legally mandated policies at the company level Gaps in wages remain despite initial steps taken by some companies Childcare-related support: Another area for improvement Can external pressure drive a better gender balance in the rooftop solar sector? 3. Norms and practices at workplaces Human resource strategies should address the differentiated needs of employees and recognise the benefits for companies Rooftop solar work culture provides a flexible working environment for women 4. Individual consciousness among employees Progressive gender policies depend on recognising the value of and need for gender equality at the workplace Interventions focused on sensitisation of employees create a more empathetic work culture Cultural diversity has a positive influence on personal values and professional aspirations, regardless of gender Section 4: The way forward – Recommendations for enabling sectoral interventions Gender and employment to complement the clean energy policy agenda Areas where companies can make a difference 1. Encourage site visits for women to relatively safe and accessible locations 2. Keep up with innovations in the value chain 3. Address the persistent gender pay gap 4. Adopt more progressive and flexible work policies, especially when women’s attrition rate is highest 5. Raise awareness through more employee diversity, gender sensitisation, and soft skills training 6. Strengthen a supportive work culture Investors play an important role References Table of contents List of figures List of tables List of boxes Acknowledgements "Britain's place names are intimately linked with its history, with Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans all leaving their mark on our maps. The Penguin Dictionary of British Place Names explains the origins of over 10,000 names of not just towns, cities and villages, but rivers, lakes, mountains and islands in England, Scotland and Wales." "Place names have evolved in different and intriguing ways. Some have been taken from personal names, such as Gomshall or Catesby, or derive from saints and local churches, as in St. Andrews and St. Ives. Others describe local features, such as rivers or valleys - Aberystwyth and Glencoe - or reflect ways in which man has shaped his environment - the name Doncaster, for example, indicates a former Roman camp. In some cases legends have built up around the origins of a name (is Coventry, for instance, actually named after a convent?), which may or may not reflect reality." "Drawing on a range of sources, from the Venerable Bede and Domesday Book to recent government reports, and with maps showing patterns of settlement, this dictionary paints a broad, evocative picture of ancient and modern Britain, displaying to the full our historical, geographical and linguistic heritage."--Jacket This revised edition of the Dictionary of British Place-Names includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place-names from earliest times to the present day. Included place-names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them'Beer','Findlater','Broadbottom', and'Great Snoring'. The A to Z entries are complemented by a detailed introductory essay discussing the chronology and development of English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish place-names, as well as an extensive bibliography, maps of Britain showing old and new boundaries, and a glossary of common elements in place-names. Also new to this edition is an appendix of recommended web links pointing to relevant online resources, thereby expanding the scope of the dictionary and providing the reader with an opportunity to explore the subject further. Both accessible and up to date, this dictionary is an ideal companion for anybody travelling around the British Isles, as well as for researchers and students with an interest in toponomy, local history, cartography, and lexicography. A comprehensive A-Z guide to the meaning and history of 10,000 place names from England, Scotland and Wales. Unlocking the meaning of a place namecan provide fasinating insights into the history and development of a community. A place name can tell us when a town was founded, who founded it what the surrounding countryside was like and even which animals lived there. This dictionary provides the key. Covering names of countries, regions, cities, towns, suburbs, villages and rivers. In each case it explains precisely the place names means, what language it is derived from (for example, Anglo-Saxon, Celtic) and when it was first recorded and provides a host of background details. The dictionary also explains the meaning and significance of comman elements in place names (for example, "ham") and includes a number of maps. "Familiar or curious, place-names are part of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the British Isles. This is an irresistible reference book for all those interested in names, early languages, and local history. Fully up-to-date, this new dictionary traces the development of British place-names from earliest times to the present day."--Jacket A place name can tell us when a town was founded, who founded it what the surrounding countryside was like and even which animals lived there. This is an A-Z guide to the meaning and history of 10,000 place names from England, Scotland and Wales. From Abbas Combe to Zennor, this dictionary gives the meaning and origin of place names in the British Isles, tracing their development from earliest times to the present day Adrian Room. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [xxxvii]-xxxix).