The oil and gas industry is in the midst of monumental disruption: fluctuating oil prices, geopolitical instability and changes to the regulatory landscape are creating ripples of uncertainty across the sector. Furthermore, the energy industry is starting to experience the effects of an ageing workforce and a widening skills gap and talent shortage as digitalization takes hold. 

Oil and gas companies are refocusing their attention – and budgets – on how to meet human capital requirements for digital skills such as advanced analytics, machine learning and robotics.

The oil and gas industry has reputably been considered one of the least diverse industries; however, as companies refine their business models to focus on value-driving initiatives, they are waking up to the fact that all the above can be achieved through building a more diverse and inclusive workforce. 

The Energy Conference Network brings you the first annual Diversity and Inclusion in Oil and Gas Virtual Conference; this high-level event will focus on how the industry can make diversity and inclusion a boardroom priority in order to drive innovation and growth and capitalize on key opportunities to boost competitiveness. 

An improved approach to diversity is not viewed as a quick fix to stabilize industry-wide disruption, but critical to the long-term survival of the sector.

The time is now for board level executives and senior management to create and invest in a diverse, enterprise-wide talent pipeline and collectively eradicate the unconscious bias currently plaguing the sector and stagnating its growth.

Just some of the topics to be discussed will include:

• Making diversity and inclusion a boardroom priority
• Succession planning with D&I at the forefront
• How to implement an effective peer-to-peer mentoring program
• Leadership development – how can oil and gas companies drive change?
• Unconscious bias and the impact on diversity and inclusion 
• Identifying, recruiting and maintaining a diverse talent pipeline
• How the energy sector can effectively collaborate to remove gender and race bias 
• Women on boards: addressing the board level gender-gap across the oil and gas industry
• Pay parity across the oil and gas sector
• The future of oil and gas and the impact of Gen Z