Kartini Today: Promoting Gender Equality in the Oil and Gas Industry
JAKARTA – On the month of April each year, Indonesia commemorates the birth of RA Kartini, an Indonesian pioneer of women's emancipation whose ideas were remarkably ahead of her time.
When we talk about women's emancipation, we also talk about gender equality, which is now a crucial part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and Indonesia, as a UN member, has signed the agreement on November 25-27, 2015, showing their commitment to implementing the SDGs.
At bp, we believe that the workplace should be a place where everyone has equal opportunities and is treated fairly according to their abilities and needs. This also includes gender equality, wherever we operate.
With the spirit of improving gender equality, bp, through the Business Resources Group (BRG), has developed bp WIN (Women's Interest Network) formed and led by employees as a platform to support the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) agenda.
Alongside the collaborative initiatives of bpWIN, bp actively involves accomplished female engineers who have made significant strides in the energy sector. One of them is Dianawaty, a Completion Engineer at Tangguh LNG. Dianawaty is one of the female technicians who currently represent about 50% of all technicians at Tangguh LNG.
A Completion Engineer, as revealed by Dianawaty, is a well engineer responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of hydrocarbons from drilled wells. They work collaboratively with other engineering teams to find the best solutions to complete these wells.
When asked about what she enjoys about her work, Dianawaty mentioned her experience working directly on-site, including when she performed her first well repair and learned about offshore completion operations. "The beauty of being a young engineer at bp is the opportunity to grow in the company that empowers and pushes young talents to lead," added Dianawaty.
Regarding inclusion, Dianawaty expressed that inclusion is about showing respect to others and supporting and appreciating the people around us. She emphasized the importance of actively listening, not interrupting when others express their opinions, and providing full support after they finish speaking.
bpWIN and real-life examples of tough women like Dianawaty are present to support bp in realizing the DE&I agenda by highlighting the obstacles faced by Indonesian women in achieving their potential for creating positive change. In Indonesia, bpWIN was established in two locations, namely bpWIN Jakarta and Tangguh, each adapting to the culture in their respective regions to facilitate communication and interaction processes.
Although in different locations, both bpWIN Jakarta and Tangguh are interconnected through regular programmes and discussions. Activities carried out by bpWIN in Indonesia include commemorating International Women's Day and Kartini Day, International Women in Engineering Day, skill enhancement classes, and casual conversations with leaders and inspirational figures.
Through initiatives like bpWIN and leadership spirit demonstrated by Dianawaty, bp provides opportunities for women to lead and grow in their careers. This is not only to create a more inclusive work environment but also to open doors for other women to pursue their dreams and achieve similar success in various industries, including the oil and gas industry.