Celebrating the Transformative Cultures That Empower Women Across the Solar Industry
Celebrating Women’s History Month is a special occasion at Terrasmart to acknowledge the meaningful contribution of all the women in the solar industry and in our company. To mark this important moment, we checked in with Joanna Rogers, Terrasmart’s VP of Marketing and a newly appointed board member of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability, and Annette Poulimenos, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist and lead of Terrasmart’s DEI initiative.
Joanna Rogers
Terrasmart’s VP of Marketing
Board Member of Women in Cleantech & Sustainability
Annette Poulimenos
Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
Lead of Terrasmart’s DEI Initiative
While Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate how far women have come, it is also an opportunity to recognize the additional steps necessary to bridge the gap for gender equality. Despite women making up almost half of the general workforce, they only held 28% of all solar positions in 2021, according to the National Solar Jobs Census report.
Today, solar industry leaders are committed – now more than ever – to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. By prioritizing DEI through targeted recruitment, committees, policies, and training programs, Terrasmart and other solar companies are broadening their talent pool and consequently benefiting their bottom line. According to the latest research by McKinsey, companies in the 25th percentile of gender diversity are 21% more likely to experience above-average profits.
Empowering women with Terrasmart’s new diversity and inclusion initiative
Terrasmart is proud to announce our latest DEI initiative, making us a part of the 31% of solar firms with strategies, policies, or programs in place dedicated to increasing the number of female employees.
Annette Poulimenos highlights how our committee supports women:
“Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Action Committee will focus on continuous education, recruitment, engagement, and leadership to help champion a work environment where everyone knows they belong. By educating our teams on the importance of equality, while fostering safe and welcoming environments, we can experience the full gamut of creativity, knowledge, and collaboration that will elevate our company to the highest levels of success.”
– Annette Poulimenos
In addition, as a part of our commitment to DEI, we are pursuing certification through SEIA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice certification program to validate we are deploying best practices in our efforts to achieve our DEI goals.
Transforming businesses and individuals alike with a renewed sense of purpose
When Joanna Rogers was invited to speak at the Women in Cleantech and Sustainability (WCS) Talks last October, she knew being authentic meant digging deep. Her passion about transformation – both within businesses and individuals – led to a reevaluation of our ‘why’, the value we bring, and how a brand needs to reflect that. Joanna emphasized that branding is not as simple as a logo or color palette:
“… but the promise an organization makes to its stakeholders. That brand has a unique ability to create unity, clarity, and solidarity when an organization goes through change. So it is a powerful tool we can all use to drive transformation in our business.”
– Joanna Rogers
During the WCS Talk, Joanna commented that, “Organizations that are really clear about their why, their purpose they exist, and what they are giving back to the world, are much more productive, relevant, and commercially valuable than those that just focus on what they do or how they do it.”
One such moment in which the company had to rethink its purpose was when all four of the companies acquired by Gibraltar Industries merged into one, rebranding as the unified Terrasmart. Two of the merger companies were legacy rivals, so the transition to the legacy Terrasmart name was culturally challenging. Joanna’s best advice for leaders of companies in the midst of transformation is to, “Show up as a human being and be ok with your people expressing their emotions in the workplace.” She mentions that being authentic and creating a safe space is vital for people to stay engaged during times of upheaval.
Beyond business, there is also transformation in ourselves. This process also sharpened Joanna’s sense of ‘why’. “My purpose is to leave the world a better place for women and those who identify as female. I want to make sure there is a chair at the leadership table that is open to people and women of color so their voices are heard.”
Taking a leadership role across the solar industry
“There is so much growth in solar, and I feel both empowered and accountable to make sure those opportunities are accessible to women who want to start and grow their careers in renewable energy.”
– Joanna Rogers
Joanna’s personal rallying cry has become, “Am I lifting others up as I climb?” She goes on to mention how she thinks women are more inclined to bring people up around them, creating an empowering and supportive environment that is yet another benefit of increasing diversity in the workforce.
Elevating women: locally and globally
At Terrasmart, we know that people are at the heart of our business. We believe a diverse workforce is only going to make this industry stronger and better, and ultimately ensure clean energy is available to all.
We are thrilled to sponsor a WCS scholarship providing a laptop to ten women in developing countries to support women’s career advancement in renewable energy and sustainability industries. If you are part of a solar company, please consider getting involved with the many organizations that promote advancement and gender equality in the green economy. Terrasmart is always looking for new talented women to join our ranks; if you are looking for a new opportunity, please check out our careers page and join us in powering progress for our people, partners, and the world!
