This Wednesday, I'm getting on a plane and heading to Saudi Arabia. It’s an 18-hour flight and a week-long trip at one of our busiest times of the year. Ordinarily, I’d be prepping for our March un-conference and getting all the new year activities kicked off, but this couldn’t wait.
We’re on a mission of diversity and inclusion
Since day one, Pink Petro has been all about equality; closing gaps and shattering glass ceilings in the energy sector. We’ve been able to accomplish so much. Our Global Community Council (GCC) is actively providing a neutral platform for dialogue and actions to address equality and inclusive culture across the industry, bringing organizations together to address some of the industry’s biggest challenges. The Energy Workforce of the Future is one of the fruits of this union—a decisive roadmap of areas the GCC will be addressing in the coming year to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive industry and bring in talent that will help the energy sector create the kind of meaningful change it needs and wants.
We’ve taken the time to recognize individuals and organizations who are leading this change through activities like the GRIT Awards, we’ve helped organizations develop more diverse teams through Experience Energy, we’ve empowered through LeanIn Energy’s mentorship programs, we’ve promoted self-development and professional development through Coach’s Corner, and we’ve built a strong network of women and men who not only embrace change but drive it.
We’ve accomplished so much, and in the coming year, we’re going
to accomplish even more.
To be clear, this is not me, or even Pink Petro the company, this is us. This is you, your colleagues, those at your neighboring energy companies, and those supporting organizations everywhere, coming together to make this happen. And so, when I say, “we’re getting on a plane,” I mean it. Every one of us who has been a part of this journey will be with me as I board those steps and every one of you will be with me as I step foot on Saudi soil.
IPTC 2020 is in Saudi Arabia
Sponsored by American Association of Petroleum Geologists
(AAPG), the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), the
Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), and the Society of Petroleum
Engineers (SPE), the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) has been the Eastern Hemisphere’s flagship
multidisciplinary technical event since 2005.
For the first time ever, IPTC is being held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). That, in and of itself, is a big deal. Saudi Aramco is literally the world’s most profitable company, and with its recent IPO, it’s the biggest player in the global energy market.
And Saudi Arabia if you haven't noticed, lately, has been on an amazing journey of its own. In 2019 alone, Saudi women have gained great ground in work and life.
In fact, the invitation to visit the Kingdom and speak at IPTC was extended to me by Saudi Aramco leader and global influencer, Reem Al-Ghanim. Reem is one of the Saudi leaders at the forefront driving this cultural transformation, not only at Saudi Aramco but throughout KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). Reem has had both a long tenure at Saudi Aramco and Diversity & Inclusion leadership presence in the GCC, serving in multiple roles that engage, empower, and elevate women in the energy industry for more than a decade.
As the inaugural Head of Women Development & Diversity at Saudi Aramco and chair for the annual Leadership Excellence for Women Awards & Symposium (LEWAS), there is much to learn from my exceptional host, Reem Al-Ghanim. I encourage you to also get to know Reem, her inspiring career, exemplary leadership, and Saudi Aramco’s D&I initiatives. Start here and make plans to see her speak in March at Energy 2.0.
This collaboration encapsulates all that Pink Petro stands for—bridging the gaps in creating a cross-cultural, cross-generational and gender-inclusive global energy industry.
Our missions are aligned
Our story began in the energy capital of the world—right here in Houston—and quickly expanded to Europe, but the next chapter lies in the Middle East. It has become clear that we value the same things—diversity and inclusion. Not only that, but IPTC is holding a diversity and inclusion workshop called “Our Journey Towards Sustaining an Inclusive Culture.” The best part: They asked Pink Petro to take part.
Let’s make more room at the table
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: everybody deserves a seat at the table; everyone is needed in the energy transition. It’s time the entire world, East and West, work together towards equality, diversity, and inclusion but the health of our planet as a whole.
So, as I step foot on Saudi soil, and I proudly don a pink hijab my daughter chose for me, I will be doing it with our Pink Petro global family by my side. I’ll be sharing out photos of this trip via social as I go, so give a follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to catch the latest, and be sure to stop back in for a post-trip brief in a week.
