What guys, girls, billionaires and big gas have in common

THE PARADOX

According to social scientist and data analytics expert John Gerzema who wrote “The Athena Doctrine: Why Women (and Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future” there are characteristically feminine traits that serve all leaders well. Unfortunately, the 2022 Fortune 500 Global report revealed that just 4.8% of the world’s largest businesses have female CEOs. I know, not surprising but always sobering to see. If we could change this, so many of the challenges of our times could be overcome. This is not just my opinion, but what what guys, girls, billionaires and big gas have in common. We are in this together and feminine wisdom matters. Thank you to CEOs such as Emma Walmsley of GSK, Amanda Blanc of Aviva, Tan Sin Yin of Ping An, and others for forging the way, including male leaders who raise strong daughters, respect female colleagues, and lift us all up in our shared waters.

Feeling Oily

Shell Oil might be (is?) full of hot air but they did just replace current boss Ben van Beurden with current renewables head, Lebanese-Canadian Wael Sawan, as their next big man on campus. In May, safety consultant Caroline Dennett quit working with Shell saying she could “no longer work for a company that ignores all the alarms and dismisses the risks of climate change and ecological collapse,” adding that Shell was “not winding down on oil and gas, but planning to explore and extract much more.” No surprise here and these are big ships to turn around. Van Beurden set a long-term focus on becoming a carbon neutral company by 2050 and Sawan’s appointment could indicate improvements to their existing renewable strategy could be coming down the pipeline (pun intended). I’m certainly not ready to give out any awards for regenerative leadership but at the Reuters Responsible Business 2021 conference I attended, Euro bank leaders chided American leaders for losing out on $$$ by not investing more and sooner in renewables. So here’s hoping!

One Less Billionaire

In the interest of billionaires walking their talk with climate change—I know, that sounds like an oxymoron but—Yvon Chouinard and Patagonia just announced the company is “going purpose” instead of “going public,” moving all voting stock to the Patagonia Purpose Trust and nonvoting stock to the Holdfast Collective nonprofit. The strategic move takes Chouinard and family out of the billionaires club and ensures the company he founded will continue to operate with Earth as their only shareholder, saying “If we have any hope of a thriving planet—much less a business—it is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. This is what we can do.”

Get Aggressive

Speaking of doing, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued yet another stark warning decrying “the sheer inadequacy of the global response to the climate crisis.” Citing Pakistan’s ongoing massive flooding, which has caused billions of dollars in damage and over 1,300 deaths as example, Guterres is demanding more aggressive action.

THERE IS HOPE and WE CAN DO THIS!

Despite these many challenges, we must keep in mind that there are solutions, we just have to implement them. Together we can get smarter, join forces, take action, and feel better.

Purchasing Influence

Inna Bravermann is Co-Founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power, a renewable energy company changing the world of power with clean electricity derived from from ocean and sea waves. I’ve had a girl crush on her ever since discovering her work shortly after she started, and I feel a bit of maternal pride at her success (she’s so young, she could be my daughter). Recently, Inna was invited to present at Vox Media”s exclusive CODE conference, where she joined folks like Mark Cuban, Tim Cook, and Pete Buttigieg. Leaders like Inna give me hope. Remember, you are a leader too, and here are seven ways YOU can use your purchasing power to support renewable energy.

National Bodies

It’s quite interesting when our leadership wants to get involved in our bodies and when they don’t. Sometimes it seems we girls are ripe for national picking and other times they want to leave us to the states. Senator Lindsey Graham just introduced legislation that would ban abortions after 15 weeks in all states. Yes, you read that right, no legal abortions in America. He’s got Republicans in moderate states scrambling and Democrats strategizing. Ladies left and right, this is a slippery slope. If you haven’t read or seen the The Handmaid’s Tale, check it out. I could only watch one episode because it was so upsetting; part of what motivates me to do what I do…and to inspire you too!

Your Vote Matters

Because I can’t say it enough: voting is a privilege some of us are lucky to have. Use it. And don’t just believe the ads paid for by opponents. Algorithms, geography, and social circles make it easy to think in silos. Do some research and be open to learning and changing your mind. If you are not yet voting, register here.

Today’s leaders are making the choices that will impact your body, climate, clean water, clean air, and clean food for generations to come. Though there is much room for compromise in life but there is no room for partisanship when it comes to our environment; we are in this together and who you vote for matters. YOU MATTER!

Thank you for all you do!