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The silver tsunami is here, and the global water sector isn't ready.

A crisis of capacity, security, and sustainability is on the horizon.

The global water industry faces significant gender imbalances, with fewer than 20% of workers identifying as female, nonbinary, or trans. Similar imbalances are found within government and in the private sector. With water workforces facing retirement and urgently lacking the talent pipeline, the industry needs to shift in order to renew and maintain the water infrastructure.

Despite these challenges, women, nonbinary, and trans individuals have more opportunities than ever to make significant contributions to the global water sector. However, women environmental entrepreneurs receive a mere 0.3% of the industry's resources, which is a stark indicator of the gender disparity in support and recognition.

Voices Flow will play a crucial role in addressing this disparity by telling the stories of these underrepresented groups. By highlighting the journeys, challenges, and successes of women, nonbinary, and trans individuals in the water industry, the platform will inspire others and demonstrate the vital contributions these individuals make to the sector. Through storytelling, the platform can shed light on the innovative solutions and unique perspectives that these environmental entrepreneurs bring to the table, emphasizing their role in enhancing financial performance, leveraging the talent pool, improving innovation, and fostering teamwork.

In doing so, Voices Flow not only celebrates the achievements of entrepreneurs but also encourages greater support and investment in their endeavors, helping to shift the industry's dynamics towards greater inclusivity and diversity. This initiative can ultimately contribute to renewing and maintaining water infrastructure by drawing on a broader and more diverse talent pool.

Women in Water Utilities: Breaking Barriers (2019). Water Global Practice, World Bank.
“Companies with 3 or more women board directors for at least 4 years outperformed companies without women board directors by 46%” - The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women's Representation on Boards (2004-2008)
“The research established that male observers ranked female leaders significantly higher than they ranked male leaders on seven out of ten GELI dimensions.” Women and the Vision Thing.
“U.S. mixed-gender teams created patents that were cited 26% to 42% more frequently than the average.” Why Diversity Matters
“Team performance peaks when the share of women in a business team is 55%; th drivers... were more intense mutual monitoring and equal learning" The Impact of Gender Diversity on the Performance of Business Teams: Evidence from a Field Experiment