Reflecting on International Women's Day 2025 - Voices from K2 Management

International Women’s Day 2025 is all about ‘Accelerating Action’, with the emphasis on a faster shift towards achieving gender parity. According to the World Economic Forum, it will take approximately five generations from now to achieve this fully, which amplifies how important it is for us all to address the professional and personal barriers faced by women at a greater pace. 

To mark the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day, we sat down with several inspiring women at K2 Management who are pioneers in their fields to discuss what the day means to them, their motivations for joining the renewable energy industry, their achievements, and more. 

A future full of opportunity 

For Jessie Salter, Consultant in K2 Management’s Due Diligence team, her first experience of the renewable energy space came from a trip to the Andes she did while a student, where she helped build a community wind turbine. Beyond that, Jessie shares “I’ve always enjoyed problem solving and teamwork which is a big part of engineering. I was always keen to work in an industry that had a positive impact, and have found that in renewables, people are even more driven to collaboration and wanting to make change due to the action and significance of the work.” 

Josephine Su, also a Consultant in the K2’s Due Diligence practice, similarly credits her past experience in ocean engineering for leading her into her current work. “I’ve always been fascinated by the power of the sea and how we can harness it sustainably,” shares Josephine. “Offshore wind energy represents the perfect intersection of my technical expertise and my desire to contribute to a cleaner future. What excites me even more is the opportunity to collaborate with professionals from around the world, exchanging knowledge and ideas to drive the industry forward.” 

The technical aspects and dynamic nature of the renewable energy sector have made it an appealing industry for many of our colleagues, with Bethany Rowson, Principal Consultant in the Due Diligence team also echoing this. Bethany shares that “it is still a very dynamic industry with a lot of unknowns and scope for innovation and setting new precedents. As an engineer this is a really exciting prospect as there is so much still to work out and make better”. 

Katja Sørensen, a Manager in Project Excellence and Project Controls, echoes this sentiment, adding that she finds it inspiring to work in a technical environment surrounded by many specialists. She shares that she “does not see it as a challenge but a goal to ensure that with our different mindsets and commercial understanding we can solve tasks in a way that contributes to the business without killing our passion.” 

The meaning of ‘Accelerate Action’ 

A common theme echoed amongst our spokespeople was the need for gender equality to be an ongoing discussion, rather than efforts being focused on short bursts of activity or initiatives. “I hope it encourages people to look at the difference they can make, be it reaching out to women in their network, or supporting opportunities to allow further education and the development of others,” shares Jessie. These continuous conversations are “still needed to highlight the contribution, works and potential [of women] as we continue to build up representation in STEM.” 

Anchalee Prapatsornpittaya, a Senior Specialist & Resource Manager in the K2 Management Analysis Services team, rightly shares that International Women’s Day not only inspires more women to pursue careers in characteristically male fields, but “also drives meaningful change by fostering a culture of inclusion at all levels - from entry-level positions to executive leadership.” 

For Melanie Mikkelsen, Senior Consultant at K2 Management, initiatives like International Women’s Day form an important part of innovation itself. “An essential part of innovation is keeping an open mind to ideas, ways of thinking about these ideas, and approaches,” she comments. “And, being inclusive of gender diversity not only allows for the inclusivity of individuals with different backgrounds, education types, work experiences and more, but also brings diversity in the form of varying life experiences and perspectives.” 

Combatting biases and driving change 

For these women at K2 Management, there has been no shortage of professional success. Yet International Women’s Day marks an important moment to reflect on some of the challenges they have faced at some point in their careers, and how equity in the workplace is positively evolving.  

“It’s definitely moving in the right direction,” comments Cristina Fernandez, Country Director, Germany & Sales Director, Continental Europe. “Back in the early 2000s, I was often the only woman in meetings, which would typically include 6, 7, or more men. Today, women are more present, including in management positions, but overall, we’re still a long way from closing the gender gap.” 

“Whilst there is a perception that we have reached a level of equality in the UK now, I still come across numerous occasions of “casual” or “unconscious” bias”, shares Bethany. “I think this could be more noticeable in our sector than others, especially regarding the physical aspects of my job such as working at heights and factory site inspections, but it is also present in an office setting. 

Despite there still being a way to go before true equity is achieved across the globe, the general tone is one of optimism. Anchalee emphasises the need for women to be their own best advocates and to believe in themselves. “There are no limits to what we can achieve, whether in technical roles, leadership positions, or on-site Projects,” she shares. “It’s not about gender; it’s about skills, determination, and passion.” 

It’s a sentiment echoed by Bethany when considering the theme of ‘Accelerating Action” in the context of gender equality and the broader energy sector. She comments, “For the energy transition I think the message reflects that we need to make long lasting decisions and make quicker progress towards a sustainable existence. This applies to gender equality as well, there shouldn’t be any barriers anymore in terms of equal opportunity, conditions and fair representation.” 

“Working in technical roles within renewables has nothing to do with gender—it’s about the personal capabilities of each individual,” shares Cristina. “It’s a fact that more and more women are interested in technical roles, and they shouldn’t feel ashamed or intimidated by the fact that most of their colleagues are men. In fact, most of them are happy to embrace the diversity that women bring to the team.” 

“For me it is important that they do not try to fit us into one box - look at the individual strengths and how everyone contributes to a better environment and better results,” echoes Katja, who also notes how organisations around the world and within the energy sector would underachieve if day to day work was driven by one group of people, all approaching with the same mindset and experiences. “No doubt the final decisions and results become even better and more sustainable if they come from a diverse group that have worked in environments where it is okay to challenge one another. I have, in the past, witnessed when women stop in a position without progressing, but men are. From my perspective ‘Accelerating Action’ means that women are offered a position at the table when they are qualified without bias.”