The world’s water and sanitation utilities are facing a convergence of pressures: urbanisation, climate change, and growing demand for reliable, equitable services. In meeting these challenges, one robust solution remains largely overlooked: women in leadership.
Despite progress in many sectors, water and sanitation utilities remain male-dominated.
Women comprise just 23% of the global utility workforce, and they are even more underrepresented in senior and technical roles. Yet research consistently shows that increasing gender diversity, especially in leadership, delivers tangible performance, innovation, and profitability benefits.
The business case for gender diversity
Global evidence underscores the strong link between female leadership and business success. According to a World Bank study, utilities led by women or with gender-diverse executive teams consistently outperform their peers. McKinsey found that companies with greater gender diversity in leadership are 21% more likely to be profitable and 27% more likely to outperform in value creation.
Further data reveals that enterprises implementing gender diversity initiatives report profit increases of between 5% and 20%, and organisations with gender-diverse boards achieve up to 95% higher return on equity.
These outcomes are not simply a function of representation—they stem from the qualities that diverse leadership brings. A vast body of research points to the advantages of women leaders across core competencies such as teamwork, communication, strategic thinking, and crisis management. Diverse teams are more innovative, productive, and better equipped to respond to broader customer needs.
Ms. Sitrakantenaina NY Andrianandrasana of the Municipal Sanitation Company -Société Municipale d’Assainissement (SMA), Madagascar
Missed opportunities in talent and leadership
Despite these compelling advantages, systemic barriers limit women’s participation and advancement. These begin early; only 35% of STEM graduates worldwide are women, reflecting persistent societal biases and stereotypes that discourage girls from entering technical fields.
For those who do pursue careers in water and sanitation, the workplace itself can be unwelcoming. Rigid schedules, limited flexibility, and male-dominated cultures make retention difficult. Women often face informal networks and leadership models that implicitly favour men, while progression pathways are frequently unclear or inequitable.
The result is a sector that misses out on a vast pool of talented professionals, weakening its ability to innovate, grow, and serve increasingly diverse urban populations.
Kihumuro Josephine of the Central Umbrella of Water and Sanitation, Uganda
Simple, low-cost solutions
The good news is that there are practical, low-cost measures utilities can adopt to shift the balance. One of the most important steps is to address unconscious bias. Tools like Harvard’s free Implicit Association Test can help organisations understand how biases shape recruitment, promotions, and workplace dynamics. Awareness is a vital foundation for change.
Promoting visible female leadership is another proven strategy. When women see others like themselves in senior roles, they are more likely to remain in the sector and aspire to leadership. Outreach programmes, school visits, and internal leadership showcases can amplify these effects.
Mentoring and networking initiatives are also key. Supporting women to build influence, confidence, and professional alliances improves their likelihood of progression and retention.
Additionally, utilities can reform hiring and promotion policies by adopting gender-blind recruitment, using competency-based criteria, and ensuring gender-balanced decision-making panels. These structural adjustments reduce bias and create fairer pathways to advancement.
Finally, policies that support work-life balance, such as flexible hours and parental leave, are critical for retaining talented women throughout their careers.
Sector-wide benefits
The case for change extends beyond internal metrics. Gender-diverse leadership is associated with more inclusive and community-sensitive decision-making. This alignment is critical in water and sanitation, where most end-users are women. Female leaders often bring perspectives that improve the design, delivery, and accessibility of services, especially for vulnerable populations.
Moreover, gender diversity at the top tends to drive broader organisational change. Research shows that having multiple women in senior roles correlates with reduced gender inequality across the organisation.
Looking ahead
The full potential of water utilities will not be realised until they reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Investing in female leadership is not a matter of ticking boxes—it is a strategic imperative for better governance, performance, and services.
Utilities must think and act differently as cities expand and resources grow scarcer. Embracing gender diversity is one way to ensure the sector has the leadership it needs to meet the future, resilient, innovative, and inclusive.