Women in Sustainable Hydropower Case Study: Madinah Binti Abang
Meet Madinah Binti Abang, General Manager for Contract & Procurement Governance, covering Procurement Governance, Assurance and Technology as well as Category Management and Strategic Sourcing at Sarawak Energy, Malaysia.
Tell us about yourself and your role at Sarawak Energy.
I am a professional accountant and a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK and a Chartered Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. I hold a master’s degree of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. I have more than 30 years of work experience in various industries, including electricity, investment holding, unit trust, construction, oil terminal, palm oil refinery, oil and gas port and timber.
I joined Sarawak Energy in 2012 as the Senior Manager of the Strategy & Analysis Division for the Planning & Strategy Department, which is now known as Strategy & Corporate Development. I made the transition to the Contract & Procurement Department in 2018, leading the Procurement Transformation agenda. Currently, I am the General Manager for Contract & Procurement Governance, covering Procurement Governance, Assurance and Technology as well as Category Management and Strategic Sourcing. I am a pioneering member of the Sarawak Energy Leading Women Network (SELWN) and an Executive Committee member, leading the Mentoring Workstream.
How have you personally benefitted from the changes made by Sarawak Energy after the gender policies and action plan were implemented?
I have benefitted from many learning opportunities that have an explicit focus on developing women leaders, with some key examples being the Global Women on Board programme that had modules about governance and leadership, as well as board dynamics. I also am currently mentoring some of my junior colleagues in Sarawak Energy.
Mentorships are a particularly big focus for Sarawak Energy to empower women employees and there are many programmes and initiatives to facilitate this, including the Women Mentoring Women (WMW) Programme under SELWN being a key highlight. Since its inception in 2019, 246 women have benefitted from this program.
I – along with 11 other women in senior leadership positions – was appointed as a Board Member of one of Sarawak Energy’s subsidiaries, contributing to the National Target of 30% women representation in the boards of companies. This reflects Sarawak Energy’s commitment to tangible action relating to our gender and diversity aspirations. However, it is crucial to note that all affirmative actions in pursuit of equitability are merit based – the company recognises the merits of all its employees, regardless of their background. SELWN has also afforded me opportunities to participate in many talent management programmes, professional networking sessions, and a wide range of learning experiences.
Have you noticed an overall change in the company since then? And has more work been done in this space?
Conversations about inclusivity and diversity have extended beyond just gender in Sarawak Energy. Age and ethnicity are also considered at the company, allowing for a greater holistic view of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness (DEI) in Sarawak Energy. It would be prudent to note that our approach to DEI in Sarawak Energy operates on both macro and micro-scales.
Sarawak Energy’s commitment to DEI also extends beyond our employees. In my experience as the General Manager of Contract & Procurement Governance, I have witnessed and been part of the Company’s efforts to help our vendors develop. Key examples of this include our LEAD23 programme, where we created awareness among our vendors of the importance of complying with sustainability requirements. By cultivating this understanding and getting them voluntarily on-board, we helped our vendors future proof their respective businesses – ensuring that they are ready to meet sustainability requirements and capitalise on growth opportunities.
As a successful female role model for other women interested in working in the hydropower industry, what advice would you give them?
For other women in hydropower, I would recommend you make full use of platforms like SELWN to develop and grow. Women can sometimes question their own qualifications, doubting themselves. There is an element of self-sabotage when we overthink about all the ways we are not perfect for a job opportunity. Coupled with domestic and familial responsibilities, it can be difficult if not impossible to have work-life balance. However, we should not let this hinder our progress – there are ways to integrate both work and home without compromising performance.
Why do you think the industry has historically lagged behind in establishing female representation and how do you think this can be changed so we no longer need to have these conversations?
This lagging is tied to the lack of conscious conversations surrounding this inequity as well as the benefits of gender diversity in the past. As such, it is vital to promote open conversations on female representation in the hydropower industry and the general workforce as a whole, with concrete action plans to support this discourse. This must be driven from top management, who must be fully aligned with gender diversity – recognising its value to the organisation and business at large.
IHA has joined forces with GWNet to create Women In Sustainable Hydropower (WISH), a space where women in, and interested in, a career in hydropower can connect, share experiences and provide support to other women. This will help guarantee the development of a gender-balanced sector that makes the most of 100% of the global workforce available for driving the clean energy transition.
