Polish branch of Women in LPG (WINLPG) launched

The Polish branch has become the 9th operating within the WINLPG international network, and the first in the European Union. Similar branches already operate in the USA, India, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil, among others.

The inauguration took place at the headquarters of Gaspol SA, whose president, Ewa Gawryś - Osińska, took the event under her patronage. The event was attended by representatives of 10 companies in the liquefied petroleum gas sector, as well as Alison Abbott and Nikki Brown of the World LPG Association.  

The personnel structure of the LPG industry has changed in recent years, and increasingly key management positions are held by women. However, the energy sector is still a male-dominated world. As the participants in the meeting reported, despite the ongoing change in the perception of the role of women in business, they still face prejudices and stereotypes.

Let's strive for a state in which we don't have to put quotas on the number of men and women on supervisory boards. We look forward to a time when competence possessed will determine employment, not gender, age or skin color.

- said Nikki Brown, in the past Managing Director of Cavagna Group in the UK and now leader of the Women in LPG program.

The participants devoted a significant part of the meeting to discussing the business practices they have encountered. Ewa Gawryś-Osińska said:‍

I was the first female marketing director at the company, the first president, the first chairwoman of the Polish LPG Organization.... However, I came to these positions as a professional, competent leader and industry expert, why should that obscure the fact of being the first woman in a position?

The meeting made it possible to gather the opinions of the participants as to the formulation of directions and tasks for WINLPG Poland that will best achieve the goals guiding the initiative.

‍ Oftenwe restrict ourselves, censoring our own ideas for cultural reasons or lack of self-confidence.

- Aleksandra Kolakowska, who was selected as the project coordinator, commented . The exchange of best practices at the national and international level is expected to change this situation and serve to empower industry women.

Joining WINLPG Poland requires only an application to the project coordinator. Membership is free of charge, and all people interested in gender equality issues in the industry, both from the private sector, public sector and local government, are invited to join. Members will receive information about the plans of the national branch and initiatives undertaken by other international branches.

For more information on the WINLPG initiative, visit the World LPG Association website.

Feel free to contact us:

Aleksandra Kolakowska, WINLPG Poland Coordinator