Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

DEI Fellowship Development

In 2022, NEWIEE developed and issued a public Strategic Plan to formalize its vision as it moves forward and grows. At our core we are committed to building a more equitable workforce in the energy and environmental sectors, with an emphasis on women’s participation in a male-centric industry. Through our work, we aim to increase the number of women, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ women or non-binary individuals in the energy and environmental industry and create entry points for a variety of career pathways.

Inspired by the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship Program, we are pursuing the development of a Fellowship program to train, mentor, and match individuals with companies and organizations in climate and energy crucial occupations.

In the Fall of 2023, we were awarded a Workforce Planning and Capacity Grant of $75,000 from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Using these funds we are exploring the development of a Fellowship Program across the fields of renewable energy companies, consulting, government agencies, traditional energy companies, energy intensive industries and non-profits with an emphasis on initiatives designed to reduce climate impact and/or facilitate clean energy adoption. We have partnered with Ruth Georges of WeRise Consulting to engage our members and solicit their feedback in shaping our Fellowship Program.

To stay up to date on the NEWIEE Fellowship Program development, sign up for the NEWIEE newsletter!

New Logo Unveiled

In 2023 we unveiled our updated NEWIEE logo to NEW+IEE. The addition of the plus sign is an important recognition that while NEWIEE is a historically women’s organization, we are proud to cultivate a community that is gender diverse and welcomes people of all gender identities. Further, it represents our inclusivity and commitment to facilitating a richly diverse and representative organization and workforce.

DEI Founders’ Award

Building on NEWIEE’s commitment to uplift underrepresented voices in the energy and environmental industry, we awarded the Inaugural DEI Founders’ Award in 2023, recognizing one organization and one individual who have gone above and beyond in terms of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the energy and environmental industry.

The NEWIEE DEI Founders’ Award honors the founders of our organization, a group of women who came together in 2008 to exchange ideas and experiences with others in energy and environmental professions. The DEI Founders’ Award recognizes the spirit of the NEWIEE founders — uplifting underrepresented voices and creating a space for like-minded individuals to come together. NEWIEE will continue to challenge the industry to evolve, facilitate a richly diverse and representative workforce, and promote environmental and climate justice.