The green transition will not be fair or complete without equal participation from women. This is the core message of the new report “Women in the Green Transition 2025”, published by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO). The report analyses the role of women across ten key areas of sustainable development through a gender and intersectional lens.

At ISMC, we see this study as an essential reference to advance equal opportunities in strategic sectors such as mining and raw materials.

A pioneering study to measure gender gaps in sustainability

This is the first edition of what will be a biennial publication. The report draws on 53 key indicators to assess women’s participation in areas such as climate change, green employment, technical training, environmental governance, energy, and the circular economy. It incorporates intersectional variables such as age, nationality, household type or territory, offering a detailed picture of gender inequalities in the context of the ecological transition.

Key findings relevant to the mining and raw materials sector

Among the most relevant insights for the mining and raw materials ecosystem:

• Only 1 in 7 workers in the green economy is a woman, with even lower participation in technical and industrial roles.

• Women remain significantly underrepresented in renewable energy, waste management, circular economy, and marine sectors.

• There is a marked gender gap in technical education related to the energy transition, geology, mining engineering, and raw materials technology.

• Despite some progress in high-level administrative roles, women’s presence in local and sectoral environmental governance remains limited.

Why does this matter for ISMC and its members?

In the context of the green and digital twin transitions, the extractive industries must play a proactive role in shaping more sustainable and inclusive economic models. Promoting women’s participation at all levels of the sector is not only a matter of fairness—it enhances competitiveness, innovation, and resilience.

This report provides a solid foundation to design public policies, training programmes, CSR strategies, and awareness-raising actions with a gender perspective. It also enables organisations to measure their impact and set meaningful equality commitments.

Final thoughts

ISMC encourages all member organisations, partners, and public-private stakeholders to read, share, and implement the recommendations from this report. Identifying the existing gaps is the first step towards closing them. Gender equality strengthens our sector and drives innovation in the green transition.

You can access the full report via the official website of MITECO.

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