Interview with Trishna Gurung, General Manager of the Finance and Accounts Division and Chairperson of Gender Equality Committee
To begin with, could you share a little about your journey with BPC?
I’ve been with BPC for the past 20 years, starting my career as an Assistant Finance Officer. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on various projects, and besides my accounting roles and responsibilities, the major project I handled was the implementation of SAP ERP in BPC as the functional lead. After the completion of the project, I joined the Finance and Accounts Division and am currently serving in the capacity of General Manager. I am also given the opportunity to be a part of the Gender Equality Committee, which has widened my gender lens. We’re a team of five from different backgrounds, including legal, HR, and other departments. Although we’ve been engaged in gender-related activities for few years, we’re still growing and working towards bringing more gender-focused initiatives wherever possible. It’s an exciting and challenging journey as well, but we are committed to making a difference with the huge support our management has been rendering to the committee so far. The unwavering gender inclusive support from the management keeps the motivation alive for the team members.
As the largest utility in Bhutan, BPC plays a crucial role in connecting even the country’s most remote areas. Can you tell us more about BPC’s vision and mission?
Geographically, Bhutan is challenged by difficult terrain, and providing electricity to the remotest parts is difficult both physically and financially. BPC faced a lot of challenges during the rural electrification phase, where we managed to electrify almost 99.99% of the country.
The terrain of Bhutan, with its rugged mountains and remote valleys, makes the logistics and laying down infrastructure extremely tough. However, we believe in the importance of electrifying every corner of the country because it’s not just about economics; it’s about improving the quality of life for every Bhutanese citizen. Our vision focuses on customer-centricity and commercial viability, but we’ve always prioritized connecting even the most remote villages.
Given all the challenges, especially with managing resources in these geographically rugged areas, what are BPC’s priorities regarding gender equality and social inclusion in the workplace?
We recently had a gender assessment report submitted by USAID’s SAREP program, highlighting many initiatives we’ve implemented. For example, we’ve established a Gender Equality Committee at BPC, comprising members from various backgrounds, including legal, HR, and other departments. This committee is focused on promoting gender equality within the organization and advocating for a shift in mindset. The double burden that women often face, balancing domestic and professional responsibilities, is a significant barrier, but we’re working hard to address this by having various initiatives in place.
To support women in the workplace, we’ve implemented several facilities to make the work environment conducive. We have lactation rooms established in our head office to support working mothers. Additionally, we’ve introduced flexitime policies across the company, which allow employees more flexibility in managing their work and personal responsibilities. In urban areas like Phuentsholing and Thimphu, where the majority of our employees are based, we’ve also set up daycare centres to provide a safe and convenient environment for women with young children.
It’s been a gradual process, but we’ve seen positive changes. For instance, in our head office and urban centres, the facilities we’ve implemented have made it easier for women to continue their careers by providing an enabling environment. We can always do more I believe when it comes to gender equality. However, in rural areas, the challenge remains due to so many factors. We are still in the process of planning and strategizing on how to extend these facilities to remote regions.
Technical fields still remain largely male-dominated, especially in the South Asian energy sector. Are there any gender equality initiatives that BPC has ongoing or plans to implement to address this gap in the technical fields?
We’ve always been gender-neutral in our recruitment process, encouraging everyone to apply without biases. But the barrier often lies in the mindset. To embrace change and broaden our mindsets, we do activities to include genders for different roles. For example, one recent initiative involved encouraging women to participate in a traditionally male-dominated cultural ceremony at the BPC Day celebration. This was not just symbolic; it was about breaking down barriers and showing no gender-specific roles. The response was positive and helped challenge some long-standing norms within the company. I also believe that we need to have more conversations among each other as employees but also as humans to bring more gender-responsive solutions to the table. As we already have several initiatives in place like having lactation rooms, day care centers, ensuring diverse gender representation in interview panels etc., we believe strengthening them further is the way to close these gaps.
We’re also focused on role modelling and mentorship. Although we are still in the early stages of developing formal mentorship programs, we recognize the importance of having technical role models who can inspire and guide the next generation of women in our industry. This is an area we are keen to develop further. We believe that by providing mentorship and visible role models, we can encourage more women to pursue technical careers.
Have you noticed a shift in how utilities are now addressing gender? Do you think that gender equality and social inclusion are becoming priorities?
Yes, there is a shift in mindset. For example, when we advertised for forklift operators, a few women came forward. This was significant because it showed a change in them and their male colleagues. We’re trying to create platforms and opportunities for women to step up, but it’s important for the initiative to come from an individual as well. The only thing that I felt as a Gender Equality Committee member is that maybe it’s the encouragement we give, the kind of platform we provide, and how we share our stories. For instance, when women began working as forklift operators at BPC, it became clear that applying a gender lens to design technology can open up traditionally male-dominated roles within the utilities where the perception is the requirement of strength or be physiologically strong. The same work can be made easier if interventions could be made to design technologies that will enable women to climb on the poles with ease. In technical roles, which demand more site visits and physical activities, women often find themselves working harder to overcome individual biases. If those roles are supported with tools that make work easier and gender inclusive, I am sure women would not shy away from taking those responsibilities.
The shift is not just within BPC, but across utilities in the region. Diverse teams bring diverse perspectives, which is essential in problem-solving and innovation. We’ve noticed more male colleagues becoming supportive of these initiatives, which is a positive sign. At BPC we constantly strive to learn from other shining examples, and I believe that other utilities are also cognizant of advancing gender and social equity. I think we all can learn a lot from each other by having more such conversations.
Is there a similar trend in Bhutan in general, with more women entering STEM fields? Are more women pursuing sciences or finance, in your experience?
The trend is improving. There’s a lot of advocacy happening at the national level to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM. At BPC, we’ve asked our division officers to talk to students about the future and why they should consider careers in these fields. However, it’s crucial to consider all genders, not just women, when talking about gender equality.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for advancing gender equality in BPC? What does the future look like to you?
Right now, we have a good representation of women in decision-making roles at the seniormost level, but I’d like to see the representation more in the manager levels in the future. At BPC, in key-decision making roles, we fare quite high (36 percent) as compared to the global average of women in leadership in the utilities (17 percent). However, at the manager level, the numbers need to increase. Currently, women make up about 18% of these roles. I’d like to see that number double to around 30%. It will take time and will demand a lot of effort, but it’s not impossible. We need to keep working at it!