This week, women in Solar+ Europe give voice to Jesús Alijarde, founder and CEO of Spain’s Ibersyd / Cerbo. He says that one of the earliest prejudices he had to confront, was the idea of men as protectors of women. “It may sound noble, but in practice it strengthens inequality,” he says.
When I think about gender equality in the solar industry, I see a sector that reflects many others where technical work, design and financial management cross each other. The biggest barriers are clear. Installation and building rolls remain heavily dominated by men, largely because they are bound by educational paths that are traditionally pursued by men. Similarly, financial and contractual management, often linked to great leadership, still tends to shoot men because of deep -rooted beliefs about who should “lead”.
That said, in areas such as design and support, I believe that equality of gender tax is more feasible. In fact, these departments are often where inclusive cultures start to shoot root. So for me, the two most important roadblocks are the outdated education traces that conduct technical roles and the persistence of traditional gender roles in senior management. Until we both challenge, the complete equality remains out of reach.
As a male leader, my journey to become a true ally is one of continuous unlearning. I was lucky to grow up with a decent basis in values of equality and diversity for my time, but looking back it was incomplete. As I took more responsibility – both professional and personally, I realized how much I still needed to learn and learn again.
One of the earliest prejudices I had to confront was the idea of men as protectors of women. It may sound noble, but in practice it strengthens inequality. I also had to change how I communicated, away from the hard, impressive tone that I once thought was necessary to lead. The most important shift, however, was to learn that my view of the world could be incorrect and that growth constantly questioning what I think I know. Inclusion is not a box that you check; It is a constant way of thinking.
Masculinity itself is a powerful influence. Social expectations often ask us to behave in ways that match our role, instead of our values. Many of us perform for acceptance, do what we believe that a leader should “do” instead of what is good. I personally tried to resist that pressure. I don’t agree, walked away from opportunities and sometimes felt uncomfortable. However, it has enabled me to build a company and a life where equality, transparency, trust and open dialogue are not only goals, but also norms.
The most powerful action for equality, I believe, lives in accordance with your values. It is not always easy, but it is essential. Inclusion is not a trend, it is a standard that we have to build.
Although there has been no turning point in my consciousness of inclusion, my perspective formed two moments. The first was about 20 years ago when I worked with a colleague who was openly gay. At one point I asked naively why he hadn’t mentioned it before. He simply replied: “Have you ever had to explain your sexual orientation to your colleagues?” That touched me hard.
The second moment came during the early days of building my current company. We were hiring and limited it to our last candidate, a talented woman who shared she was pregnant at the end of the process. It was a difficult moment. We needed full dedication to grow the company. But her transparency, trust and honesty weighed against every hesitation. We hired her. She had already shown more effort than most before she even became a member.
To other men in leadership who want to become better allies: take action. Even small steps matter. Doing something even if it is imperfect is much better than doing nothing. Call your fears. You will be surprised how much easier it is to go beyond them. And if you do that, you will not only improve the environment around you, you will feel better about who you are.
For a long -term, systemic change, I want to see more women in leadership roles: CEOs, presidents and founders. However, I also want to see more female entrepreneurs who build companies around their own ideas. This shift will rim and open doors beyond the genus for many who are nowadays confronted with inequality.
In my experience, women bring a natural power to leadership: care for people. That does not mean that men cannot be empathetic, but women often record relationships and emotional consciousness as a central part of their decision -making. That is incredibly valuable when building a team, feeding talent and creating a culture that people want to stay in.
For students, especially young women, consider a career in the solar industry. It’s worth it. It offers both personal and professional growth, a wide range of disciplines to explore, and the chance to have a real impact. It is a sector on the rise, connected worldwide and full of opportunities. And it improves, slowly but surely, when it comes to inclusion and respect. We are not there yet, but we are on the right track. And I hope you are part of forming what comes next.
An economist with more than 20 years of professional experience, Alijarde obtained a master’s degree in leadership and public administration, as well as a master’s degree in education. He has developed his professional career in various sectors, including training, rural development and promotion of renewable energy. Since 2020 he has been the founder and CEO of Ibersyd, a Sustainability Consultancy, and is also the founder and CEO of Cerfo, European Fotovoltaic Recycling Center. He is the president of the Sustainability Committee of the Aragon Energy Cluster.
Interested in becoming a member Other leaders and experts in industry at women in Solar+ Europe? More information: www.wiseu.network
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