From Policy to Practice: Organizational Culture and ESG Implementation in the Wind Energy Sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37497/jsim.v12.id174.2025Keywords:
Organizational Culture, ESG, Wind Energy, Diversity and Inclusion, Sustainable Institutional ManagementAbstract
Purpose: To analyze the main challenges and organizational practices related to gender diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the wind energy sector, within the framework of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This is a qualitative multiple case study based on 10 semi-structured interviews with professionals from managerial and executive roles across organizations in the Brazilian wind energy sector. Thematic content analysis was applied using both deductive and inductive categories supported by software-assisted coding.
Findings: Results reveal a structural gap between corporate D&I initiatives and organizational culture. Five major challenges were identified—organizational culture, democratization of information, governance composition, social politicization, and institutional training. Ten D&I practices were mapped, forming a roadmap that can support ESG implementation in the global wind energy sector.
Research Limitations: The study is limited to the Brazilian context and focuses on qualitative perceptions, which may not be generalizable to all wind industry environments.
Practical Implications: Provides actionable insights for industry leaders and policymakers seeking to advance ESG integration through inclusive practices. The roadmap serves as a reference for improving organizational alignment with sustainability and diversity goals.
Social Implications: Emphasizes the importance of promoting inclusive labor markets and equitable access to training and leadership roles, especially in emerging energy economies.
Originality/Value: The article offers a novel contribution by combining ESG implementation with organizational culture and gender-related challenges in the wind energy sector, bridging the gap between policy discourse and practical integration.
References
ABEEólica (Associação Brasileira de Energia Eólica e Novas Tecnologias) (2023, junho). Infovento n. 31. https://abeeolica.org.br/energia-eolica/dados-abeeolica/
Agência Brasil (2022). Geração instantânea de energia eólica no Nordeste tem novo recorde. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/geral/noticia/2022-07/geracao-instantanea-de-energia-eolica-no-nordeste-tem-novo-recorde
Ali, M., Metz, I. & Kulik, C. T. (2015). The Impact of work family programs on the relationship between gender diversity and performance. Human Resource Management, 54, 553-576.
Allen, E., Lyons, H. & Stephens, J. C. (2019). Women’s leadership in renewable transformation, energy justice and energy democracy: Redistributing power. Energy Research & Social Science, 57, 101233.
Alves, J. E. D. (2014). Energia renovável com baixa emissão de carbono. Cadernos Adenauer XV, 3, 11-28.
Arvidsson, S. & Dumay, J. (2022). Corporate ESG reporting quantity, quality and performance: Where to now for environmental policy and practice? Business Strategy and the Environment, 31 (3), 1091-1110.
Atkins, J., Doni, F., Gasperini, A., Artuso, S., La Torre, I. & Sorrentino, L. (2023). Exploring the effectiveness of sustainability measurement: which ESG metrics will survive COVID-19? Journal of Business Ethics, 185 (3), 629-646.
Azungah, T. (2018). Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis. Qualitative Research Journal, 18 (4), 383-400.
Baratta, A., Cimino, A., Longo, F., Solina, V. & Verteramo, S. (2023). The impact of ESG practices in industry with a focus on carbon emissions: Insights and future perspectives. Sustainability, 15 (8), 6685.
Barbosa, A. S., Silva, M. C. B. C., Silva, L. B., Morioka, S. N. & Souza, V. F. (2023). Integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria: their impacts on corporate sustainability performance. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10 (1), 1-18.
Barbosa, G. G. (2016). Recursos naturais renováveis e produção de energia. Revista Política Hoje, 23 (1), 193-215.
Baruah, B. (2016). Renewable inequity? Women's employment in clean energy in industrialized, emerging and developing economies. A United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, 41, 18-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12105
Borges, B. (2024). Estimativas dos impactos dinâmicos do setor eólico sobre a economia brasileira. https://abeeolica.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Estudo-Braulio_final.pdf
Canal Energia (2022). Presença feminina cresceu, mas é de apenas 33% em renováveis. https://www.canalenergia.com.br/noticias/53204522/presenca-feminina-cresceu-mas-e-de-apenas-33-em-renovaveis
Castilho, F. (2022, janeiro). Onda de energias renováveis no Nordeste faz Pernambuco entrar no "top five" da geração no país. Jornal do Comércio. https://jc.ne10.uol.com.br/colunas/jc-negocios/2022/01/14928320-onda-de-energias-renovaveis-no-nordeste-faz-pernambuco-entrar-no-top-five-da-geracao-no-pais.html?utm_source=fb-ne10
Cek, K. & Eyupoglu, S. (2020). Does environmental, social and governance performance influence economic performance? J. Bus. Econ. Manag., 21, 1165–1184. http://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2020.12725
Cho, Y., Kim, S., You, J., Moon, H. & Sung, H. (2021). Application of ESG measures for gender diversity and equality at the organizational level in a Korean context. European Journal of Training and Development, 45 (4/5), 346-365.
Cipriano, K. & Cabral, C. R. (2022). ESG na indústria de Óleo e Gás - Importância da mentoria na diversidade de gênero. In Rio Oil & Gas 2022, Brasil, Rio de Janeiro. https://doi.org/10.48072/2525-7579.rog.2022.437
Czako, V. (2020). Employment in the Energy Sector. Joint Research Centre, Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/95180
Demsetz, H. & Lehn, K. (1985). The Structure of Corporate Ownership: Causes and Consequences. Journal of Political Economy, 93 (6), 1155-1177. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1833178
Drisko, J. W. & Maschi, T. (2016). Content analysis. Pocket Guide to Social Work Re.
Falcão, J. B. L., Strapasson, A. B., Costa, H. K. M., Masulino, N. W. N. & Barbosa, M. C. B. (2019) Energy & Gender: An assessment on gender equality in the energy sector in Brazil. Technical report commissioned by the British Embassy in Brazil in collaboration with the UK Prosperity Fund: Energy Programme. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19253.52964
FIERN (Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte) (2021). SENAI-RN apresenta estratégias para aumentar diversidade no setor de energia eólica. https://www.fiern.org.br/senai-rn-apresenta-estrategias-para-aumentar-diversidade-no-setor-de-energia-eolica/
Fraune, C. (2015). Gender matters: Women, renewable energy, and citizen participation in Germany. Energy Research & Social Science, 7, 55-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2015.02.005
Freeman, R.E. (2015). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139192675
Garg, S. & Sangwan, S. (2021). Literature Review on Diversity and Inclusion at Workplace. Vision, 25 (1), 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972262920959523
Gil, A. C. (2008). Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa social. São Paulo: Editora Atlas, 6. ed., 248p.
Gupy (2023). 35 dicas de planos de ação para Diversidade e Inclusão. https://info.gupy.io/materiais/ebook/planos-de-acao-para-diversidade-e-inclusao
GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) (2023). Global Wind Report. https://gwec.net/globalwindreport2023/
GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) (2020). Wind Power a Cornerstone of the Global Economic Recovery: Re-building Better for the future. https://gwec.net/wind-industry-statement-on-economic-recovery-from-covid-19/
GWNET (Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition) (2019). Women for Sustainable Energy: Strategies to Foster Women’s Talent for Transformational. https://www.globalwomennet.org/women-for-sustainable-energy/
Hafiz, K. (2008). Case Study Example. The Qualitative Report, 13 (4), 544-559.
IIRC (International Integrated Reporting Council) (2021). International Framework. https://integratedreporting.ifrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/InternationalIntegratedReportingFramework.pdf
IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) (2021). Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review. https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Oct/Renewable-Energy-and-Jobs-Annual-Review-2021
IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) (2020). Renewable Energy and Jobs. Annual Review. https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/Sep/Renewable-Energy-and-Jobs-Annual-Review-2020
IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) (2020). Wind Energy: A Gender Perspective. https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/Jan/Wind-energy-A-gender-perspective
IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) (2020). Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report. https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/May/Tracking-SDG7-The-Energy-Progress-Report-2020
Jacobi, P. (2003). Educação ambiental, cidadania e sustentabilidade. Cadernos de Pesquisa, 189-206.
Kakabadse, N. K., Figueira, C., Nicolopoulou, K., Yang, J. H., Kakabadse, A. P. & Özbilgin, M. F. (2015). Gender Diversity and Board Performance: Women's Experiences and Perspectives. Human Resource Management, 54, 265-281. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21694
Kallio, H., Pietilä, A. M., Johnson, M. & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic Methodological Review: Developing a Framework for a Qualitative Semi‐structured Interview Guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72 (12), 2954-2965.
Keeley, A.R., Chapman, A. J., Yoshida, K., Xie, J., Imbulana, J., Takeda, S. & Managi, S. (2022). ESG metrics and social equity: Investigating commensurability. Front. Sustain., 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2022.920955
Kim, H., Sefcik, J. S. & Bradway, C. (2017). Characteristics of qualitative descriptive studies: A systematic review. Research in Nursing & Health, 40 (1), 23-42.
Kreitz, P. A. (2008). Best practices for managing organizational diversity. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34 (2), 101-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2007.12.001
Kronemberger, D.M.P. (2019). Os desafios da construção dos indicadores ODS globais. Ciênc.e Cultura, 71 (1), 40-45.
Li, J. & Wu, D. (2020). Do corporate social responsibility engagements lead to real environmental, social, and governance impact? Manage. Sci., 66, 2564–2588. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2019.3324
Lucena, J.A.Y. (2021). Recent advances and technology trends of wind turbines. In Recent Advances in Renewable Energy Technologies, Academic Press, 177-210, ISBN 9780323910934. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91093-4.00009-3
Lucena, J.A.Y. & Lucena, K.A.A. (2019). Wind energy in Brazil: an overview and perspectives under the triple bottom line. Clean Energy, 3 (2), 69-84. https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkz001
Lucena, J. A. Y. (2023). Energia Eólica. Florianópolis: ENBPar/ IFSC, 4, 134 p. ISBN 978-65-981191-9-5.
Lucena, J. A. Y. (2023). Mulheres na Eólica: relato de experiência de um projeto de extensão tecnológica entre o Instituto Federal de Pernambuco e empresas do setor eólico brasileiro. In Brazil Wind Power Papers 2023.
Luo, L. & Tang, Q. (2023). The real effects of ESG reporting and GRI standards on carbon mitigation: International evidence. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32 (6), 2985-3000.
Mendes, A. S. J. (2016). Diversidade de Género e Desempenho: Uma Revisão Sistemática de Literatura (Dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências Empresariais). Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
Nagelkerken, I. & Connell, S. D. (2015). Global alteration of ocean ecosystem functioning due to increasing human CO2 emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112 (43), 13272-13277.
Nakagawa, M. H. (2012). A sustentabilidade na estratégia de negócio das empresas brasileiras (Dissertação de Mestrado em Administração). Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduados em Administração, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brasil.
Neto, F. P. & Cândido, G. A. (2020). Sustentabilidade corporativa: definição de indicadores para organizações do setor energético. Revista de Gestão dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, 19 (2), 104-126.
Nishitani, K., Nguyen, T. B. H, Trinh, T. Q, Wu, Q. & Kokubu, K. (2021). Are corporate environmental activities to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs) simply greenwashing? An empirical study of environmental management control systems in Vietnamese companies from the stakeholder management perspective. J. Environ. Manage., 296, 113364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021
Nkomo, S. M. & Cox Jr., T. C. (1999). Diversidade e identidade nas organizações. In Handbook de Estudos Organizacionais. São Paulo: Atlas, 334-360.
Noland, M., Moran, T. & Kotschawar, B. (2016). Is Gender Diversity Profitable? Evidence from a Global Survey. Working Paper Series. Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Noronha, M. & Martins, J. (2022). O ESG e os Caminhos para Transição Energética. Inovação e Sustentabilidade para Transição Energética. São Paulo: Editora clássica, 57-62.
Noronha, M. E. S., Martins, J. B. N., Lietti, T. & Silva, R. D. S. V. (2022). A agilidade organizacional e a difusão de inovação tecnológica das empresas cleantech. Revista Inteligência Competitiva, 12 (1).
Noronha, M. E. S., Silva, R. S. V., Rodrigues, J. C., Valente, L. L. & Souza, L. J. (2022). Sustentabilidade 4.0. Journal of Urban Technology and Sustainability, 5 (1).
Noronha, M. E. S. de, Silva, R., & Borges, F. M. (2023). Certifications in Consumer Chain: The Consumerist Attitude and Sustainability. Journal of Lifestyle and SDGs Review, 3(00), e01667. https://doi.org/10.37497/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v3.n00.pe01667
Offshore Wind Industry Council (2020). Diversity & Inclusion: focusing on gender and ethnicity in the offshore wind sector. https://www.globalwomennet.org/
Opstrup, N. & Villadsen, A. R. (2014). The Right Mix? Gender Diversity in Top Management Teams and Financial Performance. Public Administration Review, 75, 291-301.
Pacto Global & Stilingue (2021). A evolução do ESG no Brasil. https://d335luupugsy2.cloudfront.net cms%2Ffiles%2F150560%2F1619627473Estudo_A_Evoluo_do_ESG_no_Brasil.pdf
Paranhos, B. R., Silva, F. C. & Cataldi, M. (2017). A energia eólica como alternativa energética para agricultura familiar em regiões serranas. Ciência e Natura, 39 (1), 193-201.
Pearl-Martinez, R. & Stephens, J. C. (2016). Toward a gender diverse workforce in the renewable energy transition. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 12 (1), 8-15.
Pereira, L. V. (2022). ESG: Gestão da cadeia de fornecimento e responsabilidade da alta administração pela má supervisão de seus contratos. In Rio Oil & Gas 2022. Brasil, Rio de Janeiro.
Perryman, A. A., Fernando, G. D. & Tripathy, A. (2015). Do gender differences persist? An examination of gender diversity on firm performance, risk, and executive compensation. Journal of Business Research, 69, 579-586.
Portilho, F. (2005). Consumo sustentável: limites e possibilidades de ambientalização e politização das práticas de consumo. Cadernos EBAPE BR, 3 (3). https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-39512005000300005
Rajesh, R. (2020). Exploring the sustainability performances of firms using environmental, social, and governance scores. J. Cleaner Prod., 247, 119600. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119600
Ryan, M. K. & Haslam, S. A. (2005). The Glass Cliff: Evidence that Women are Over-Represented in Precarious Leadership Positions. British Journal of Management, 16 (2), 81-90. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2005.00433.x
Sabharwal, M. (2015). From Glass Ceiling to Glass Cliff: Women in Senior Executive Service. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 25 (2), 399–426. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mut030
Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever Happened to Qualitative Description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23 (4), 334-340. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-240x(200008)23:4%3C334::aid-nur9%3E3.0.co;2-g
SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) (2021). Why investors use SASB Standards. https://sasb.org/investor-use/
Seixas, C. S., Prado, D. S., Joly, C. A., May, P. H., Neves, E. M. S. C. & Teixeira, L. R. (2020). Governança ambiental no Brasil: rumo aos objetivos do desenvolvimento sustentável (ODS). Cadernos Gestão Públ. e Cidadania, 25 (81).
Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Ehrhart, K. H. & Singh, G. (2010). Inclusion and Diversity in Work Groups: A Review and Model for Future Research. Journal of Management, 37 (4), 1262-1289. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310385943
Silva, A. de O., & Janes, D. dos S. (2020). Exploring the role of artificial intelligence in education: a comprehensive perspective. Review of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 1, e5. https://doi.org/10.37497/rev.artif.intell.education.v1i00.5
Simas, M. & Pacca, S. (2013). Energia eólica, geração de empregos e desenvolvimento sustentável. Estudos Avançados, 27, 99-116.
Singh, V. & Vinnicombe, S. (2004). Why So Few Women Directors in Top UK Boardrooms? Evidence and Theoretical Explanations. Corporate Governance, 12, 479 488.
Tolmasquim, M. T., Guerreiro, A. & Gorini, R. (2007). Matriz energética brasileira: uma prospectiva. Novos estudos CEBRAP, 47-69.
Ventura, M. M. (2007). O estudo de caso como modalidade de pesquisa. Revista SoCERJ, 20 (5), 383-386.
Xu, J., Liu, F. & Shang, Y. (2021). R&D investment, ESG performance and green innovation performance: evidence from China. Kybernetes, 50 (3), 737-756.
Yildiz, S. & Mural, M.F. (2019). A Cultural Perspective of The Glass Cliff Phenomenon. Ege Academic Review, 19 (3), 309-321. https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.451162
Yin, R. K. (1994). Discovering the Future of the Case Study. Method in Evaluation Research. Evaluation Practice, 15 (3), 283-290. https://doi.org/10.1177/109821409401500309
Yin R. K. (2015), Estudo de Caso: Planejamento e métodos. Porto Alegre: Bookman Editora, 320p.
Zainal, Z. (2007). Case Study as a Research Method. Jurnal Kemanusiaan bil., 9 (1), 1-6. https://bit.ly/2pzfb69
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms: the author(s) authorize(s) the publication of the text in the journal;
2. The author(s) ensure(s) that the contribution is original and unpublished and that it is not in the process of evaluation by another journal;
3. The journal is not responsible for the views, ideas and concepts presented in articles, and these are the sole responsibility of the author(s);
4. The publishers reserve the right to make textual adjustments and adapt texts to meet with publication standards.
5. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right to first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Atribuição NãoComercial 4.0 internacional, which allows the work to be shared with recognized authorship and initial publication in this journal.
6. Authors are allowed to assume additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (e.g. publish in institutional repository or as a book chapter), with recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
7. Authors are allowed and are encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on a personal web page) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this can generate positive effects, as well as increase the impact and citations of the published work (see the effect of Free Access) at http://opcit.eprints.org/oacitation-biblio.html
• 8. Authors are able to use ORCID is a system of identification for authors. An ORCID identifier is unique to an individual and acts as a persistent digital identifier to ensure that authors (particularly those with relatively common names) can be distinguished and their work properly attributed.
