IPHE and Hydrogen Council launch H2-DEIA initiative to champion diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in global hydrogen economy

WASHINGTON D.C, October 2, 2023 – The International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) today announced the launch of its H2-DEIA platform at the Hydrogen Americas Summit in Washington D.C., in partnership with the Hydrogen Council.

Developed in celebration of IPHE’s 20^th anniversary, H2-DEIA is a platform dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) in the rapidly expanding global hydrogen and fuel cell economy.

IPHE, a global government partnership between more than 23 countries and the European Commission, is partnering on H2-DEIA with the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO-led initiative comprising nearly 150 industry leaders in hydrogen committed to unlocking hydrogen deployment to accelerate a just transition to net-zero.

“This is a proud moment, and diversity, equity, and inclusion are a high priority for South Africa,” said Rebecca Maserumule, the current Chair of IPHE, and Chief Science and Technology Representative-Hydrogen, Department of Science and Innovation of South Africa.“As one of our first activities, we are pleased to launch a pilot mentor-mentee platform under H2-DEIA which will help to link mentors with those interested in hydrogen.”

H2-DEIA represents a “new day” in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility – with “DEIA” pronounced as “dee-ah” and aptly translated as “day” in many Latin American regions – hence appropriate for launch at the Hydrogen Americas Summit.

“Developing and promoting a diverse talent pool is one of the key prerequisites for moving towards a global and equitable clean hydrogen economy, and a sustainable net zero future,” said Daria Nochevnik, Hydrogen Council Director for Policy and Partnerships.

Committed to the core values of increasing diverse representation and a culture of inclusion and equity, H2-DEIA brings together global governments, industry, academia, non-profits, and research institutes, as well as investors and the broader stakeholder community, to help shape a skilled and diverse workforce essential to the nascent clean hydrogen industry. Recognizing the importance of assessing workforce needs, including skills and training unique to the field of hydrogen, and enabling fair access and opportunities for under-represented groups, H2-DEIA supports various initiatives, including activities to identify skill gaps and address challenges, and to strengthen recruitment, retention, and advancement of a highly qualified and diverse workforce.

“We are pleased to partner with the Hydrogen Council and our government counterparts across the international community,” said IPHE Vice Chair, Dr. Sunita Satyapal. “The H2-DEIA vision strongly aligns with U.S. efforts to ensure our clean energy future is rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Dr. Satyapal is also director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, and during her term as IPHE chair, she co-founded IPHE’s Early Career Network (ECN), which now has members from 40 countries.  The ECN, mentor programs, career development webinars, and more, will be available through the global H2-DEIA website. IPHE’s vision is to help other like-minded organizations connect with these resources.

The Hydrogen Council’s Co-Chairs Sanjiv Lamba, CEO of Linde, and Yoshinori Kanehana, Chairman of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., have been strong supporters of DEIA principles and the H2-DEIA mechanism to link activities between government and industry through the Hydrogen Council. “Building a diverse hydrogen economy will help deliver a just and sustainable transition to net zero. Together with H2-DEIA we look forward to developing the next generation of hydrogen experts,” said Lamba and Kanehana.

“Contribution to sustainable global growth by promoting hydrogen utilization is well recognized at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial, held in September 2023 and I believe diversity will be a key part of it,” commented Tomohiko Adachi, also a Vice Chair of IPHE, representing the Japanese Government through the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

In addition, Noe Van Hulst, the outgoing Chair of IPHE and former Chair of the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency, has been a strong champion of DEIA principles. “We envision H2-DEIA as a platform that can be linked with many other initiatives and underscores our collective commitment to creating a workplace that celebrates people of all backgrounds,” said Van Hulst.

Laurent Antoni, Executive Director of the IPHE Secretariat, stated “launching of H2-DEIA is fitting for IPHE’s 20^th anniversary and demonstrates IPHE’s support to advancing mechanisms to promote a diverse workforce and skills development. Such activities align with IPHE’s Education and Outreach Working Group activities over the years. It’s also appropriate timing for Hydrogen Day, which is celebrated by countries around the world”.