At the annual meeting organized by the Colombian Oil and Gas Association (Asociación Colombiana del Petróleo y Gas, ACP), Tecpetrol shared its experiences running educational programs in Ecuador and diversity policies in Colombia.

From June 10 to 12, the city of Cali hosted the fourth edition of the Grand ACP Forum: Sustainability Facts, bringing together representatives from companies, academic institutions, and international organizations to discuss social impact, equity, and sustainable practices in the energy sector.

A key moment in the program was the panel entitled “Male Leadership for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Lessons for the Sector,” where José Feretti, Tecpetrol’s Country Manager in Colombia and member of the ACP board of directors, shared insights on the company’s commitment to building a more equitable, inclusive and bias-free workplace culture.

“One of the big topics that came up was how tough it can be to bring more women into roles that have traditionally been male-dominated,” explained José. “So we jumped in to share what we’ve been doing with the Technical Gene program. For two years in a row, we ran hands-on courses to train women technicians in oil well operations and industrial machine maintenance, partnering up with another local operator, Frontera Energy.”

“This gives women a real shot at the kind of training that can lead straight into the productive sector. It helps break that old dynamic where the excuse for not closing gender gaps is always, ‘there just aren’t any women trained for these technical roles,’ he added.

Marco Hernández, Operations Senior Manager and member of the +Diversity Program Governance Unit, pointed out that, "The panel also addressed issues such as using inclusive language, making hiring processes fairer to avoid gender bias, and the importance of initiatives like the national Equipares program, run jointly with the UN, which awarded Tecpetrol the Silver Seal for its commitment to equality."

Marco also emphasized the importance of being actively involved: "It’s key for Tecpetrol to show up in spaces that promote gender diversity and inclusion as these are part of our core policy. We’re working to build a culture where everyone feels safe, comfortable, and empowered to speak up and share ideas that truly matter.”

Tecpetrol also made another meaningful contribution to the forum through Darwin Vega, CORE Specialist in Ecuador, who spoke during the Second Meeting of the Sustainable Management Committee of ARPEL (the Association of Oil, Gas, and Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and the Caribbean), held as part of the event’s program of activities.

In his presentation, Darwin shared Tecpetrol’s experience working closely with local communities, highlighting the company’s educational initiatives in Pacayacu and Dureno: from the Roberto Rocca Secondary School Scholarships and the Higher Technological Scholarships, to Technical Gene and a school infrastructure plan to improve learning environments.

“When we started back in 2022, not a single student was enrolling in university,” Darwin recalled. Today, 23 out of 27 are signed up to take the entrance exam.” The progress goes beyond enrollment. Academic performance has also seen a clear boost: the minimum GPA required to apply for secondary school scholarships has climbed from 7.5 to 8.5 in just two years. The number of recipients has nearly doubled, growing from 18 scholarship students to 35 today. As for the Higher Technological Scholarships, 39 have already been awarded, supporting studies in fields ranging from Accounting, Tourism, and Marketing, to Nursing, Business Administration, Electromechanics, and, more recently, Petroleum and Occupational Risks.

The Technical Gene program has also delivered tangible results, with over 90 students and 14 teachers receiving training and equipment for the Electromechanical classroom-workshop. “These programs are increasingly recognized by the community,” Darwin noted.

Events like this forum offer a valuable opportunity to showcase Tecpetrol’s progress in sustainability, inclusion, and community development. Whether through internal policies or on-the-ground initiatives, the company is committed to creating a positive impact that goes beyond its operations and helps to build a more equitable, integrated, and socially responsible energy sector.