Read about inspiring women in the cooling sector from Bangladesh, Colombia, and Kenya. Learn how their experiences and challenges have global relevance and what we can do to help other women overcome similar barriers!
Worldwide, over 12 million people are employed in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, and the sector keeps growing. In many regions, there is a significant shortage of skilled labour. Despite this fact, women remain strongly underrepresented. According to data gathered by the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), the percentage of women who are members of national refrigeration and air conditioning organizations is only 6%. And those few women still face discrimination and other barriers.
We wanted to have a deeper look into that topic and find answers to the questions: How can we attract more women to careers in the cooling industry? And how can we improve conditions for those already working in the sector?
Download: Short Handbook
Our author Elke Schimmel, on behalf of the Green Cooling Initiative, has conducted interviews with engineers, trainers, and other experts from Bangladesh, Colombia, and Kenya. She has put their experiences in a broader context by analysing existing data about the situation of women in cooling on a global level.
Read a summary of her findings in our short handbook with practical recommendations on how we can support women in cooling in different stages of their career.
Download: Full Report
You want to dive deeper? Download the full report!
You will find extensive descriptions of the situation of women working in the cooling sector in Bangladesh, Colombia, Kenya, and on a global level, containing facts and figures as well as quotes from the interviews. The report shows the challenges and barriers women face and draws conclusions on what we can do to overcome them.
Quote
Imagen: © Glenys Mejía, privat“Honestly, installation, maintenance,and repair work can be done by anyone. We women are more than capable and well-trained to handle any task!“
funding statement
The report has been elaborated by the Green Cooling Initiative with support by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV) in the context of the International Climate Initiative.
Webinar Recording
Watch the recording of our webinar on 30 September 2025. Our expert Elke Schimmel presents the findings from our report and handbook, offering global insights and actionable steps. In preparation for her report, she conducted interviews with inspiring engineers, trainers, and other experts from Bangladesh, Colombia, and Kenya. One of them, Betzabe Parra, was present in the webinar, sharing her experiences with us. These were placed in a broader context through the analysis of global data on the situation of women in the cooling sector, resulting in a comprehensive and insightful overview.
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Speakers
🎤 Speakers:
- Elke Schimmel: urban planner, anthropologist, CEO of november:city
- Betzabe Parra: refrigeration and air conditioning technician
- Ellen Michel, team leader at GIZ Proklima
Facilitator: Kerstin Kreß, GIZ Proklima
