With support from the Mitigation Action Facility, the Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) project in Mexico is taking crucial steps to integrate a gender perspective into the energy efficiency sector – an area that has traditionally faced structural inequalities and limited female participation. The project combines evidence-based research with capacity-building efforts to promote inclusivity and create enabling conditions for women entrepreneurs and energy efficiency project developers in the carbon neutral transformation.
Understanding gender barriers in Mexico’s SME sector
To ensure that climate action is both effective and equitable, the project conducted a gender-perspective market study among Mexican SMEs in the industrial, commercial, and service sectors. Drawing on 130 surveys and 12 in-depth interviews, the study identified structural barriers that hinder women’s access to finance and participation in energy efficiency initiatives.
A striking finding was that 55.7% of women-led SMEs had never applied for business credit. This points to persistent barriers such as mistrust of financial institutions, limited access to information, restricted asset ownership, and insufficient support networks. Although only a small share of respondents (8.6%) reported direct gender-based discrimination, 80% faced practical challenges such as balancing business responsibilities with childcare – a reflection of how deeply entrenched gender inequalities often go unrecognised.
These findings are now informing adjustments to the Sustainable Eco Credit’s communication strategy, ensuring that messages and financial products are more accessible and inclusive for women entrepreneurs.
Building gender awareness among energy efficiency practitioners
To complement this data-driven approach, the project also carried out a gender capacity assessment among energy efficiency project developers in its Learning Network, under the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Action Plan (GESI AP). The analysis assessed awareness, knowledge, and practical application of gender considerations in participants’ work.