Women in SAF: Building a community to shape the future of sustainable aviation
This year’s International Women’s Day carried a powerful message: Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. For the SAF industry, that message feels especially timely. While aviation and energy have historically been male-dominated sectors, the SAF industry is evolving along with the role of women within it. Today, women represent over 25% of conference attendees in SAF and increasingly hold senior leadership positions across the value chain: from fuel producers and technology developers to airlines, airports, finance, and policy.
But representation alone isn’t the end goal.
That’s why we’re proud to introduce Women in SAF, a newly launched LinkedIn community designed to bring women across the industry together, not just to connect, but to actively shape the future of SAF.
A Think-and-Do Tank for Change
Women in SAF is more than a network. It’s a “Think-and-Do Tank”, a space to openly discuss the challenges holding the industry back, define solutions collectively, and take action together.
In just three weeks, over 150 women from across the globe have joined, reflecting both the appetite and the urgency for a more connected, collaborative community. The ambition spans inclusivity and industry progress:
To create a space where every voice is heard
To support women stepping into leadership, particularly in commercial, technical, and decision-making roles
To foster mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and confidence across all career stages
To ensure SAF’s growth is aligned with broader goals of energy equity, a circular economy, and global prosperity
Early conversations within the group have already surfaced some of the key dynamics shaping women’s experiences in SAF:
While sustainability teams often have strong female representation, commercial, fuel, and finance roles remain male-dominated
There is a desire to build technical expertise, enabling more women to speak up and lead conversations
Mentorship and visibility are critical, particularly for those entering or navigating a fast-moving, complex industry
At the same time, there is a shared recognition that women bring unique strengths to the table: collaboration, support, and the ability to build meaningful, purpose-driven networks that can accelerate industry progress through knowledge sharing and collective action.
What’s Next?
As Women in SAF continues to grow, the focus will be on turning conversation into action, through shared initiatives, knowledge exchange, and practical support for members across the industry.
And here in SAF Spotlight, we’ll be shining the light on individual women within the community, sharing their journeys into SAF, their challenges, their successes, and their perspectives on where the industry is heading.