Big Oil is hiring women. Retaining them is the big challenge, CEO says

Head of ConocoPhillips, world's biggest independent oil producer, says while sexual harassment isn't on the rise, more is needed to make it easier for women to sustain a career in the business

The oil industry is doing a better job of hiring women. Keeping them remains the challenge, says ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance.

Conoco, the world’s biggest independent oil producer, has seen its percentage of female and minority workers climb among its youngest generation of employees, Lance said in an interview from his Houston headquarters on Thursday.

Boosting diversity is a priority at the company, which has 13,000 employees, Lance said. Women make up a quarter of his eight-member executive leadership team and account for four of 10 seats on the board of directors. Conoco didn’t see a rise in sexual harassment complaints last