Equality Means Business

Establish high-level corporate 1for gender equality. Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect 2 and support human rights and nondiscrimination. Ensure the health, safety and well-being 3 of all women and men workers. Promote education, training and professional 4 development for women. Implement enterprise development, supply chain 5 and marketing practices that empower women.

Promote equality through community initiatives n and advocacy.

6 ollyma ie H n he Measure and publicly report on progress p 7to achieve gender equality. UN Photo/Ste Introduction

Em p o w e r i n g w o m e n to participate companies tailor existing policies 189 countries at the Fourth World fully in economic life across all and practices —or establish needed Conference on Women in 1995 and sectors and throughout all levels new ones— to realize women’s the Millennium Declaration adopted of economic activity is essential to: empowerment. The Principles also by 189 countries in 2000, contribute ■ Build strong economies; reflect the interests of governments to the overarching human rights and civil society and will support framework.1 ■ Establish more stable and just interactions among stakeholders as These international standards societies; achieving gender equality requires illuminate our common aspiration for ■ Achieve internationally- the participation of all actors. As a a life where the doors of opportunity agreed goals for development, leader in gender equality, UNIFEM are open to all. Where people can sustainability and human rights; brings three decades of experience live free from violence, exercise legal ■ Improve quality of life for women, to this partnership effort with the UN redress and expect states to live up men, families and communities; Global Compact, the world’s largest to their obligations to respect and and corporate citizenship initiative protect the human rights of women, with more than 7,000 business ■ Propel businesses’ operations men and children and provide participants and other stakeholders and goals. appropriate government services involved in more than 135 countries. such as education and health. Yet, ensuring the inclusion of In an increasingly globalized and women’s talents, skills, experience These conventions inform national interconnected world, utilizing all law and help shape common values and energies requires intentional social and economic assets is actions and deliberate policies. The adopted by institutions throughout crucial for success. Yet, despite the world. Business leaders, Women’s Empowerment Principles progress, women continue provide a set of considerations to working in close association with to confront discrimination, their peers, with governments, help the private sector focus on marginalization and exclusion, key elements integral to promoting nongovernmental and even though equality between the United Nations2, seek to apply gender equality in the workplace, men and women stands as a marketplace and community. these international standards that universal international precept—a uphold an individual’s rights through Enhancing openness and inclusion fundamental and inviolable human their specifically designed policies throughout corporate policies and right. Nearly all countries have and programmes. Their corporate operations requires techniques, affirmed this value through their commitment, reflected through the tools and practices that bring recognition of the standards company’s mission statement and results. The Women’s Empowerment contained in international human supported through public reporting Principles, forged through an rights treaties, which articulate on policies and practices, attests international multi-stakeholder for states a broad range of to the growing realization of how consultative process led by the civil, political, economic, social important these values are to Development Fund and cultural rights. Distinctive business and their communities.3 for Women (UNIFEM) and the documents highlight a spectrum While much has been accomplished United Nations Global Compact of state responsibilities and human through the integration of (UNGC), provide a “gender lens” rights protections for women, principles and actions on corporate through which business can survey indigenous peoples, children, responsibility, diversity and and analyze current initiatives, workers and people with disabilities. inclusion, the full participation of benchmarks and reporting practices. Additionally, internationally agreed- women throughout the private on documents such as the Beijing Informed by real-life business sector – from the CEO’s office practices, the Principles help Platform for Action adopted by all to the factory floor to the supply chain – remains unfulfilled. Current research demonstrating that gender diversity helps business perform better signals that self interest and common interest can come together. UNIFEM, the UN Global Compact, other leading UN agencies, the World Bank and the , reinforce the findings.4 Governments also recognize that women’s inclusion drives development, and acknowledge that achieving the Millennium Development Goals and national economic and development plans requires rapidly moving towards gender equality.5 In a globally interdependent political, social and economic environment, partnerships play an increasingly vital role to: ■ Create a vibrant business environment involving a broad partnership of actors, enablers, contributors and innovators to open opportunities for women and men; and ■ E nable the active and interactive participation of governments, international financial institutions, the private sector, investors, nongovernmental organizations, academia and professional organizations to work together. In the spirit of partnership, UNIFEM and the UN Global Compact offer the Women’s Empowerment d Principles in the hope that using ta s them as a targeted “gender lens” . Bol T inspires and intensifies the efforts to bring women in at all levels.

UN Photo/ Equality does mean business.

women's empowerment principles/equality means business ■ 1 Women’s Empowerment Principles Leadership Equal Health, Safety 1Promotes 2Opportunity, 3and Freedom Gender Equality Inclusion and from Violence ■ Affirm high-level support and Nondiscriminiation ■ Taking into account differential direct top-level policies for impacts on women and ■ Pay equal remuneration, gender equality and human men, provide safe working including benefits, for work of rights. conditions and protection equal value and strive to pay a from exposure to hazardous ■ Establish company-wide living wage to all women and materials and disclose goals and targets for gender men. equality and include progress potential risks, including to ■ Ensure that workplace policies as a factor in managers’ reproductive health. and practices are free from performance reviews. ■ Establish a zero-tolerance gender-based discrimination. ■ Engage internal and policy towards all forms of ■ Implement gender-sensitive external stakeholders in the violence at work, including recruitment and retention development of company verbal and/or physical practices and proactively policies, programmes and abuse and prevent sexual recruit and appoint women implementation plans that harassment. to managerial and executive advance equality. ■ Strive to offer health insurance positions and to the corporate or other needed services ■ Ensure that all policies are board of directors. gender-sensitive – identifying – including for survivors of ■ Assure sufficient participation factors that impact women domestic violence – and of women – 30% or greater and men differently – and that ensure equal access for all – in decision-making and corporate culture advances employees. governance at all levels and equality and inclusion. ■ Respect women and men across all business areas. workers’ rights to time off for ■ Offer flexible work medical care and counseling options, leave and re-entry for themselves and their opportunities to positions of dependents. equal pay and status. ■ In consultation with ■ Support access to child and employees, identify and dependent care by providing address security issues, services, resources and including the safety of women information to both women traveling to and from work and and men. on company-related business. ■ Train security staff and managers to recognize signs of violence against women and understand laws and company policies on human trafficking, labour and sexual exploitation. Women’s Empowerment Principles

■ Work with community Education Enterprise stakeholders, officials and 4 and Training 5Development, others to eliminate discrimination ■ Invest in workplace policies Supply Chain and exploitation and open and programmes that open opportunities for women and avenues for advancement and Marketing girls. of women at all levels and Practices ■ Promote and recognize women’s across all business areas, leadership in, and contributions ■ Expand business relationships and encourage women to to, their communities and with women-owned enterprises, enter nontraditional job ensure sufficient representation including small businesses, and fields. of women in any community women entrepreneurs. ■ Ensure equal access to consultation. ■ Support gender-sensitive all company-supported ■ Use philanthropy and grants solutions to credit and lending education and training programmes to support barriers. programmes, including company commitment to literacy classes, vocational ■ Ask business partners and inclusion, equality and human and information technology peers to respect the company’s rights. training. commitment to advancing equality and inclusion. ■ Provide equal opportunities for formal and informal ■ Respect the dignity of women Transparency, networking and mentoring. in all marketing and other company materials. 7Measuring and ■ Offer opportunities to promote the business case ■ Ensure that company products, Reporting for women’s empowerment services and facilities are not ■ Make public the company and the positive impact of used for human trafficking and/ policies and implementation inclusion for men as well as or labour or sexual exploitation. plan for promoting gender women. equality. ■ Establish benchmarks that Community quantify inclusion of women at 6 Leadership and all levels. ■ Measure and report on Engagement progress, both internally ■ Lead by example – showcase and externally, using data company commitment to disaggregated by sex. gender equality and women’s ■ Incorporate gender markers into empowerment. ongoing reporting obligations. ■ Leverage influence, alone or in partnership, to advocate for gender equality and collaborate with business partners, suppliers and community leaders to promote inclusion.

women's empowerment principles/equality means business ■ 3 Principles into Practice : Company Examples Companies from around the world already furnish concrete Health, Safety examples of how they advance women’s empowerment. The samples that follow, matched to each of the seven 3and Freedom distinct Women’s Empowerment Principles, showcase from Violence actions and policies to learn from and emulate; they ■ Building on a company- derive from the large collection of company-submitted initiated study to determine the economic benefits to examples entitled, Companies Leading the Way: Putting companies of employee health the Principles into Practice. awareness, a large apparel company partners with health education professionals to Leadership Equal offer trainings to employees on reproductive and maternal 1Promotes 2Opportunity, health, disease prevention and Gender Equality Inclusion and access to care. ■ An international mining group Nondiscrimination ■ Recognizing the need to headquartered in the UK, support working parents, ■ T o retain and attract more commissioned a resource guide a Kenyan communications qualified women, anE astern on how to reach out and engage company offers free on-site day European microfinance women and community groups care and an in-house physician, group initiated a broad- as a major policy directive of its in addition to comprehensive based data collection and business operations. medical coverage that includes analysis exercise, followed pre- and post-natal care. ■ A company assessment at up with recommendations on ■ Two Spanish companies offer the highest level by a global the treatment of its female victims of domestic violence job accounting and consulting employees. firm determined that the placement services specifically ■ In an effort to close gender- company was losing out on tailored to their needs to ease based pay gaps, a global business by failing to attract transition to the workplace. insurance group dedicated 1.25 and retain highly skilled female ■ A Sri Lankan apparel million Euros over three years. professionals and, on the basis manufacturer demonstrates of these findings, worked to ■ A large financial services its commitment to creating change company culture and company in Australia offers and maintaining a safe and policies through leadership and a parental leave policy that healthy work environment – and board involvement. provides a total of two years recognition of the differential parental leave for the primary ■ The leadership of an East needs of its female and care giver, which can be Asian apparel manufacturer male employees – through taken flexibly, rather than implemented an integrated, a range of targeted policies on a full-time basis. comprehensive approach to and programmes, including women’s empowerment through ■ To support diversity and special care for pregnant programmes recognizing female inclusion, a multinational employees, and systematic risk employees’ accomplishments steel company established a assessments and monitoring and supporting women’s special committee comprised of its plants, processes and advancement in the company of and women equipment. through wide-ranging workers that identifies concerns education, training and safety of female employees and in initiatives. response organizes trainings and programmes. Principles into Practice : Company Examples

■ A multinational mining Education and Enterprise company with operations in 4 Training 5Development, Ghana implemented a gender ■ To open opportunities for Supply Chain mainstreaming programme to women’s career advancement encourage female employees in IT fields, a US-based and Marketing to assume greater responsibility multinational technology Practices within the mine and connect to company maintains strategic the local community. ■ Recognizing the expanding partnerships with women’s ■ A US-based multinational role of women entrepreneurs, a organizations in many of the apparel manufacturer awards large UK-based bank launched countries where it operates, grants to community-based specialized financial services, to promote education and organizations working to microfinance opportunities training and recognize women’s empower women in localities and business loans and also accomplishments in IT. where it does business. provides an online resource ■ A large European airline center for women entrepreneurs company reaches out to youth running small and medium- through education projects to sized enterprises. Transparency, break down the barriers that ■ A Swedish manufacturer Measuring and traditionally limit women to 7 helps women producers of certain jobs in the industry and Reporting raw materials in developing men to others. countries to trade directly ■ A mid-sized Israeli fashion ■ A large financial services with the manufacturer, thus company became the first of company in Australia offers improving their income by its size in Israel to voluntarily numerous initiatives aimed at reducing the number of disclose a Social and supporting women in business, intermediaries in the supply Environmental Responsibility including an online platform chain. Report reflecting its to help Australian women commitment to gender equality. ■ To make the scope of violence connect with other women in against women visible to an ■ A Spanish financial institution business internationally to share international public, a global publicizes its commitment to information, research and career advertising company partnered equal opportunity and inclusion advice. with a UN to on its website and regularly ■ A Chinese international develop a public awareness undergoes external equality transport company established campaign using television and diagnostics validated by an female employee committees to the Internet. autonomous government body. identify and design programmes ■ A South African mining and information tailored to the company includes a detailed needs and special interests of Community breakdown of employment female employees. by gender and race per 6Leadership and occupational level in its Engagement sustainability reporting. ■ A large international cosmetics

r company launched and sold ma u products to raise funds for community-based organizations jeev K n working to end domestic violence around the world. UN Photo/Sa

women's empowerment principles/equality means business ■ 5 How to Make & Measure Progress The following suggestions align with each of the seven ■ Are sufficient numbers of women Women’s Empowerment Principles and indicate approaches – 30 percent or greater – being recruited and interviewed? Do on how to make and measure progress. However, the most interview panels have sufficient powerful assessment tools derive from an organization’s own numbers of women participating? culture and objectives, matched with a clear measurement ■ What is the retention rate for framework. While we share common goals, the routes to get female employees by employee there will, by necessity, be diverse. category and job title compared to male employees? ■ Has the company designed flex- Leadership Equal Opportunity, ible work options that incorporate the specific and different needs of 1Promotes 2Inclusion and women and men? Gender Equality Nondiscrimination ■ Are there accessible channels for Define clearly company’s strategic Prominently publicize an explicit filing grievances on gender-based case for advancing gender company statement that prohibits discrimination, harassment and equality within the organization gender-based discrimination violence? and in its field. in hiring, retention policies, Establish a high-level task force promotion, salaries and benefits. Health, Safety, to identify priority areas, establish Design recruitment initiatives that benchmarks and monitor reach out to more women. 3and Freedom company progress. Review and analyze remuneration from Violence Include company-wide goals of all employees by gender, Prominently publicize the for progress towards for gender employee category and job title. company's zero tolerance policy equality in job descriptions and Ensure equal opportunities for and provide ongoing training. performance reviews. women to lead on important Undertake a gender sensitive assignments and task forces. Things to consider… inventory of health and safety ■ Is the stated commitment to Survey employees to elicit conditions. advancing equality and promoting the views of women and men Survey employees to elicit the nondiscrimination and fairness towards company policies on views of women and men on prominently featured on the equal opportunity, inclusion, health, safety and security issues. company’s website and in nondiscrimination and retention. Tailor company health and safety company recruiting materials and Establish and implement a corporate sustainability reports? policies to serve the distinctive confidential grievance policy concerns and needs of women ■ Is there a designated board-level and procedure for incidents of and men, including pregnant individual who champions the discrimination, sexual harassment women, people with HIV/AIDs, organization’s gender equality and gender-based violence. physically challenged and other policies and plans? Things to consider… vulnerable groups and provide the ■  Are there trainings, including for ■ Is there a gender breakdown of resources to implement them. male leaders, on the importance the company’s board of directors Things to consider… of women’s participation and and top management? inclusion? ■ Is safety and other equipment the ■ Does the company track and appropriate size for both women ■  Does the company’s annual analyze promotions by gender, and men? report or sustainability report employee category and title? include leadership statements on ■ Are there separate toilets and, if ■  reaching gender equality goals? Are fair pay reviews conducted on necessary, changing facilities for a regular basis? both women and men? champion’ within the organization Craft a community impact to target women-owned enterpris- analysis that marks the specific How to Make & Measure Progress es and help develop their capacity impacts on women and girls to become quality suppliers. when establishing or expanding ■ Are company grounds adequately Request from current and presence in a community. lit? potential suppliers information on Things to consider… their gender and diversity policies ■ Are female health care ■ What initiatives are supported by and include these in criteria for professionals available in the company to promote equality business selection. company-provided health in the community and how many services? Things to consider… women and girls, men and boys ■ Does the company perform do they reach? analyses of its existing supply ■ Does the company survey Education chain to establish the baseline participants through focus 4 and Training number of suppliers that are groups or written comments for Train and educate employees, women-owned enterprises? feedback? particularly male staff, on the ■ How many of the company’s ■ Does the company review its company’s business case for suppliers have gender equality criteria and policies that determine women’s empowerment. policies and programmes? community engagement activities Offer career clinics and mentoring ■ What is the ratio of women- against results and community programmes for women’s career owned enterprises compared to feedback? development at all stages. other suppliers? ■ Are women’s contributions to Promote training programmes ■ How does the company record their communities recognized and tailored for women. complaints regarding its portrayal publicized? of women and girls in marketing Things to consider… and other public materials, and ■ What is the distribution between how are these concerns acted on? Transparency, women and men of training and professional development 7Measuring and opportunities? Community Reporting ■ How many hours of training do Leadership and Report annually, by department, women and men participate 6 on company’s gender equality in annually, analyzed by job Engagement plans and policies, using category and title? Define company community established benchmarks. ■ Are the demands of employees’ engagement initiatives that Publicize findings on company’s family roles considered when empower women and girls. efforts towards inclusion and scheduling trainings and Encourage company executives advancing women through all education programmes? to undertake community appropriate channels and pre- consultations with local leaders existing reporting obligations. –women and men—to establish Include monitoring and evaluation Enterprise strong ties and programmes that of company’s gender equality 5 Development, benefit all community members. goals into ongoing performance Supply Chain indicators. and Marketing Things to consider… ■ Does tracking along the Practices benchmarks for advancing Prominently publicize an women demonstrate that the company is moving positively?

ung executive level policy statement on the organization’s support ■ What opportunities exist for gender equality practices throughout the company for in its supply chain. review, analysis and discussion of

UN Photo/Ky Ch Identify a ‘women’s enterprise performance?

women's empowerment principles/equality means business ■ 7 Where Women Stand: Facts and Figures Women at Risk women will become a victim of rape Spotlight on Women or attempted rape in her lifetime.7 ■ More people have been lifted out and Productivity of poverty in the last 50 years than ■ Women experience sexual ■ When women are afforded the in the previous 500; yet more than harassment throughout their lives. equality of opportunity that is 1.2 billion still subsist on less than Between 40% and 50% of women their basic human right, the $1 per day.1 According to some in the European Union reported results are striking. In 2006, The estimates, women represent 70% some form of sexual harassment in 8 Economist estimated that over the of the world’s poor. the workplace. past decade, women’s work has ■ The International Fund for ■ The cost of intimate partner contributed more to global growth Agriculture and Development violence in the United States alone than China.13 (IFAD) reports that in the exceeds US$5.8 billion per year: ■  If Japan raised its share of working developing world, the percentage US$4.1 billion is for direct medical women to American levels, it would of land owned by women is less and health care services, while boost annual growth by 0.3% than 2%.2 productivity losses account for nearly US$1.8 billion.9 over 20 years, according to The ■ According to U.S. Government- Economist.14 sponsored research completed ■ In Canada, a 1995 study estimated ■ In 2007, Goldman Sachs reported in 2006, approximately 800,000 the annual direct costs of that different countries and regions people are trafficked across violence against women to be of the world could dramatically in- national borders annually. approximately Can$1.17 billion a crease GDP simply by reducing the Approximately 80% of year. A 2004 study in the United gap in employment rates between transnational trafficking victims are Kingdom estimated the total direct men and women: the Eurozone women and girls and up to 50% and indirect costs of domestic could increase GDP by 13%; Japan 3 violence, including pain and are minors. 15 suffering, to be £23 billion per year by 16%; the US by 9%. ■ An estimated 72% of the world’s or £440 per person.10 33 million refugees are women and Women and Education children.4 Women and ■ About two-thirds of the estimated ■ Every minute somewhere in 776 million adults – or 16% of the world a woman dies due to HIV/AIDS the world’s adult population – complications during pregnancy ■ The AIDS epidemic has a unique who lack basic literacy skill are and childbirth.5 impact on women, exacerbated women.16 In developing countries, by their role within society and nearly 1 out of 5 girls who enrolls Violence against their biological vulnerability to HIV in primary school does not infection – more than half of the complete her primary education. Women estimated 33 million people living ■ The Women’s Learning ■ The most common form of with HIV worldwide are women.11 violence experienced by women Partnership (WLP) estimates that ■ The prevalence of violence and of globally is physical violence worldwide, for every year beyond HIV/AIDS is interrelated. Women’s inflicted by an intimate partner. fourth grade that girls attend inability to negotiate safe sex and On average, at least 6 out of 10 school, wages rise 20%, child refuse unwanted sex is closely women are beaten, coerced into deaths drop 10% and family size linked to the high prevalence of 17 sex or otherwise abused by an drops 20%. HIV/AIDS. Women who are beaten intimate partner in the course of by their partners are 48% more their lifetime.6 likely to be infected with HIV/ ■ It is estimated that, worldwide, 1 in 5 AIDS12. Gender Terms Empowerment Gender Equity a specific condition or situation, and Empowerment means that people - Gender equity means that women and measures changes in that condition both women and men – can take con- men are treated fairly according to their or situation over time. The difference trol over their lives: set their own agen- respective needs. This may include between an indicator and a statistic is das, gain skills (or have their own skills equal treatment or treatment that is that indicators should involve compari- and knowledge recognized), increase different but considered equivalent in son with a norm. Gender-sensitive indi- self-confidence, solve problems, and terms of rights, benefits, obligations cators measure gender-related chang- develop self-reliance. It is both a proc- and opportunities. In the development es in society over time; they provide ess and an outcome. context, a gender equity goal often a close look at the results of targeted requires built-in measures to compen- gender-based initiatives and actions. Gender sate for the historical and social disad- Gender refers to the array of socially vantages of women. Sex-Disaggregated Data constructed roles and relationships, Sex-disaggregated data can be de- personality traits, attitudes, behaviours, Gender Perspective/ fined as data that is collected and pre- values, relative power and influence “Gender Lens” sented separately on women and men. that society ascribes to the two sexes It is quantitative statistical information A gender perspective/“gender lens” on a differential basis. Whereas bio- on the differences and inequalities be- can be defined as a focus that brings logical sex is determined by genetic tween women and men. There is wide- a framework of analysis in order to as- and anatomical characteristics, gender spread confusion over, and misuse of, sess how women and men affect and is an acquired identity that is learned, the terms “gender-disaggregated data” are affected differently by policies, changes over time, and varies widely and “sex-disaggregated data”. Data programmes, projects and activities. It within and across cultures. Gender should necessarily be sex-disaggre- enables recognition that relationships is relational and refers not simply to gated but not gender-disaggregated between women and men can vary women or men but to the relationship since females and males are counted depending on the context. A gender between them. according to their biological differ- perspective takes into account gender ence and not according to their social roles, social and economic relation- behaviours. The term gender-disag- Sex ships and needs, access to resources, gregated data is frequently used, but Sex refers to the biological character- and other constraints and opportuni- it should be understood as sex-disag- istics that define humans as female or ties imposed by society or culture, male. These sets of biological char- age, religion, and/or ethnicity on both gregated data. acteristics are not mutually exclusive women and men. as there are individuals who possess Gender Mainstreaming both, but these characteristics gener- Gender Analysis Gender mainstreaming is the process ally differentiate humans as females Gender analysis is a systematic ex- of assessing the implications for wom- and males. amination of the different impacts of en and men of any planned action, development, policies, programmes including legislation, policies or pro- Gender Equality and legislation on women and men grammes, in any area and at all levels. Gender equality describes the concept that entails, first and foremost, col- It is a strategy for making women’s as that all human beings, both women lecting sex-disaggregated data and well as men’s concerns and experienc- and men, are free to develop their per- gender-sensitive information about the es an integral dimension in the design, sonal abilities and make choices with- population concerned. Gender analysis implementation, monitoring and evalu- out the limitations set by stereotypes, can also include the examination of ation of policies and programmes in all rigid gender roles, or prejudices. Gen- the multiple ways in which women and political, economic and social spheres, der equality means that the different men, as social actors, engage in strat- such that inequality between women behaviours, aspirations and needs of egies to transform existing roles, rela- and men is not perpetuated. women and men are considered, val- tionships, and processes in their own ued and favoured equally. It does not interest and in the interest of others. Sources: United Nations International Re- mean that women and men have to search and Training Institute for the Advance- become the same, but that their rights, ment of Women (INSTRAW), 2004; UNESCO Gender-Sensitive Indicator GENIA Toolkit for Promoting Gender Equality responsibilities and opportunities will An indicator is a pointer. It can be a in Education; and ITC-ILO Training Module: not depend on whether they are born measurement, a number, a fact, an Introduction to Gender Analysis and Gender- female or male. Sensitive Indicators Gender Campus, 2009 opinion or a perception that focuses on

women's empowerment principles/equality means business ■ 9

Endnotes bottom lines. See: http://www.globalreporting. and measurable targets accompanied by indica- Introduction org/CurrentPriorities/GenderandReporting/. tors for monitoring progress, with a timeline 1 for achievement by 2015. Growing concern Gender equality has been recognized as a hu- A recent report (January 2010) by McKinsey that the MDGs will not be met is accompanied man right since the establishment of the United & Company, ‘The Business of Empowering by growing recognition that achievement of Nations. Women’, presents a case for why and how the gender equality is critical to achievement of all The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights private sector can intensify its engagement in other MDGs. See: http://www.un.org/millen- (UDHR) and the 1976 international convenants the economic empowerment of women in devel- niumgoals/ and http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/ on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Eco- oping countries and emerging markets. The re- Resources/Static/Products/Progress2008/ nomic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) all port draws on insights from interviews with more MDG_Gender_Progress_Chart_2008_En.pdf. contain clear statements on the right of women than 50 leaders and experts in the private and See also, ‘The Importance of Sex’, The Econo- to be free from discrimination. The Convention social sectors who focus on women’s empower- mist, April 2006; and ‘Financing Gender Equality on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimina- ment, as well as findings from a global survey is Financing Development’, UNIFEM Discussion tion against Women (CEDAW), adopted by the of nearly 2,300 senior private sector executives, Paper, 2008. General Assembly in 1979, obliges signatories to among others. See: http://www.mckinsey.com/ undertake actions to ensure gender equality in clientservice/Social_Sector/our_practices/Eco- both the private and public spheres and to elimi- nomic_Development/Knowledge_Highlights/ Where Women Stand: Facts and nate traditional stereotyped ideas on the roles empowering_women.aspx. Figures 1 of the sexes. Importantly, governments at the Women’s Funding Network. 2007. World Pov- Research by the Cen- 1995 Fourth UN World Conference on Women erty Day: Investing in Women – Solving the pov- tre for Women in Business found that gender in Beijing, laid out specific actions set to attain erty puzzle. Poverty Statistics. Available from: parity in teams leads to more innovation, making the equality and empowerment standards set by http://www.wfnet.org/sites/wfnet.org/files/jenn/ a clear business case for diversity. See ‘Innova- CEDAW, in the Beijing Platform for Action. For Poverty%20Statistics.doc. tive Potential: Men and Women in Teams, 2007, more information on legal instruments and other 2 available at: http://www.london.edu/assets/ IFAD website (fact sheet on women), accessed relevant international standards of particular documents/facultyandresearch/Innovative_Po- 27 February 2009: http://www.ifad.org/pub/ importance to women's human rights and gen- tential_NOV_2007.pdf. factsheet/women/women_e.pdf der equality, including CEDAW and other treaty 3 bodies, see: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ 4 Additional examples supporting the business USAID website, accessed 27 February 2009: daw/beijing/platform/plat1.htm. case for gender equality include two recent http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_ studies on gender diversity and corporate programs/wid/wid_stats.html. 2 Employees’ and workers’ rights are addressed performance by McKinsey and Company, con- 4 by numerous international standards, conven- Ibid. ducted in partnership with the Women’s Forum tions and recommendations of the International 5 for the Economy & Society. Their research UNICEF. 2009. State of the World’s Children: Labour Organization (ILO). While ILO instru- demonstrated the link between the presence of Maternal and Newborn Health. Available from: ments are applicable to both women and men, women in corporate management teams and http://www.unicef.org/sowc09/ there are a number which are of specific interest companies’ organizational and financial perfor- 6 for women workers. See the ILO Bureau for United Nations. 2008. Unite to End Violence mance, suggesting that the companies where Gender Equality and the ILO Library online against Women Fact Sheet. Available from: women are most strongly represented at board Resource Guide – Gender Equality in the World http://endviolence.un.org/docs/VAW.pdf. Also, or top-management level are also the com- of Work: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/sup- UNIFEM 2008 ‘Violence against Women: facts panies that perform best. Further research on port/lib/resource/subject/gender.htm. and figures’. [http://www.unifem.org/attach- female leadership showed that behaviors more ments/gender_issues/violence_against_women/ Founded in 2000, the UN Global Compact is a often applied by women reinforce a company’s facts_figures_violence_against_women_2007. strategic policy initiative for businesses that are organizational performance on several dimen- pdf ]. committed to aligning their operations and strat- sions, and will be critical to meet the expected 7 egies with ten universally accepted principles in challenges companies will face over the coming Ibid. the areas of human rights, labour, environment years. See ‘Women Matter: Gender diversity, a 8 Ibid. and anti-corruption. See: www.unglobalcom- corporate performance driver’ (2007) and ‘Wom- 9 pact.org. en Matter 2: Female leadership, a competitive United Nations. 2008. Unite to End Violence edge for the future’ (2008). against Women Fact Sheet. Available from: In 2005 the United Nations Secretary-General http://endviolence.un.org/docs/VAW.pdf KofiA nnan appointed John Ruggie as For research and resources of the Women Lead- 10 Special Representative on the issue of human ers and Gender Parity Programme of the World Ibid. rights and transnational corporations and other Economic Forum, see http://www.weforum. 11 UNAIDS. 2008. Report on the Global AIDS business enterprises. The mandate includes org/en/Communities/Women%20Leaders%20 Epidemic. http://data.unaids.org/pub/Global- identifying and clarifying standards of corporate and%20Gender%20Parity/index.htm. For in- Report/2008/jc1510_2008_global_report_ responsibility and accountability with regard to formation on the World Bank’s work on gender, pp29_62_en.pdf human rights. https://www.un.org/. including Gender Equality as Smart Economics 12 – a World Bank Group Action Plan, see: http:// Global Coalition on Women and AIDS website, 3 Over the past 10 years, there has been an web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOP- accessed 27 February 2009. http://womenan- increase in business’ attention to corporate re- ICS/EXTGENDER/0,,menuPK:336874~pagePK:1 daids.unaids.org/; Also, UNAIDS 2008 Report sponsibility and sustainability reporting through 49018~piPK:149093~theSitePK:336868,00.html on the Global AIDS Epidemic: http://data.un- a variety of mechanisms. One example is the aids.org/pub/GlobalReport/2008/jc1510_2008_ UN Global Compact requirement on annual 5 The “multiplier effect” of gender equality has global_report_pp29_62_en.pdf Communications on Progress (see: http://www. been increasingly acknowledged. Studies con- 13 unglobalcompact.org/COP/index.html). Another tinue to show that lowering the social, economic The Economist. 2006. The importance of sex example is the global sustainability reporting and political barriers faced by women and girls (April 15). Retrieved 6 February 2009 from Aca- framework developed by the Global Reporting extends education, decreases child mortality demic Search Premier database. Initiative (GRI), which sets out principles and and vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Women’s 14 Ibid. indicators that organizations can use to measure greater labour force participation reduces 15 and report their economic, environmental poverty through increased productivity and Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. 2007. ‘Gender and social performance. In 2008-09, the GRI earnings. Conversely, systematic discrimination Inequality, Growth and Global Ageing’. worked with the International Finance Corpora- against women and girls will make it impossible 16 UNESCO 2008. Education for All, Global tion (IFC) on a research and consultation project for many to meet the poverty and other targets Monitoring Report 2009. Available from: http:// aimed at addressing the gap between gender of the Millennium Development Goals. Millen- www.unesco.org/en/education/efareport/ and sustainability reporting, culminating in the nium Development Goal 3 is to promote gender reports/2009-governance/ resource document, Embedding Gender in equality and empower women, and is one of 17 Sustainability Reporting, a practitioner’s guide eight MDGs drawn from the Millennium Declara- Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, to help organizations worldwide create op- tion, that was adopted by 189 Governments Development and Peace website, accessed 27 portunities for women, adopt best practices in in 2000. The MDGs address the world’s main February 2009: http://www.learningpartnership. sustainability reporting, and improve companies’ development challenges, and have time-bound org/en/resources/facts/humanrights. Acknowledgements

The Women’s Empowerment Principles initiative results from a partnership between the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and the shared vision of UNIFEM Executive Director Inés Alberdi and UNGC Office Executive Director Georg Kell.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles partnership team consists of: Joan Libby-Hawk, Ursula Wynhoven, Public Affairs Chief, United Nations Head, Policy & Legal and Special Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Assistant to the Executive Director, UN Global Compact Office Laraine Mills, Partnerships and Donor Relations Lauren Gula, Consultant, United Nations Development Human Rights Consultant, Fund for Women (UNIFEM) UN Global Compact Office

M any individuals and groups O thers in the advisory J oanne Sandler, UNIFEM contributed to this effort, group also provided Deputy Executive Director including Barbara J. Krumsiek, guidance, including: of Programmes; Moez Doraid, Chair, CEO and President of Radhika Balakrishnan, UNIFEM Deputy Executive Calvert Group, Ltd., who Sumi Dhanarajan, Director, Organizational supported UNIFEM and UNGC’s Kathryn Dovey, and Business Development idea to adapt the Calvert Manuel Escudero, Services; Antonie de Jong, Women’s Principles® — Ravi Fernando, Sharon Flynn, UNIFEM Outreach and developed in partnership with Ann Goodman, Julie Gorte, Business Development UNIFEM and launched in 2004 Heather Grady, Jane Gronow, Adviser; and Letty Chiwara, — and shape the international Jhaleh Hajiyeva, Joe Keefe, UNIFEM Cross-Regional Women’s Empowerment Virginia Littlejohn, Programmes Chief; Sunok Lee, Principles—Equality Means Nicola C. Marchant, Sonya Thimmaiah, and Business through a global Fiona Mati, Tracy Nowski, Sabina Appelt from UNGC consultation, led by UNIFEM Bruno Oliveira, gave instrumental support to and UNGC. Many people from Luana Maia Oliveira, this initiative. across the globe, representing Elizabeth Pollitzer, Willa Shalit, diverse sectors, participated Andrea Shemberg, T he International Labour as informal advisors and gave Lin Lah Tan, Molly Tschang, Organization (ILO), UNGC their time and expertise, among Tábata Marchetti Villares, Local Networks, UNIFEM them: Emmanuel Asomba, Jim Wall and Debra Whitman. field offices, UNGC Human Yamini N. Atmavilas, Rights Working Group, Amy D. Augustine, Liz Benham, UNIFEM National Committees, Elaine Cohen, Julia Días, the Global Reporting Initiative Ian Dodds, Bennett Freeman, (GRI), the San Francisco Cecily Joseph, Elisabeth Kelan, Department on the Status Ann Lehman, Anu Menon, of Women, and BPW Nirmala Menon, Katherine Miles, International, among so many Freda Miriklis, Aditi Mohapatra, others, shared valuable ung Maya Morsy, Emily Murase, expertise in this effort. Stephanie Quappe, Emily Sims, Anne Stenhammer and Publication design: Kathi Rota. Linda Tarr-Whelan. UN Photo/Ky Ch

EmpowermenP t rı n cıples omen ’ s W Equality Means Business

“The Women’s Empowerment Principles are subtitled Equality Means Business because the full participation of women benefits business, and indeed, all of us. Informed by leading businesses’ policies and practices from different sectors and around the world, the Principles offer a practical approach to advance women, and point the way to a future that is both more prosperous and more fair for everyone.” Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Office

“ As corporations are key players in the global economy they can and must play a vital role in securing and protecting women's rights and unleashing women's economic capacity. More than ever before, private sector leadership is essential. Because corporations affect capital flows, employ so many people and affect so many communities, they can exert tremendous influence and they can set an example.” Inés Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM

Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is both a UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the United Nations. It provides policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. As strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality. a multi-stakeholder leadership initiative, it seeks to align business Placing the advancement of women’s human rights at the centre operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses on reducing feminised the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption poverty; ending violence against women; reversing the spread of and to catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals. With over HIV/AIDS among women and girls; and achieving gender equality 7,000 signatories in more than 135 countries, it is the world’s largest in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. voluntary corporate responsibility initiative. www.unifem.org www.unglobalcompact.org

The Women’s Empowerment Principles, the product of a collaboration between UNIFEM and the UN Global Compact informed by an international multi-stakeholder consultation, are adapted from the Calvert Women’s Principles®. The Calvert Women’s Principles were originally developed in partnership with UNIFEM and launched in 2004 as the first global corporate code of conduct focused exclusively on empowering, advancing and investing in women worldwide.