UN Global Compact calls for Women's Economic Inclusion at Business Leadership Dialogue during Commission on the Status of Women
The event marked three significant anniversaries for global gender equality efforts:
30 years since the establishment of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
25 years since the founding of the UN Global Compact
15 years since the creation of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
Despite decades of progress, on average, women are paid about 20 per cent less than men, according to the International Labour Organization leading to significant lifetime income inequality. At the current rate it will take 134 years to close the global gender gap. Yet companies with diverse leadership teams are 25% more likely to outperform their peers.
During the dialogue, participants examined how businesses can apply a gender lens across the value chain by creating gender-responsive supply chains and directing capital to women-owned businesses, engage male allies and advocate for policy enablers to bridge persistent gender gaps worldwide. Conversations focused on:
Invest in Women Initiative: The UN Global Compact spotlighted its Invest in Women initiative designed to increase capital flows to women-owned businesses and champion gender-inclusive investments, urging companies to align their investment and procurement strategies with gender equality objectives. Business leaders also shared successful case studies on how they have embedded a gender lens into supply chain operations, emphasizing that doing so unlocks diverse markets, fosters innovation, and reinforces stakeholder trust.
Male Allyship: In a fireside chat featuring the Champions of Change Coalition and Equimundo, speakers highlighted effective approaches for mobilizing men in leadership positions to champion gender equality and women's economic inclusion, with a focus on culturally attuned, scalable programs. The UN Global Compact also launched its new knowledge tool – "Mainstreaming Male Allyship: an Action Guide for Business," developed in partnership with Equimundo.
Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC): This dialogue dove into the extensive implementation that ABLC members have driven on the Gender Statement. It also explored the progress that ABLC member companies are advancing across sectors and geographies on the continentsince launching a historic Gender Statement in Kigali, Rwanda in May 2024, demonstrating how regional coalitions can drive global transformation.
Forward Faster initiative & the WEPs: Businesses were called on to commit to the Forward Faster initiative—targeting equal representation, participation, and leadership of women at all levels by 2030—and to sign on to the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which provide a comprehensive framework for embedding gender equality across the workplace, marketplace, and community.
"Accelerating women's full participation is not just a moral imperative, it's an economic one," said Melissa Powell, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. "As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and 25 years of the UN Global Compact, we have never been closer to a true tipping point. By investing in women-led enterprises, championing male allyship, and building equitable supply chains, businesses can lead the charge on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030."
Following the dialogue, attendees participated in roundtable discussions and committed to sharing key insights across their networks. Companies are encouraged to join or deepen their engagement with the Forward Faster initiative and the WEPs, setting measurable targets to close leadership and pay gaps, and to implement policies that champion inclusivity at every level.
About the UN Global CompactThe ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 63 Country Networks covering 80 countries and 13 Country Managers establishing Networks in 18 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
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SOURCE United Nations Global Compact
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