Responsible
Business
Conduct
in G7
Countries

The WE EMPOWER through responsible business conduct in
G7 countries is a programme funded by the European Union(EU) and implemented by UN Women and the International
Labour Organization (ILO). The EU is also funding a sister
programme in six Latin American and Caribbean countries:
Win-Win, Gender equality means business together with
UN Women and ILO and is considering a possible future
EU action with strategic partner countries in Asia. The Asia
project is currently being conceptualized in cooperation with
UN Women.

Copyright © 2018
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality
and the Empowerment of Women
220 East 42nd Street
New York, New York 10017
United States
www.EmpowerWomen.org
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording or otherwise, without prior permission of
UN Women/Empower Women.

b | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Cover photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Foreword by the European Union
Gender equality andwomen’s empowerment
are not issues for women
only. When half of society
does not have the same
opportunities as the other
half, we are putting a limit
on our collective potential.
We are all worse off, notjust the women.
In recent years, gender equality has become a centralcomponent of our foreign, security and development policies.
The United Nations Agenda 2030 has made clear that genderequality is essential to sustainable development. For the firsttime ever, the G7 has put women’s empowerment at thecore of its agenda. In our European Union’s foreign policy, we
now invest substantial resources in women entrepreneurs
worldwide, and in the crucial role of women as peacebuilders. And together with Canada, I have proposed to hosta meeting with women foreign ministers in September.
However, progress remains too slow on the ground. In
Europe, women tend to be better educated than men but
remain under-represented in the labour market, particularly
in decision-making positions. Too many of us know what it
feels like to be the only woman in the room. And womenearn on average sixteen per cent less than men.
In my daily work, I meet so many strong women who
are determined to take their life into their own hands.
Single mothers trying to find a good and flexible job.
Women entrepreneurs who want to meet the challenge ofinternational competition, and reap the opportunities ofglobalization. Smart young women who mix ancient local
traditions with modern technology.
Policy-makers have a responsibility to remove the obstacles
preventing women’s empowerment. But we can only do this
if we work together with the private sector, civil society andlocal communities.
For this reason, the European Union has decided to partnerwith UN Women and ILO to ensure greater progress ongender equality and women’s empowerment in G7 countries.
We will work together to overcome barriers that holdwomen back from entering the labour market, such as
gender gaps in earnings and pensions, and lack of work-lifebalance and child care.
Through the WE EMPOWER programme, we will contributeto promoting gender equality globally with good practices.
The programme places women’s economic empowerment
at the heart of the Future of Work agenda and will help
strengthen connections between women entrepreneur
associations in Europe with those in fellow G7 countries.
Progress is possible, and is already happening. But it cannot
be taken for granted. It calls for everyone’s contribution - forwomen, and for all of us.

Federica Mogherini,High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs andSecurity Policy
Vice-President of the European Commission

Foreword | iForeword by UN Women
The world of work ispresidency which focuses on preparing for jobs of theundergoing rapid andfuture. It will draw on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainableprofound transformation.

Development and call on all stakeholders, including

Innovations, especially ingovernments, the private sector and civil society, todigital and information

take immediate action.

and communications
technologies (ICTs), arerapidly affecting thequality and quantity ofjobs, as well as changing
the nature and conditionsof work. This presents
both opportunities and challenges for women’s economic
empowerment.
That is why UN Women, the International Labour
Organization and the European Union have joined forces
to support sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic
growth in G7 countries. Through the EU-funded programme
WE EMPOWER: promoting economic empowerment of

WE EMPOWER will also leverage UN Women and the UN
Global Compact’s Women’s Empowerment Principles—
which were endorsed by the G7 in 2015 to engage theprivate sector in building gender-responsive workplaces
and marketplaces and creating more and better jobs for
women—while addressing key issues such as the gender pay
gap, work-life balance and flexible working arrangements.
This booklet provides information about the WE EMPOWER
programme and its priority areas, and offers insights into
the efforts of 15 G7-headquartered companies to promote
gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. I
hope that it will serve as an invitation to join us in turning
the promises of the 2030 Agenda into action and results.

women at work through responsible business conduct in
G7 countries, we are supporting the active engagement of
the corporate sector in a way that aligns with public policies
led by G7 governments, and that strengthens and activates
multi-stakeholder dialogues.
WE EMPOWER has adopted the future of work as
an overarching theme. It draws on discussions andcommitments made during the Italian G7 presidency inPhumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive
Director of UN Women2017, as well as the 2018 G7 Summit under the Canadianii | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Table of Contents
3

G7 commitments on women’s economic
empowerment

4

The WE EMPOWER programme

6

Future of work

11 Advancing gender equality and women’s
empowerment in the workplace, marketplaceand community
13 High-level corporate leadership for genderequality and women’s empowerment
18 Gender equality in the workplace
32 Gender equality in the marketplace andmarketing practices
40 Community initiatives and advocacy
44 Transparency, accountability and gender lensinvesting
48 Endnotes
51 Photo credits

G7 commitments on women’s economic empowerment | 1

Canada is proud to put forward a progressive agenda for the 2018
G7. The themes we have chosen for the year will help focus our discussions
on finding real, concrete solutions to promote gender equality, women’s
empowerment, clean energy, and economic growth that works for everyone.
As G7 partners, we share a responsibility to ensure that all citizens benefit
from our global economy, and that we leave a healthier, more peaceful, andmore secure world for our children and grandchildren.
— Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

2 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

G7 commitments on women’s
economic empowerment
G7 Ministers and policymakers will meet at the G7 Summit inCharlevoix from 8 to 9 June 2018 to build consensus and set
trends around some of today’s most challenging global issues.1
The 2018 Summit builds on previous commitments toopportunities, and equal pay for work of equal value. The

promote women’s economic empowerment at G7 Summits

Women’s Initiative in Developing STEM Careers (WINDS) wasin Germany (2015), Japan (2016) and Italy (2017).

launched to catalyze global momentum to promote women’s

In Germany, the G7 leaders cited women’s economic
empowerment as a top global priority. Ensuring women’s
access to decent work and entrepreneurship opportunities
was recognized as a key driver of innovation, growth andadvancement in STEM fields and careers, in partnershipwith the Organization for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD), UN Women, and other international
agencies and stakeholders.4

jobs. G7 leaders highlighted the vital role of the private

The G7 Roadmap for a Gender-Responsive Economic

sector in creating an enabling environment where women

Environment was adopted at the 2017 G7 Summit incan meaningfully and equally participate in the economy

Taormina, Italy. 5 The Summit discussion of women’sand called on companies worldwide to integrate theeconomic empowerment built on a W7 network6 meeting

Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)2 into their

which emphasized the importance of putting in place

operations. Strong emphasis was placed on the need toeffective monitoring systems to measure G7 members’

support women in science, technology, engineering andprogress against their commitments. These commitments

mathematics fields (STEM).

included reducing gender gaps in labour force participation

3

The G7 Ise-Shima Leaders’ Declaration issued in Japan
committed to empower women through upholding theirequal rights, full and effective participation, equal leadershipby 25 per cent by 2025 and increasing investments intechnical and vocational education and training by a thirdby 2030.

G7 commitments on women’s economic empowerment | 3

The WE EMPOWER programme
On 1 January 2018, the European Union (EU), UN Women andthe International Labour Organization (ILO) began a three-year
programme, WE EMPOWER: Promoting economic empowerment of
women at work through responsible business conduct in G7 countries.
This EU-funded initiative aims to create an enabling
environment where active engagement of the corporate
sector blends with public policies led by G7 governments.
Over the next three years, programme partners will
help advance the G7 gender agenda by convening
multistakeholder dialogues and knowledge exchanges on
experiences, lessons learned and good practices in the
key areas of the future of work, equal pay for work ofequal value, work-life balance, childcare, and gender lensinvesting. These thematic areas were identified in a seriesof consultations held in 2017 and 2018 to ensure that the
programme aligns with stakeholder needs. Advisory groups
with members from academia, employers’ and workers’organizations, women’s business associations, chambers ofcommerce and civil society organizations will be set up to
help expand and mobilize networks across the G7.
WE EMPOWER aims to deepen private sector engagementwith the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) to ensure
effective implementation and reporting on progress. The
programme will work closely with companies to support themin an enhanced WEPs Journey, from committing to genderequality and women’s empowerment to signing the WEPs,
and subsequently to implementing and reporting on progress.

The 250 best practices and case studies that will be
produced by the programme, including on the future ofwork, will support implementation of the G7 Roadmap for
a Gender-Responsive Economic Environment, adopted atthe 2017 Summit in Taormina. In addition, the programme
will strengthen linkages between women entrepreneur
associations in Europe with those in the G7 countries, withthe target of 400 women entrepreneurs with improved
business contacts in G7 countries.
Since many multinational corporations have their
headquarters in G7 countries, creating positive impacts andresults for women’s economic empowerment at the highest
level of corporations could have important ripple effects fortheir operations and supply chains across the world.
This booklet offers insights into existing practices of G7headquartered companies that the programme will draw
and build upon as it is rolled out.
In addition to the WE EMPOWER programme, the EU is
also funding a sister programme in six Latin American and
Caribbean countries: Win-Win, Gender equality means
business together with UN Women and ILO. The EU isconsidering a possible future EU action with strategic
partner countries in Asia. The Asia project is currently
being conceptualized in cooperation with UN Women.

4 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Europe’s future will be digital and it is in our hands to make it
inclusive. Women and girls cannot be left out of the digital transformationof our economy and our society. Our ‘Women in digital agenda’ will be aboutenabling, empowering, encouraging and motivating women and girls to close
the gender digital divide.”— Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society

Ensuring that the great transformations underway in the world ofwork are shaped to create the decent jobs people want and need is hugely
important all around the world. G7 countries are amongst those on thefrontier of technological changes that have great promise for better lives, butwhich equally could lead to many working women and men being left behind.”— Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO.

To meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy, the techindustry has to increase the number of women in decision-making positions.
To get there we must break down negative stereotypes that are holding girls
and women back, and equip future leaders right from their early education
through access to opportunities in STEM and ICT. The nature of work ischanging and the workplace has to change with it. That includes workplacecultures that are zero tolerant to sexual harassment. We must make surethat work really works for women.”— Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN WomenFuture of work
The world of work is undergoing rapid and profoundtransformation marked by innovations, especially in digitaland information and communications technologies, that are
affecting the quality and quantity of jobs as well as the natureand conditions of work. This presents both opportunities andchallenges for promoting women’s economic empowerment.
Institutions and companies, as well as women and men,

emerging trend. The disappearance of jobs is a source

are adjusting to the new realities brought about by thisof concern, as is the potential for heightened inequality,

economic transformation. It is becoming increasingly

especially gender inequality.

clear that innovation and well-trained, talented people
are vital for competitiveness. Countries around the world
are competing for the most talented people, the newest
technologies, and the fastest-growing companies. Indeed,jobs and prosperity will be seen in countries that are
successful in these areas. Countries need to prioritize
the future of work, including keeping up with innovation,
upgrading infrastructure, and adequately educating and

Women’s relatively low participation in STEM professions,where job creation tends to be driven by technologicaldevelopments, could mean a significant widening of thegender gap. At present, women stand to gain only one newjob for every 20 lost elsewhere, whereas the ratio for men is
one new job for every four lost. To close this gap, improved
recruitment, retention and promotion policies need to be

training their workforce.
As technological and digital developments advance,
automating more tasks, the greater the risk of labour market
disruptions with potentially wide-ranging implications forjob loss. This increasingly applies not only to the low-quality
and low-skilled jobs that are often held by women, but also
to higher-skilled, professional job categories. Automation,

WE EMPOWER places women’s economic
empowerment at the heart of the future ofwork agenda and will explore linkages withthe gender pay gap, women’s access to
skills development opportunities, work-lifebalance, and childcare.

robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) contribute to this

6 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

enacted, and investments made in building new skills andsecurity, anti-discrimination regulations, sick pay, holidays

new jobs for women.

and unemployment insurance.10

7

The G7 Summit under the Canadian Presidency is focusing

Remote and flexible working arrangements may therefore

on preparing for jobs of the future, drawing on thecreate opportunities for women, but also challenges in terms

discussions and commitments made during the Italian G7of their access to decent work and social protection. Researchpresidency in 2017.

shows that large numbers of freelancers are women as work

Three areas will be of strategic importance:(1) Labour, employment and social protection policies tosupport workers in non-standard and new forms of work,
including those engaged in the gig-economy;(2) Skills development of workers and entrepreneurs thataligns with labour market requirements;(3) A multi-stakeholder approach to addressing the futureof work.

Labour, employment and social
protection policies
The emergence of new technologies and labour forms isredefining economic and labour market stability. For example,
it is estimated that 50 per cent of the types of professions
that exist today will disappear by 2025.8 Recent estimates
predict that a majority of the United States workforce will befreelancing by 20279, raising concerns about the impact oflimited access to benefits and social protection.

flexibility may enable them to better manage competing
career and family responsibilities, but often means lack ofwork benefits and prolonged working hours.
The Government of Japan allows employees to work fromhome (telework) to address challenges such as a growing
childcare crisis and overworked staff. Yet, telework has been
relatively slow to take off in Japan largely due to fears aboutdata security, and a work culture that emphasizes long hours
and employee ‘face time’.11
G7 governments should consider extending social protection
coverage to all, including workers with remote and flexible
working arrangements and in the gig economy, and tosupport universal social protection floors in all countries.

Skills development
A key challenge of the future will be how to effectively match
people with the skills required by the labour market. In theEuropean Union, almost half of Europeans (44 per cent) stilllack basic digital skills, such as using email and editing tools
or installing new devices.12 In G7 countries, significant re-

Most freelancers, crowdworkers and workers in the gig

skilling will be required, for example, in Italy over 40 per centeconomy are considered self-employed, independentof top skills today will no longer be so within 5 years, 29 percontractors who assume all the potential risks and liabilities

cent in the US and 25 per cent in Japan.13of transactions with customers, with none of the benefits offundamental rights at work, such as minimum wages, social

Future of work | 7

Other G7 countries are also taking action to adapt to the

WE EMPOWER will curate e-learning
resources to support underserved
women and girls with skills development
opportunities through the WeLearn
platform.

changing world of work, including in their educational
systems and curricula. In 2017, the Government of Canada
introduced a comprehensive five-year Innovation and Skills
Plan to equip workers with the tools needed to succeed in
the new digital economy. Recognizing talent cultivation andlifelong learning as keys to innovation, the plan provides
unemployed and underemployed Canadians with accessTo ensure that both women and men have access to decent

to training and employment and support to find, accesswork in the digital economy, governments and businesses

and keep jobs in the high-tech economy. These measuresneed to create inclusive pathways for continuous learning,are expected to benefit unemployed and underemployed

re-skilling and up-skilling. Public and private institutions will

Canadian women seeking to improve their career prospects

need to produce policies, action plans, skills development

while balancing family responsibilities.17

programmes and tools to keep up with rapidly changing
demands.

The Government of Japan adopted the Action Plan for

The Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable andworkers to choose their preferred work style. The plan

inclusive growth is the key policy to promote labour market

includes efforts to reform the education system; ensurereforms in Europe, such as raising employment levels,

effectiveness of equal pay for equal work, flexible work

reducing youth unemployment and developing a skilled

styles, career changes and re-employment opportunities;

workforce.14

and legislative reform related to part-time, long working

The German vocational educational and training system isrecognized for the cooperation between small and medium

the Realization of Work Style Reform in 2017 to enable

hours and overtime. It specifically targets women, youth
and the elderly.18

enterprises and vocational schools, matching employee

The Government of the United States has prioritizedskills with employer demands.15 In France, as of 2015,

expanding opportunities for work-based learning, work-

companies or groups with at least 300 employees mustreadiness and career pathway training strategies, whileprovide a personal training account for each employee fromconnecting employers with skilled workers throughwhen they first join the labour market until they retire.16

customer-centered business services and effective

This programme provides professional qualifications thatpartnerships. The United States is also establishing a

are intended to meet the anticipated needs of the economy

network of over 2,400 job centers and apprenticeshipover the short and medium terms, while also providing muchopportunities to allow key stakeholders to adapt toneeded skills development for women and men.

changes in technology and to meet employers’ skills
requirements.19 Targeted policies and initiatives promote
the interests of working women.20

8 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

The future work force will need to focus on skills that
AI and machines seem unable to replicate, such as 21stMulti-stakeholder approachcentury skills – foundational literacies, competencies,

Multi-stakeholder approaches are needed to resolve theand character qualities – as well as social and emotional

major challenges of the future of work. The G7 is well placed

intelligence, intercultural and gender sensitivity, abstract

to promote inclusive innovation for the future of work byand systems thinking, complex communication capacity,

convening policymakers, social partners, the private sector,

and the agility, adaptability and ability to thrive in changing

education and training providers, innovation analysts andand diverse environments.

civil society and women’s organizations to ensure that

Women and girls must be enabled to access jobs in thepolicies and decisions are informed by all stakeholders.

digital economy without discrimination and equipped touse technology in their private and professional lives. They
need equal access to information about the jobs of the
future, STEM education, training and re-skilling, as well as
opportunities to benefit from apprenticeships, internships
and jobs in order to become future technology creators

WE EMPOWER will convene multistakeholder groups to dialogue andexchange knowledge about women’s
economic empowerment in the futureof work.

and innovators.

Future of work | 9

We look at the private sector to generate innovation, employment
and financing that we hope will bridge the gender gaps in the world of workand advance the SDGs. This will help our women, families and communities,
and it is certainly good for the bottom line in business. Companies that invest
in women and support women's leadership and decision-making, and commit
to gender equality typically outperform their competitors. [...] We believe[WEPs] offer great potential for change. I am happy to say that nearly 2,000
CEOs worldwide have already committed to them. It is now up to us to ensurethat they are followed up with action and accountability.”— Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General21

10 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Advancing gender equality andwomen’s empowerment in theworkplace, marketplace andcommunity
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), launched in 2010by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, have been endorsed by
the United Nations General Assembly22, the W2023, and the G724.
The WEPs offer a platform to mobilize business action for
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). They guide businesses – regardless of size, sector
or geography – to promote gender equality, and empower
women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
The WEPs provide a gender lens through which businesses cananalyze their current initiatives, benchmarks and reporting
practices, and then tailor or establish policies and practices torealize gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Today, nearly 2,000 CEOs have committed to implementing
the WEPs, double the number since 2015.
During the WE EMPOWER consultation process, UN Women
identified the below 15 stories from companies withinclusive business models that have allowed them to makeprogress on gender equality and women’s empowerment
in the workplace, marketplace and community. The stories
cover all the WEPs: high-level corporate leadership; genderequality in the workplace, marketplace and marketing
practices; community initiatives and advocacy; andtransparency, measuring and reporting.

WE EMPOWER will leverage the WEPs in
its engagement with the private sector.
Through an expanded WEPs ecosystemand deepened WEPs Journey, the private
sector will be encouraged to document
and exchange knowledge on experiences,lessons learned and good practices;
participate in learning opportunities; andmeasure and report publicly on progress
towards gender equality and women’s
empowerment in their workplaces andmarketplaces.

Advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community | 11

Women’s Empowerment Principles
Principle 1: Establish high-level corporate leadership for genderequality
Principle 2: Treat all women and men fairly at work – respectand support human rights and nondiscrimination
Principle 3: Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all
women and men workers
Principle 4: Promote education, training and professional
development for womenPrinciple 5: Implement enterprise development, supply chain
and marketing practices that empower womenPrinciple 6: Promote equality through community initiatives andadvocacy
Principle 7: Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve
gender equality

12 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

High-level corporate leadershipfor gender equality and women’s
empowerment
Making gender equality a top strategic priority is critical for promoting
women’s economic empowerment in public and private institutions.
When company leaders affirm high-level support and policies for genderequality and human rights, transformations are more likely to takeplace. Commitments need to be accompanied by company-wide goals
and targets for achieving gender equality, and a shift towards corporate
cultures that are rooted in gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
In a world requiring integration, collaboration,connectivity and creativity as never before, 21st
century leaders need to understand genderequality issues and communicate and lead ingender-responsive ways. While reaching gender
parity is significant, it is only one step towards an
inclusive and gender-sensitive corporate culture.

truly a priority in their companies; they do notsee senior managers taking concrete steps toensure inclusion and equality.26 Further, in a studyof companies in nine European countries, only
7 per cent of companies ranked diversity among
their top three priorities.27

In a 2010 global survey, gender equality wasamong the top ten strategic priorities for only
28 per cent of executives surveyed.25 In a more
recent survey, 90 per cent of corporate leaders
say that they are prioritizing gender equality.
However, although this is promising, only 50 per
cent of employees feel that gender equality is

WE EMPOWER will support corporate
leaders, senior management and theirteams to understand and take concrete
steps towards developing a genderresponsive action plan, key performanceindicators, and an effective reporting
system.

High-level corporate leadership for gender equality and women’s empowerment | 13

IKEA Group*
IKEA Group has created the conditions to empower women overthe last few years through many initiatives and efforts. Genderequality goals are focused on achieving gender balance andcreating a culture of inclusion.
IKEA Group has committed to (1) achieving gender balance

organizations. It follows the IKEA Group Diversity & Inclusion(50/50) in all levels of leadership, functions and positions; (2)six-step approach and inclusion model for creating anequal pay for jobs of equal value by 2020; and (3) creating

inclusive workplace. The steps are:equal opportunities for women and men.

Establishing the mindset for gender equality – Getting

To reach these goals, IKEA Group launched a global Gendercommitment from top management and management teams

Equality Plan, following a systematic approach integrated

in each organization. Determining the value-add of having a

into the business. The plan provides a consistent way ofgender-equal organization and the barriers that stand in theworking to achieve gender equality across all IKEA Group

way of reaching this goal.

14 | Stories
Women'sofeconomic
Women's empowerment
Economic Empowerment
though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Analyzing gender equality and identifying gaps – Identifying

equality competence; c) Emotional intelligence; and d)

strengths and areas of improvement. Analyzing the as-is

Gender-inclusive systems.

situation – both on diversity and in inclusion metrics – asMeasuring gender equality – Following up, acknowledging

well as identifying gaps to the wished position.

milestones, being accountable and taking actions according

Setting goals for gender equality – Such goals will help reach
the wished position on gender equality and thereby reachto findings.
Today at IKEA Group, 54 per cent of all co-workers arebusiness objectives.

women and 49 per cent are female managers. Yet, achieving

Creating gender balance in all levels of leadership,gender balance is only the beginning. The focus is on

functions and positions – Identifying actions to work

creating an inclusive work environment, with the aim totowards achieving gender balance. Understanding wherecontribute to positive change in all areas of business and

IKEA Group is with regards to equality in numbers in all

in society. IKEA Group continues to actively engage bylevels and all functions and taking actions towards equality.

joining forces with governmental and non-governmental

Creating an inclusive organization for all genders – Defining
activities and measures taking into account all four elementsof the inclusion model: a) Values-driven culture; b) Genderorganizations in order to create an even greater movement
towards gender equality and drive positive change in society.
*Contributed by IKEA Group

Going all in on equality is a priority at IKEA Group, and it isin line with our humanistic culture. Gender equality is integrated into ourbusiness strategy and we have a high leadership commitment to making
it happen. We set a bold goal of 50 per cent women in all leadership
positions, in all levels and all functions by 2020.
– Sari Brody, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Global Manager, IKEA Group

High-level corporate leadership for gender equality and women’s empowerment | 15

16 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

L’Oréal*L’Oréal implemented a Gender Equity Action Plan in 2013, guided
by Chairman and CEO Jean-Paul Agon’s mission to achieve gender
equity at all levels of the organization.
In 2013, 70 per cent of L’Oréal USA’s workforce were womenpartnered with the Harvard Kennedy School in providing

and 70 per cent of the leadership were men. In 2014, EDGE

leadership and negotiation courses for senior executives as28

conducted a gender equality analysis which validated

well as a custom-designed programme focused on gender

L’Oréal USA’s policies and practices for being the rightbias in the workplace.

ones. However, it also pointed out that continued efforts
were needed to advance more women into senior levels

Since the first EDGE certification, L’Oréal USA increased thenumber of female executives, and the Executive Committee

and attract more men at junior levels.

reached parity in 2018. The gender pay gap was cut in

Based on that feedback, L’Oréal USA developed andhalf and the company is piloting internal and external pay

implemented an action plan. It conducted communications

regression analyses to ensure it is understanding the gap inoutreach that focused on engagement and benefits such

more detail. L’Oréal USA broadened its reach in mentoringas family leave and flextime, explaining those benefits

and educating female executives through membership withand featuring employees at all levels who utilized these

the Network for Executive Women and employee thinkprogrammes successfully. Upon re-certification in 2016, thetanks, which enables women to reach mid-management

number of men who had taken paternity leave had more

executives, especially those in the field.

than quadrupled since 2014. Additionally, the number ofSince its gender equity initiatives began, L’Oréal has become

employees who have taken advantage of flextime reacheda signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles andits highest levels in 2017, and the company increased both

received the Leadership Award by UN Women. L’Oréal has

maternity and paternity leave by one week.

been named number one in Gender Equality by Equileap29 in

L’Oréal USA put in place annual Executive Women’s off-2017 and a top company for Gender Equity in the Bloomberg

site meetings designed to support, encourage and retain

Gender Equality Index. It has also been recognized as a

executive women as they advance in their careers. The

Top 10 Company by the National Association of Female

meetings are sponsored by Frederic Rozé, President and CEO

Executives and one of Working Mother Media’s Top

of L’Oréal USA, and provide both women and men executives

Companies for Working Mothers over the past three years.

the opportunity to participate in panel discussions,*Contributed by L’Oreal

workshops and join networking opportunities. L’Oréal USA

High-level corporate leadership for gender equality and women’s empowerment | 17

Gender equality in the workplace
The business case for gender equality in the workplace is compelling. It
is associated with greater national productivity and economic growth.
Recent estimates suggest that increasing thenumber of women in work could boost GDP
by: US$320 billion in France; US$310 billion inGermany; US$630 billion in Italy; US$550 billion
in Japan; US$250 billion in the United Kingdom;and US$1,750 billion in the United States.30
For companies, it would mean increased
performance and innovation, better decisionmaking, and enhanced reputation and ability
to attract talent as well as higher employee
retention and satisfaction.
In G7 countries, women’s participation in thelabour force has steadily increased and more
women than men overall are graduating fromtertiary education. However, this has notproduced equal outcomes: the gender pay gap
is still high, women are still underrepresented inmanagerial posts and decision-making bodies,
and women continue to bear the disproportionate
share of unpaid care and domestic work. This
constitutes a significant barrier to gender equality
in the workplace by limiting women’s capacity toengage in paid work.31
In the United States and Germany, women do
1.6 times the unpaid care and domestic workthat men do. In Italy, women fare worse than the

global average, with women doing three times
the unpaid work that men do.32
Gender equality in the workplace means ensuringthat women and men are equally able to accessand enjoy the same resources, opportunities,
benefits and rewards regardless of theirgender. Yet, this remains a significant challenge
for countries and companies alike. Women
continue to experience gender discrimination in
recruitment, retention, promotion, re-entry andsuccession practices.
Gender discrimination exists across the corporate
pipeline from entry-level professional positions
to the C-suite. Women and men may enter atsimilar levels, but women are less likely to bepromoted and tend to fall off as the career laddergoes higher. This has resulted in fewer women on
corporate boards and executive committees – 39
and 14 per cent respectively for France; 28 and
15 per cent for Germany; 33 and 9 per cent for
Italy; and 25 and 17 per cent for the UK.33
Gender inequality can be compounded by raceand class. For example, women of colour lag
behind white men, men of colour and white
women in opportunities and outcomes along thecorporate pipeline.

18 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

WE EMPOWER will offer support tocompanies on establishing gender-equaland diverse workplaces free from genderbased discrimination and increasing
women’s representation at every level.

Women continue to be systematically paid lessthan men for work of equal value. Globally,
women earn 23 per cent less than men, costing
women in OECD countries US$2 trillion.34 While
the overall hourly gender pay gap for Europe isabout 20 per cent, in the top 1 per cent of wage
earners it reaches about 45 per cent.35
The average gender pay gap in G7 countries is 16
per cent, with variation across countries: 25.7 inJapan, 18.2 in Canada, 18.1 in the United States,
16.8 in the United Kingdom, 15.5 in Germany, 9.9
in France and 5.6 in Italy.36
This gap affects women throughout their careers
and lifetimes and is wider in higher-paying
industries and roles.37 In addition, gender pay gaps
tend to be wider for parents than non-parents –up to 40 to 50 per cent of the gender pay gap insome high-income countries can be attributed
to parenthood and marriage.38 Ethnicity andgender also interact to create even larger pay gaps
for minority women.39 Limited access to social
protection and gender pay gaps over the course of
women’s lifetime can reduce retirement savings.
Indeed, many women end up living in poverty intheir old age.

Addressing gender pay gaps will lead to more
equitable, transparent and just workplaces for all,and some countries are leading the way. Iceland
became the first country to pass legislation
against gender pay gaps.40 From April 2018, theUnited Kingdom’s transparency policy requires
companies with more than 250 employees toreport details of the gap between female andmale staff, including salary and average bonus
differences, and publish this information oncompany and government websites.41 As ofJanuary 2018, employees in Germany are allowed
to find out what their co-workers earn.42 France
has proposed plans to fine companies that do not
close their gender pay gap within three years.43
Violence and harassment affects women regardlessof age, location, income or social status andrepresents a serious obstacle to gender equality inthe workplace. One in three women in Europe has
experienced either physical and/or sexual violencesince the age of 15, and 55 per cent of womenin the EU has experienced sexual harassment. 44
Violence signifies high costs to women in lostearnings, missed promotions and wellbeing, and tocompanies in form of absenteeism and productivity
losses. The cost to the global economy of violenceagainst women is estimated to be approximately
US$12 trillion annually.45
Effectively addressing this issue requires zerotolerance policies, and measures that ensure
workplace health and safety, including women’ssafety while traveling to and from work and oncompany-related business trips, and the right totime off for medical care and counseling.

Gender equality in the workplace | 19

Gap Inc.*
Since 1969, when Don and Doris Fisher opened the first Gap
store in San Francisco as equal partners and grew the company
together, the corporate culture at Gap Inc. has broken gendernorms and made pay equity and women’s leadership part of thecompany’s heritage.
In 2014, Gap Inc. became the first Fortune 500 company

Gap Inc. has eliminated performance ratings into confirm it paid women and men equally for equal work

headquarters and Distribution/Call Centers and is in theacross all its locations. It had its methodology for an annual

process of expanding this change to stores of its brands.

gender compensation analysis independently verified by

Eliminating performance ratings, which can have gendera third party firm. The company’s efforts were publicly

biases baked into them, does not mean that Gap Inc. hasrecognized with the 2016 Catalyst Award. The company

walked away from a focus on performance against goals.

culture has enabled women to rise in the ranks throughInstead the company performance standard encourages

a variety of policies and practices including diminishingmanagers to have more frequent and honest touch-basepsychological barriers, encouraging mentorship, and being

conversations about performance against goals.

family-friendly. This culture of collaboration, inclusion, andclose relationships has created a solid structure for women’s
advancement and equal pay.

Gap Inc. does not require applicants to provide previous
salary information when submitting an employment
application. One positive outcome is that for applicantsManagers are provided with criteria and filters to position

who have been unfairly compensated for their skill andemployees appropriately in the pay range based on

experience in previous positions, their new salary is not

performance and contribution. To reduce unconscious bias

anchored to the past. The impact of this hiring policy has

in pay but also increase female representation, the company

been most pronounced among women and minorities.

provides leaders with data to make informed decisions interms of paying talent properly. A promotion/equity budget
is a part of the overall annual pay increase budget and canbe used to address equity issues.

Gap Inc. publishes the company’s compensation practices on
GapWeb (the company’s intranet site), which employees canaccess to understand the company’s pay practices.46*Contributed by Gap Inc.

20 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Gender equality in the workplace | 21

Pay equity is a very
important principle at Citi,
and I’m proud to work at acompany that has taken action
on this important issue.
– Kira Cordoba-Brown,
Head of ICG Diversity, Citi

Citi*
Citi has long had a number of efforts in place to help it adhere to the important principleof pay equity, including continuously evaluating market conditions to help inform pay, andconducting a rigorous review of pay recommendations across the company as part of its
annual compensation process.
This year, Citi expanded on those efforts to assess pay at thecompany when comparing women to men, and US minorities
to US non-minorities. As a starting point, this analysis was
conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom andGermany, and accounted for a number of factors to make thecomparisons meaningful, including job function, level andgeography. Citi found that women are paid on average 99
per cent of what men are paid and US minorities are paid on
average 99 per cent of what US non-minorities are paid.
Citi disclosed the results of this analysis to its employees
and externally, becoming the first financial services firm
to do so. Importantly, as part of this year’s compensation
cycle, Citi made appropriate compensation increases to help

close the gaps for both women and US minorities identified
in the analysis. Citi also committed to continuing to review
compensation for pay equity and will continue this analysis
in all other countries where it has employees.
Citi’s continued focus on pay equity furthers its goal ofbeing the employer of choice for employees of diverse
backgrounds, and supports the company’s efforts to
attract and retain the best talent and reward performance
consistent with Citi’s Leadership Standards. These are clear
business imperatives for Citi, and the company remains
firmly committed to them.
*Contributed by Citi

22 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

BNP Paribas*
BNP Paribas diversity policy relies on the Group Diversity Committee that consists of
39 diversity officers (pairs of business line and human resources (HR) representatives)and employee networks with over 20,000 members, which act as an important informal
information relay for diversity policies and a source of innovation.
Employee networks play a key role in the dissemination of
the diversity and inclusion policy. They continue to growin terms of both the number of members and the creationof new and local networks. Networks are facilitated by the
support of senior managers and have group-wide exchanges.
Gender equality networks encourage and empower women
to realize their professional ambitions. They help theirmembers focus on defining their professional goals andsharing their ambitions; growing a professional network andincreasing their visibility in the organization; and keeping aproper work-life balance.

They also aim at creating management awareness andpromoting actions towards gender equality within theorganization through continuous feedback to managementand HR staff of the bank on how to initiate a shift in thecorporate culture. The networks also engage with men to getthem on board with efforts to promote gender equality.
Since 2009, the main gender equality network "Mixcity"
counts 24 local networks with 7,600 members in 24
countries, with the latest ones created in 2017 in Brazil
and Portugal.
*Contributed by BNP Paribas

Gender equality in the workplace | 23

Danone*Danone is creating an inclusive and diverse environment where itembraces and celebrates both commonalities and differences.
Through inclusive diversity Danone builds collaborative highperforming teams that deliver breakthrough thinking andresults, as well as develop innovative and culturally-relevant
solutions.
Danone has a holistic approach towards inclusive diversity.
First, it creates working environments where everyone isrespected and valued. Second, Danone believes that its
external commitment strengthens employer branding bothat global and local levels, which makes it attractive to thebest talents. Third, the company insists on a two-pronged
approach when implementing programmes, globally
through global key performance indicators and global
functional champions, and locally through locally-relevantroadmaps and local champions. Danone’s Inclusive Diversity
programme focuses on three global priorities: genderbalance, culture and nationality, and inclusive behaviors.
In 2010, a group of female leaders in Danone initiated the
EVE leadership programme, supported by L’Oréal, Orange,
Caisse des Dépôts Group, Société Nationale des Chemins de
Fer Français (SNCF), Crédit Agricole and KPMG. EVE Asia waslaunched in 2014 and EVE Africa was launched in 2017. Since
2010, over 3,000 women and men have received training on
two complementary levers: the first, career management andorganization -the external “glass ceiling” – and the second,male and female stereotypes -the internal “glass ceiling”47
Danone became a HeForShe thematic champion in March
2017, committed to offering industry-leading support tonew parents. Danone’s Parental Policy provides support
at different stages of parenting. Additionally, a bottomup movement in Indonesia was started with a mentoring
programme for female junior leaders and a Peer Networking
Forum. The movement has been replicated in othercountries, such as Brazil, Mexico and the Netherlands.
Danone believes it has an opportunity to bring to lightthe valuable contribution of women, particularly in local
communities. It does this through the funding of Danone
Communities, Ecosystem and Livelihoods, which support longterm locally-led initiatives with positive social, environmental
and business impacts. Bonafont, the biggest bottled-waterbrand in Mexico, is doing brand activation by funding a 3-year
project to help women rebuild their lives after the earthquakeby creating jobs locally, in partnership with UN Women Mexico.
In 2018, Danone is rolling out inclusive diversity plans acrossvarious countries, including empowering staff to contributein their local inclusive diversity roadmaps, and engaging
with local passionate champions who will connect the issues
more strongly to their local business context.
Globally Danone has made progress in terms of gender
parity in senior leadership. 40 per cent of the Board
members are women, and three have been on the Executive
Committee since 2016. Female representation at both
Executive and Directors levels increased in 2017 by 25 and39 per cent respectively.
*Contributed by Danone

24 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Gender equality in the workplace | 25

26 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

SAP*
In March 2013, SAP launched a strategy aimed at bringing greater
diversity into the company around four focus areas – gender
intelligence, culture and identity, cross-generational intelligence,and differently-abled people.
Two years earlier, SAP had appointed a global Gender

What is the outcome, why does it matter? By delivering onIntelligence Lead and established the Global Diversity &its promise SAP is now an employer of choice for women

Inclusion Office. The mission was to figure out how SAP

in technology. This achievement lays the foundation for

could achieve its target of 25 percent women in leadership

women but also paves the way for many other dimensions

by year-end 2017. At that time, in 2011, the company wasof diversity.

at 19 per cent and had grown less than 1 per cent year
over year. By June 2017, SAP hit its goal of 25 per cent – sixmonths ahead of schedule.
It is important to note that it was never about the number
but rather about creating a more diverse pool of talent sothat SAP can tap into unique perspectives. No longer is it
one team’s responsibility to come up with the next greatest
thing – it is a company-wide effort and ideas come fromeverywhere. Gender is one of many denominators that craft
SAP’s point of view and guide our path forward.

What comes next? SAP’s Executive Board has extended its
commitment to increasing the percentage of women in
leadership by one per cent each year with a target of 30 per
cent by year-end 2022.
SAP’s commitment to gender diversity extends beyond
its employee base. Through its Business Beyond Bias
movement, SAP employs business process expertise
combined with machine-learning-based biased language
detection to prevent unconscious bias across the workplace.
This is the latest benchmark in SAP’s commitment to

The ability to achieve gender diversity has a direct result on

eliminate unconscious bias and enable an inclusive culture

the company’s ability to see business opportunities that it

for all companies.

might not have seen before. It forces SAP to go beyond the*Contributed by SAP

everyday to find new ways of doing things. In short, womenand men benefit when gender equality is achieved.

Gender equality in the workplace | 27

Orange S.A.*
En Avant Toutes is an internal development programme for Orange
Business Services female employees that has been implemented in
France and Mauritius since 2014 and in India since 2017.
This programme helps women in different areas and atdevelopment with HR consultants, the HR director anddifferent levels within the company to accelerate their

their direct manager. This comprehensive programme

professional and personal development: to boost their

combines individual coaching sessions with workshops on

confidence, benefit from individual coaching, achieve

specific themes (business awareness, risk-taking, self-

greater self-awareness, improve productivity and effective

empowerment, self-awareness, personal brand).

communication, and expand their professional network.

In order to involve more members in Orange CSR activities,

In addition, the programme helps managers detect thethe participants of the programme are also asked to engage

potential of female employees at all levels and make themin volunteer initiatives with NGO partners working on

more visible within the company. The programme is expected

the inclusion of young people from less privileged areas

to increase the women’s rate in managerial positions, and toor people with disabilities, or on attracting young girls to

support and recognize women’s talent and performance in a

STEM jobs.

new way.

As a group, participants are engaged through 6 day workshops

The programme starts at the individual level within Paris, and via videoconference sessions with external orinterviews with HR consultants on participants’ individualinternal speakers chosen by the group. Participants are also

professional development plans to be deployed throughout

invited to create their own internal network to exchange

the programme, and with self-image surveys andinformation between each other and with programme

personality tests. Following their development plans,sponsors using the internal social media communities onparticipants will then enroll in training sessions andPlazza and the Double You women’s networks.

mentorship-buddy programmes, and monitor their own*Contributed by Orange S.A.

28 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Gender equality in the workplace | 29

30 | Stories
Women'sofeconomic
Women's empowerment
Economic Empowerment
though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Scotiabank*
In an effort to influence change and bring greater diversity to
management roles in 2015, Scotiabank set up 21 employee focus
groups across Canada and its Pacific Alliance Countries (Mexico,
Peru, Chile & Colombia) to obtain feedback on the barriers toachieving gender balance in leadership roles.
Scotiabank identified four common barriers to true genderinclusion:
Selection Process: Lack of confidence in selection processtransparency with a perception that preferred malecandidates are usually pre-selected.
Work-Life Demands: Women felt challenged with managing
their professional careers and home life. Long work hours
were attributed to an organizational culture with pressure
to put in ‘face time’, meetings scheduled outside set work
hours, negative connotations of telecommuting and lack ofsupport for flexible arrangements.
Development: Biases in allocation of work assignments suchthat women were given more operational work versus men
in strategic roles.
Culture: Highly male-dominated workplace culture with lackof female leadership role models.
These four themes enabled Scotiabank to formulate its
inclusion strategy and initiatives.
Across Scotiabank’s geographical footprint it establishedseveral gender diversity programmes in its Pacific AllianceCountries: (1) Mexico – unconscious bias workshops; (2)Peru – women’s empowerment workshops; (3) Chile – worklife balance and co-responsibility programmes; (4) Colombia– women’s advancement programme.

The women’s empowerment workshops have helped female
Scotiabankers develop their self-confidence and increase
their exposure to senior executives across the organization.
The objective is to identify Vice President-ready women andenhance their skills to ensure they are the best possible
candidate when an executive role becomes available.
Scotiabank’s unconscious bias workshops have helped tobuild a more inclusive environment – one in which everyone
is valued and heard, and where it starts seeing talentand skills placed ahead of names or gender. Scotiabankprocesses require job vacancies for all directors, and above,
to be posted, at least one woman to serve on the interview
panel, and at least one woman to be considered for theparticular role. The Bank has also created work-life balance
programmes to assist both women and men employees.
The Work-Life Balance programme in Chile promotes coresponsibility as a fundamental element for gender equity,
allowing women and men to equally share responsibilities
and tasks, and including parental leave that goes beyond
what is required by Chilean law. Scotiabank also offers new
mothers in Chile and Colombia a private and comfortablebreastfeeding room.
True gender equality requires an inclusive approach thatrecognizes the role of women and men, as partners for
women’s rights.
*Contributed by Scotiabank

Gender equality in the workplace | 31

Gender equality in the marketplaceand marketing practices
Promoting women’s economic empowerment in the marketplacerequires an enabling environment that eliminates gender barriers
to business start-up and growth, improves access to markets andresources, enhances social inclusion and protection, and fosters a
supportive culture and context.
Investing in women´s enterprises and integratingthem into corporate supply chains through purchasing policies and practices can contribute to
women’s economic empowerment while helping
companies to expand their markets and diversify
their supply chains.48
Leveraging procurement is critical for promoting
women’s equal participation in and benefit fromvalue chains. Procurement market opportunities
have long been recognized as an engine for
growth in small and medium enterprises, yet
women do not benefit equally from theseopportunities due to structural inequality anddiscrimination. It is estimated that womenowned businesses only secure one per cent ofprocurement contracts.49
Simultaneously, women entrepreneurs needtraining, skills development and access to market

information in order to succeed in meetingbuyers’ requirements, submitting competitive
bids, and managing business for growth. Skills
include business development, financial literacy
and sector-specific skills, and also the capacity
to access information, lobby for changes inprocurement policies, and hold governments
and corporations to account.
Fostering a supportive cultural and businessmarketplace means eliminating harmful
discriminatory stereotypes of both womenand men. Companies must address harmful
attitudes and stereotypes in advertising andrespect the dignity of women in all marketingand other company materials. The advertisingindustry has a key role to play in ensuring thatwomen receive messages of equal opportunityand equal acceptance in order to promote theirempowerment.

32 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

UN Women launched the Unstereotype Alliance50
during the 2017 Cannes Lions International
Festival of Creativity. Recognizing the power ofpartnerships to accelerate progress, this industryled initiative unites leaders across business,
technology and creative industries to tackle

the widespread prevalence of stereotypes thatare often perpetuated through advertising andmarketing content. By developing new standards
and tools, the Alliance seeks to transform and‘unstereotype’ their advertising.

Gender equality in the marketplace and marketing practices | 33

Procter & Gamble*
Creating a better world through gender equality is a P&G
Citizenship priority. P&G improves the lives of two and a halfbillion women and girls worldwide every day.
Gender equality is ingrained in the business – P&G is doing

and South Africa. With P&G’s support, UN Women is

this collectively through its brands, its corporate voice, andidentifying potential suppliers, delivering capacity building

its people and partners inside and outside of P&G. In a morethat supports women entrepreneurs with access to finance,

equal world, communities are healthier, businesses thrive,

marketing skills, business development and other training

and the world is a better place for everyone.

to enable access to P&G supply chain opportunities. The

P&G wants women to have an equal voice and equal
representation to create an inclusive environment where
both women and men can realize their full potential. Its
goal is to have 50/50 representation at all company levels.

partnership is having catalytic impact since it brings together
P&G’s experience and expertise in inclusive and sustainablesourcing with UN Women’s vast network of women’senterprises and women’s business organizations.

Today, 45 per cent of managers are women and P&G has

By studying attitudes toward gender equality around theincreased the share of female employees in its production

world, P&G, UN Women and partners across the advertisingplants across the globe. Some manufacturing plants are run

supply chain are tackling gender bias and fostering genderby women in countries such as Brazil, Poland and Japan.

equality throughout the advertising and media industry.

WEP5 is an area of strength for P&G. In 2017, P&G anda group of other leading global companies committed tosource US$100 million each from women-owned businesses
over the next three years. To realize this goal, P&G and
UN Women partnered to promote women’s economic
empowerment by building capacity of women entrepreneurs

Linked to this work is P&G’s founding membership in the UN
Women-led Unstereotype Alliance where P&G and otherglobal companies are affecting positive cultural change byusing the power of advertising to help shape perceptions thatreflect realistic, non-biased portrayals of women and men.
*Contributed by Procter & Gamble

to access P&G supply chains in Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan

34 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

P&G is proud to work with UN
Women and support gender-responsive
procurement that makes supply chains
more inclusive. With training and access toopportunities that build their businesses,
women entrepreneurs and their families
can escape the cycle of poverty, help
economies grow, and ultimately create abetter world for everyone.”–Carolyn Tastad, Group President-North America &Executive Sponsor Gender Equality, Procter & Gamble

Gender equality in the marketplace and marketing practices | 35

Our industry needs to be brave enough to depict society in arealistic way rather than reinforce potentially harmful stereotypes. We’rewitnessing a broader movement; it’s time for the marketing industry toplay its part in promoting and reflecting diversity and equality in all its
different facets and guises and at a global level.”– David Wheldon, CMO RBS and WFA President
36 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

World Federation of Advertisers*
The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) joined the
Unstereotype Alliance at the Cannes Festival in 2017 with thebelief that a new unprecedented agenda for the industry isneeded to break down outdated and harmful stereotypes about
women and men and create a world with unlimited possibilities.
As part of its commitment to the Alliance, WFA developed‘unstereotyping’ – the use of messages that do not confine

a short guide51 to build awareness amongst its corporate

either gender to a traditional or limited role but instead

members around the world, national advertiser associations

show them as progressive and modern, authentic andin sixty countries on six continents, and the tens ofmultidimensional – can have a positive impact on boththousands of brands represented by them at local level.

society and the company bottom line. WFA worked to help

The WFA guide illustrates how the advertising industry
needs to move with the times in terms of gender portrayal ingather insights and share best practices across the broader
marketing industry in the Guide.

advertising. It is not just ‘a nice to do’. There are compelling

The guide highlights five clear steps for marketers to improvesocial and policy-based reasons why the marketing industry

the way they and their brands address the issue of genderneeds to evolve. Critically, there is also a very compelling

equality: (1) Encourage diversity in your teams; (2) Trackbusiness case for why industry must act.

performance; (3) Find your purpose – what the brand stands

Many industry leaders have already made great progressin terms of addressing gender portrayals in their own
marketing communications. They have also comprehensively

for; (4) Think long-term; (5) Go beyond marketing – genderequality requires company-wide change.
*Contributed by the World Federation of Advertisers

researched and developed a strong understanding of how

Gender equality in the marketplace and marketing practices | 37

Unilever*
Unilever’s sustainable living commitment, Opportunities for
Women, encompasses different dimensions of gender equality
and empowerment: access to rights, skills, resources, jobs andlivelihoods.
Unilever aims to empower five million women across

Unilever does this directly, or in partnership with civil society

the entire value chain by: (1) building a gender-balanced

organizations, governments or financial institutions. Since

organization with a focus on management; (2) promoting

billions of people live in hard-to-reach rural areas, or in cities

rights and safety for women; (3) enhancing women’s accesswith limited retail infrastructure, connecting these consumers

to training and skills; and (4) creating economic opportunities

with Unilever brands is vital to Unilever’s business growth.

for women in the value chain. Unilever's ambition is toempower many more by activating the power of its brands
and triggering the transformative effect of collective action.

Unilever’s best-known distribution model is Shakti, adoor-to-door selling operation in India, which began in
2001. By 2017, it provided work for nearly 75,000 women

Unilever´s products reach consumers through more thanin low-income rural communities. Shakti entrepreneurs

seven million stores and micro-entrepreneurs in more

distribute Unilever brands in many thousands of villages

than 190 countries, where millions of women participate

across India. The company provides training on basic

whether as retail business owners, managers or employees.

accounting, sales, demand creation, health and hygiene,

Women help build stronger supply chains, distribution

and other relevant skills.

networks and markets.

The Shakti programme has helped increase women’s

Unilever has created new distribution models to enhance

confidence, self-esteem, negotiating skills, communication

the businesses of many women within the existingand engagement capabilities, and also supported theretail networks, supporting sales agents in a variety ofdevelopment of an entrepreneurial mind-set needed to run

ways including access to finance, training and skills anda business. To-date the model is being replicated in different

addressing social barriers they face. By recruiting, training

parts of the world, including Colombia, Ethiopia, Nigeria,

and supporting women as independent sales agents,

Pakistan, the Philippines, and adapted to the local context.

Unilever empowers them to enhance their own and families’*Contributed by Unileverlivelihoods, with ripple effects in their communities.

38 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Gender equality in the marketplace and marketing practices | 39

Community initiatives and advocacy
Companies are increasingly investing in community development
programmes to make valuable, effective and responsible contributions
that also make business sense.
A key motivation is to respond to consumer preferences to buy from companies that are active in thecommunity and support community initiatives.
For example, global research found thatworldwide more than 77 per cent of consumers
prefer to purchase from socially responsible
brands and are willing to pay 5-10 per cent more
for these products and services while encouraging
community-based values of diversity and inclusion
within the business culture. 52 In the UnitedStates, a 2017 study showed that 63 per centof Americans are hopeful businesses will takethe lead in promoting social and environmental
change in the absence of government regulation.
Some 87 per cent of survey respondents wouldpurchase a product because a company advocated
WE EMPOWER will convene corporate
leaders and community stakeholders in G7
countries to help eliminate gender-based
discrimination by creating opportunities
for women and girls to make their voices
heard, while encouraging communitybased values of diversity and inclusion inbusiness culture.

for an issue they cared about, and 76 per centwould refuse to purchase a company’s products
or services upon learning it supported an issue
contrary to their beliefs.53
In other words: consumers want companies
to give back to the communities where they
do business; therefore, companies can makeimportant contributions to social change byaligning to consumer preferences.
Committed companies lead by example,
showcasing their commitment to gender equality
and women’s empowerment. Community
leadership and engagement can take many forms.
Companies can leverage influence, alone or inpartnership, to advocate for gender equality andcollaborate with business partners, suppliers andcommunity leaders to promote inclusion.
Businesses can use philanthropy and grant
programmes to support company commitments
to inclusion, equality and human rights in local
communities. Businesses with diversity andinclusion initiatives can create inclusive cultures
where every voice matters. This should beconsistent from job descriptions to participatory
decision-making and advertising practices.

40 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Empowering women is a critical part of our business strategy. We know thatdiversity in our workplace leads to better performance outcomes for our businessand empowering women in the marketplace and the communities we serve will improve–Rohini Anand, Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo
quality of life for all. 				Sodexo*With the Better Tomorrow 2025 Roadmap, Sodexo has built gender equality into the heart ofits business strategy. Gender equality considerations are highlighted as one of three key issues
that inform how Sodexo supports communities through its role as an employer, as a service
provider, and as a corporate citizen.
As a result of this longstanding commitment to genderequality, Sodexo now has 50 per cent female representationon the board of directors and 43 per cent of women in
management positions globally. The Better Tomorrow 2025
Roadmap is designed to build on this progress.
Sodexo knows that basic safety and security is an important
precursor to women’s empowerment and is addressing
violence against women in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
India, Mexico, and Peru through four actions: 1) Raisingawareness of gender-based violence as an issue of concern
for communities; 2) Providing in-depth training about
gender-based violence, including how to identify thedifferent types of violence and how to provide appropriate
support; 3) Providing economic opportunity with job training

and outreach for survivors of violence; and 4) Collaboratingwith NGOs and others in the community to scale up impact
in the community.
In 2017, over 76,200 employees were reached withawareness campaigns and 4,782 received more extensive
training. Each employee received a purple ribbon thatsymbolizes support for eliminating gender-based violence.
Sodexo also leads a workstream on Eliminating Harassment& Violence Against Women Action Cluster of the Business
Action for Women collaborative 54, which is a leading
coalition of companies committed to achieving progress
for women globally.
*Contributed by Sodexo

Community initiatives and advocacy | 41

The Coca-Cola Company*
The Coca-Cola Company believes its business is only as sustainable
as the communities it serves. In many countries where it operates,
women face significant cultural and economic challenges, andunleashing women's entrepreneurial potential is a powerful andenduring way to help families and communities prosper.
Coca-Cola’s 5by20 initiative strives to enable the economic

In 2013, the global 5by20 team engaged in a three-year

empowerment of five million women entrepreneurs acrosspartnership with UN Women to provide business skills

the Coca-Cola value chain by 2020. This includes the small

training to women who owned small retail stores or foodbusinesses the company and bottling partners work with installs. Coca-Cola and Ipsos conducted an impact study ofmore than 200 countries – from fruit farmers and recyclers,

the UN Women programme in South Africa, finding thatto retailers and artisans.

women benefited significantly, particularly in being able to

The 5by20 programmes address the barriers that prevent
women entrepreneurs from succeeding in the marketplacethrough increased access to business skills training courses;
financial services and assets; and networks of peers or
mentors. 5by20’s implementation design differs by country,
enabling it to fit local needs, aligned with local partners tohave a greater local impact. 5by20 is built on the powerof partnerships of business, government and civil society
to create positive social change. Each partner organizationsave more money per month and over time, and being better
able to afford basic expenses such as children’s education,
medical visits and clothing. Total average business sales
increased 46 per cent over the 18-month survey period posttraining. Over half of participants reported their business
improved “a lot” as a result of the training, and more than90 per cent said they were confident they would keep theirbusinesses open and would be able to grow them.
*Contributed by The Coca-Cola Company

brings unique expertise that greatly increases the impact of
Coca-Cola’s programmes.

42 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Community initiatives and advocacy | 43

Transparency, accountability andgender lens investing
Transparency and accountability are required for companies to uphold
their commitments to gender equality in the workplace, marketplaceand community. Measuring and reporting mechanisms are crucial tomonitor and track performance and progress. Business leaders andstakeholders agree that while not everything of value can be counted,
it is difficult to manage what is not measured.
Companies that have committed to promoting
gender equality and women’s empowerment
have explicitly stated their intention to measureand publicly report on their progress – ensuring
they turn their promises into action and results isa necessary component of this.

set of parameters and indicators to measureprogress as it allows businesses to compare
their performance with peers and effectively
communicate progress to stakeholders.

For transparency, measuring and reporting,businesses can routinely gather gender statistics
and sex disaggregated data, and analyze, track
and benchmark their performance over time.
There is added value in using a standardized

Companies can make public their policies andimplementation plans for promoting genderequality; establish benchmarks that quantify
inclusion of women at all levels; measure andreport on progress against targets, both internallyand externally; incorporate gender markers into
ongoing reporting obligations and continuously
assess the gender equality impact of the company’sbusiness strategy and current operations.

WE EMPOWER will promote gender lensinvesting by encouraging companies to betransparent and to measure and publicly
report their progress.

Transparency and accountability can lead toincreased interest from investors to invest in
gender-responsive companies for financial returns
that simultaneously support gender equality(commonly known as “gender lens investing”).

44 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Through the WE EMPOWER programme, we will
expand the Women’s Empowerment Principles Journey toinclude guidance for gender lens investors to place theirmoney into companies that have successfully embraced
the seven principles. We seek partners from the corporate
and investor communities that are ready to join us inchampioning corporate accountability, public reporting,and gender lens investing.”– Anna Falth, WE EMPOWER Programme Manager, UN Women

Gender lens investing, which is becoming
increasingly popular, initially focused on
women-led businesses and companies that
promote gender diversity in their workplaces.
Now, investors are also investing in companies
that develop products with the particular needs
and preferences of women in mind.
Closing the gender gap in access to products
and services in the water, contraception,
telecommunications, energy and childcare
sectors could unlock US$300 billion inincremental annual spending by 2025. 55

Investors, asset managers and companies witha double bottom line seize the opportunity toadvance gender equality while securing financial
returns. For instance, asset managers can create
new funds and financial instruments for individual
and institutional investors by targeting companies
that offer products and services supporting
gender equality. Considering how the use of
products and services can shape health outcomes,
livelihoods, and opportunities of billions of
women, this investment approach has thepotential to help advance gender equality at scale.

Transparency, accountability and gender lens investing | 45

UBS*
As impact and sustainable investing have become moremainstream, UBS clients increasingly want to know that theirinvestments are having a positive impact on society while earninga return. Research shows that 90 per cent of women want to beable to deploy their capital for societal good.56
As global wealth held by women increases 7 per cent a year,

companies on gender diversity, based on pioneering

there is a significant opportunity to funnel philanthropic

research, while at the same time having the potential tofunds towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

achieve strong returns. The combination of broad gender

In response to client demand for access to sustainable
investment opportunities, and in line with its commitment
to connect capital to SDG5, UBS launched a first-of-its-kindequality criteria, sustainability and donation make this ETF
a leap forward in connecting capital to the SDG5 – achieving
gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

exchange-traded fund (ETF) in January 2018, which has

As part of our own commitment to supporting SDG5, UBS will

gender equality and sustainability at its core. This Global

dedicate 5 per cent of management fees received in relation

Gender Equality ETF invests in 100 companies selectedto the ETF to the philanthropic project, We Care Solar (WCS),

based on 19 different diversity criteria and Environmental,

which aims to provide reliable energy for medical care andSocial and Governance (ESG) screening. This includes equal

safe childbirth in rural communities across Africa and Asia.

compensation and work-life balance, transparency and

WCS has developed a “solar suitcase”, which has helped

accountability, gender balance and sustainability policies.

550,000 mothers and infants to have safe, well-lit births.

The index provides a higher overall gender equality scorethan any other global gender equality index, while still
providing investors with a stable, risk-adjusted performance.

UBS also launched the InsightShares LGBT Employment
Equality ETF, the first in the series of ETFs issued under the“InsightShares” brand. This cause-focused ETF offers theInvestor appetite for the ETF has been significant. Inflows

opportunity to invest in a socially conscious strategy. Createdinto the index are USD$72 million (as of 15 May 2018).

and offered by Exchange Traded Concepts, this ETF offers

The launch of the ETF provides investors with a uniqueexposure to the UBS LGBT Employment Equality Index.

opportunity to benefit from investing in the leading global*Contributed by UBS

46 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Transparency, accountability and gender lens investing | 47

Endnotes
1

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s
advanced economies consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Government of
Canada holds the Presidency of the G7 in 2018. The European Union(EU) was first invited to attend the G7 in 1977 and the President of
the European Commission has attended all of its sessions since 1981.
Both the President of the European Council and the President of theEuropean Commission represent the EU at G7 summits.

2

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set ofprinciples for businesses offering guidance on how to empower
women in the workplace, marketplace and community. See www.
empowerwomen.org/weps.

3

G7 2015 Germany, Annex to the Leadersʼ Declaration G7 Summit,
7 – 8 June 2015. Available at: www.g7germany.de/Content/
EN/_Anlagen/G7/2015-06-08-g7-abschluss-annex-eng_en.pdf?__
blob=publicationFile&v=2

4

G7 2016 Japan, Ise-Shima Summit, Ise-Shima Leaders’ Declaration,
26-27 May 2016. Available at: https://www.mofa.go.jp/
files/000160266.pdf

5

6

G7 2017 Taormina, Roadmap For A Gender-Responsive Economic
Environment. Available at: www.g7italy.it/sites/default/files/
documents/Gender%20Roadmap_0.pdf
The Women 7 (W7) is a forum, first created by German Chancellor
Angela Merkel in 2015, aimed at fostering dialogue among civilsociety, business, academia and the G7 institutional representatives
on issues related to gender equality and women’s role as agents forchange, inclusive growth and sustainable development.

7

World Economic Forum, The Future of Jobs Report, 2016. Available
at: http://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-2016/

8

The European Parliament, The Future of Work in the EU, April 2017.

9

Upwork and Freelancers Union, Freelancing in America, October 2017.

10

United Nations, Report of the Secretary General on “Women’s
Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work”,
Commission on the Status of Women, Sixty-Second Session, 2017.
E/CN.6/2017/3.

11

Reuters, “Japan Launches ‘Telework’ Campaign to Ease Congestion,
Reform Work Culture”, 24 July 2017.

12

European Commission, "How Digital is Your Country: Europe
Improves but Still Needs to Close Digital Gap," Press Release, 3
March 2017. Available at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP17-347_en.htm

13

Oliver Cann, Five Million Jobs by 2020: The Real Challenge of the
Fourth Industrial Revolution, The World Economic Forum, January
2016.

14

European Commission, Europe 2020 strategy. Available at: https://
ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/economic-andfiscal-policy-coordination/eu-economic-governance-monitoringprevention-correction/european-semester/framework/europe2020-strategy_en

15Germany Federal Ministry of Education and Research, The German
Vocational Training System. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/
business-economy-euro/economic-and-fiscal-policy-coordination/eu-economic-governance-monitoring-prevention-correction/
european-semester/framework/europe-2020-strategy_en

16France Labour Code, article L.6111-1, 2015. Available at: https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/observatories/emcc/erm/legislation/
france-employers-obligation-to-provide-skill-development-plans-ortraining

17

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, CanadianInnovation and Skills Plan, July 2017. Available at: https://www.
budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/themes/Innovation_en.pdf

18

Council for the Realization of Work Style Reform, Action Plan for the
Realization of Work Style Reform, March 2017.

19

U.S. Department of Labor, Efforts to Better Prepare Workers for the
Future, March 2018.

20

U.S. Department of Labor, Financial Year 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.
Available at: https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/budget/2019/
FY2018-2022StrategicPlan.pdf

21

Available at: https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/community/
events-opportunities/2018/01/2018wepsforum

22

United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/70/219 on
Women in Development. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/
development/desa/population/migration/generalassembly/docs/
globalcompact/A_RES_70_219.pdf

48 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

23

Women20 Germany 2017 Communiqué, 26 April 2017,
Berlin, Germany. Available at: http://www.w20-germany.org/
fileadmin/user_upload/W20_Communique_Final_mit_G20_
Wassermark__002_.pdf

24

G7 2017 Germany, Leaders´ Declaration, G7 Summit, 7-8 June 2015.
Available at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/
documents/7320LEADERS%20STATEMENT_FINAL_CLEAN.pdf

25

McKinsey & Company, Moving Women to the Top: McKinsey Global
Survey Results, 2010. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/
business-functions/organization/our-insights/moving-women-tothe-top-mckinsey-global-survey-results

26

Sandrine Devillard, Vivian Hunt, and Lareina Yee. “Still looking forroom at the top: Ten years of research on women in the workplace”,
McKinsey Quarterly, March 2018. Available at: https://www.
mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/still-looking-forroom-at-the-top-ten-years-of-research-on-women-in-the-workplace

27

Sandrine Devillard et al., Reinventing the Workplace for Greater
Gender Diversity, McKinsey & Company, 2017. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/reinventingthe-workplace-for-greater-gender-diversity

28

EDGE stands for Economic Dividends for Gender Equality
Certification.

29

Equileap, Gender Equality Global Report & Ranking, 2017 Edition.
Available at: http://equileap.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/
Equileap-gender-equality-global-report-ranking.pdf

30

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Women in Work Index: Closing the gender
pay gap 2018. Available at: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economicservices/WIWI/women-in-work-index-2018.pdf

31

ILO, Women at Work Trends 2016. Available at: http://www.ilo.org/
wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/
publication/wcms_457317.pdf

32

UN Women, Turning Promises into Action: Gender equality in the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Europe and North
America Fact Sheet, 2018. Available at: http://www.unwomen.org/
en/digital-library/publications/2018/2/gender-equality-in-the-2030agenda-for-sustainable-development-2018

33

McKinsey & Company, Women Matter: Time to Accelerate – Ten
Years of Insights into Gender Diversity, 2017. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Global%20Themes/
Women%20matter/Women%20Matter%20Ten%20years%20
of%20insights%20on%20the%20importance%20of%20gender%20
diversity/Women-Matter-Time-to-accelerate-Ten-years-of-insightsinto-gender-diversity.ashx

34

PwC, Women in Work Index: Closing the Gender Pay Gap, 2018.
Available at: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/
women-in-work-index-2018.pdf. See also: Haas School of Business,
Eliminating the Gender Pay Gap: Gap Inc Leads the Way, 2017,
University of California Berkeley.

35

ILO, Global Wage Report, Wage inequality in the workplace,2016 – 2017. Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/
public/@dgreports/@dcomm/@publ/documents/publication/
wcms_537846.pdf

36

UN Women calculation of unweighted regional average based on
2016 data from OECD Stat. Available at: http://stats.oecd.org/index.
aspx?queryid=54753

37

National Partnership for Women and Families, The Lifetime Wage
Gap, State by State, April 2018. Available at: https://nwlc.org/
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Hegewisch and Emma Williams-Baron, The Gender Wage Gap by
Occupation 2016, Fact Sheet #C456, Institute for Women’s Policy
Research, April 2017. Available at https://iwpr.org/wp-content/
uploads/2017/04/C456.pdf

38

Damian Grimshaw and Jill Rubery, The Motherhood Pay Gap:
A Review of the Issues, Theory and International Evidence, ILO
Conditions of Work and Employment Series, No. 57 (Geneva, 2015);
and UN Women, Progress of the World’s Women, 2015-2016:
Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights, New York. Available at:
http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/4/
progress-of-the-worlds-women-2015

39

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Median Usual Weekly Earnings ofFull-time Wage and Salary Workers by Selected Characteristics,
Annual Averages as cited in Ariane Hegewisch et al., The Gender
Wage Gap: 2013 - Differences by Race and Ethnicity, No Growth
in Real Wages for Women, Fact Sheet, Institute for Women’s
Policy Research, 2014, p. 2. Available at: http://www.iwpr.org/
publications/pubs/the-gender-wage-gap-2013-differences-by-raceand-ethnicity-no-growth-in-real-wages-for-womenEndnotes | 49

40

Kvenréttindafélag Íslands, “Looking for Information about Equal
Pay in Iceland? All about the Equal Pay Standard”, 4 January
2018. Available at: http://kvenrettindafelag.is/2018/looking-forinformation-about-equal-pay-in-iceland-all-about-the-equal-paystandard/

49

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weconnect-releases-new-book-titled-buying-for-impact-how-to-buyfrom-women-and-change-our-world

41

United Kingdom, GLD: Gender Pay Gap Report 2017. Available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gld-gender-pay-gapreport-and-data-2017/gld-gender-pay-gap-report-2017

50#Unstereotype Alliance. See http://www.unstereotypealliance.org/

51

World Federation of Advertisers, A guide to progressive gender
portrayals in advertising, the case for unstereotyping ads. Available
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52

The Economic Times, “Consumers prefer socially responsible
brands: Study,” New Delhi, 25 January 2017. Available at: https://
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articleshow/56778815.cms

42

Jenny Gesley, Germany: Government Proposes Law to Reduce
Gender Pay Gap, Global Legal Monitor, Library of Congress, 18
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43

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44

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53

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45

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54

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55

46

Additional information is available here: http://www.
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47

EVE Programme, Danone. Available at: https://www.eveprogramme.
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56

Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Andrea Turner Moffitt with Melinda
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48

UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from
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50 | Women's economic empowerment though responsible business conduct in G7 countries

Photo credits
Cover photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown
Page 9: UN Women/Emad Karim
Page 12: UN Women/Ryan Brown
Page 14: IKEA Group
Page 16: L’Oréal
Page 21: Gap Inc
Page 22: Citi
Page 23: BNP Paribas
Page 25: Danone
Page 26: SAP
Page 29: Orange S.A.
Page 30: Scotiabank
Page 33: UN Women/ Joe Saade
Page 35: Procter & Gamble
Page 36: The World Federation of Advertisers
Page 39: Unilever
Page 41: Sodexo
Page 43: The Coca-Cola Company
Page 47: UBS

Endnotes | 51

This booklet has been produced by UN Women as part of the WE EMPOWER programme, funded by the European Unionand implemented by UN Women and the International Labour Organization.

WE EMPOWER at EmpowerWomen.org
EmpWomen

Empower_Women

we.empower@unwomen.org