Businesses are increasingly promoting gender equality amid pandemic challenges, new report shows

Levels of implementation, measurement and transparency remain low 

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 8 March 2022 — Businesses are increasing their efforts to promote gender equality as they continue to tackle pandemic challenges according to a new report released today by the United Nations Global Compact, UN Women, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and BSR. However much of that progress remains concerningly low, showcasing the need for more accelerated, urgent, impactful action.

The new report Women’s Empowerment and Business 2022 Trends and Opportunities: Progress Amid Pandemic Challenges Across Regions presents the findings of the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool, an online self-assessment tool that allows companies to anonymously assess their gender equality performance and deepen implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).

As of 1 December 2021, aggregate findings from 2,682 companies in 117 countries show that while 78 percent of companies using the tool have made a commitment to gender equality (up from 68 percent in 2020), levels of implementation, measurement and transparency remain concerningly low (between 1 and 2 percent on average). 

Other findings from companies who completed the WEPs Gender Analysis Tool include:

• 39% took proactive steps to recruit women in traditionally underrepresented roles compared with 29% in 2020

• 5% provided on-site childcare and/or referrals for off-site childcare compared with 18% in 2020

• 38% provided annual training on zero tolerance of violence to all employees compared with 28% in 2020

• 8% tracked percentage spending with women-owned businesses compared with 4% in 2020

• 20% have clear goals on desired impacts for women and girls in community projects compared with 14% in 2020

Commenting on the report findings, Lila Karbassi, Chief of Programmes at the UN Global Compact said: “Gender equality can drive economic growth, financial performance and corporate sustainability, but as this report shows we still need business to do more to drive accelerated, urgent and impactful change. Companies must set measurable and time-bound objectives and targets to close the gender gap at work including across value chains, products and services, and in marketing and community engagement. We encourage more companies to sign up to our Women Empowerment Principles to access a holistic roadmap to address the challenges women face in the workplace.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the existing barriers women face, including the unequal share of unpaid care work, domestic violence and the failure of companies to apply a gender lens to their policies and practices. The report further examines trends around these issues as well as key data points across every region of the world.

Notes to Editors

About the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs)

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles offering guidance to businesses on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. Established by UN Global Compact and UN Women, the WEPs are informed by international labour and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and a responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment. WEPs are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. By joining the WEPs community, a CEO signals commitment to this agenda at the highest levels of the company and to work collaboratively in multi stakeholder networks to foster business practices that empower women. These include equal pay for work of equal value, gender-responsive supply chain practices and zero tolerance against sexual harassment in the workplace. Please go to www.weps.org to learn more.

About the UN Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Its ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in more than 160 countries and with  69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, uniting business for a better world. For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit its website www.unglobalcompact.org.

About BSR

BSR™ is an organization of sustainable business experts that works with its global network of the world’s leading companies to build a just and sustainable world. With offices in Asia, Europe and North America, BSR™ provides insight, advice and collaborative initiatives to help build a changing world, create long-term business value and scale impact.

About IDB Invest

IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector. IDB Invest finances sustainable companies and projects to achieve financial results and maximize economic, social and environmental development in the region. With a portfolio of $13.1 billion in asset management and 385 clients in 25 countries, IDB Invest provides innovative financial solutions and advisory services that meet the needs of its clients in a variety of industries.

About IDB Lab

IDB Lab is the innovation laboratory of the IDB Group, the leading source of development finance and know-how for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The purpose of IDB Lab is to drive innovation for inclusion in the region by mobilizing financing, knowledge and connections to test early-stage solutions with the potential to transform the lives of vulnerable populations affected by economic, social and/or environmental factors. Since 1993 IDB Lab has approved more than US $2 billion in projects deployed across 26 LAC countries. 

About UN Women

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life. In collaboration with the UN Global Compact, UN Women engages the private sector through the Women’s Empowerment Principles – a global framework and engagement platform to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. In line with its Strategic Plan (2022–2025), UN Women focuses on four strategic priority areas: governance and participation in public life; women’s economic empowerment; ending violence against women and girls; and women, peace and security, humanitarian action and disaster risk reduction. Learn more at: www.unwomen.org and www.weps.org Follow us on Twitter @UN_Women, @WEPrinciples and on LinkedIn: UN Women, WEPs