Equality Means Business

Launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles - 9 March 2010

List of Participants | Meeting Report

Why Gender Matters

• Remarks by Ms. Inés Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM
• Remarks by Mr. Georg Kell, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Office
• Remarks by Ms. Debra Valentine, Group Executive, Legal & External Affairs, Rio Tinto 

The Business Case for Women's Empowerment

This session highlighted the latest research and resources making the business case for gender equality.  It set the stage for the Women’s Empowerment Principles – why we need them, why now – with a focus on how businesses can make or strengthen their own specific business case for further action to empower women within their organizations.  

Moderator

• Mr. Joseph Keefe, President and CEO, Pax World Mutual Funds

Lead Discussants

• Ms. Kathryn Kiplinger, Co-Head Corporate Banking & Head of Risk Assessment & Execution, Scotia US
• Dr. Elisabeth Kelan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Work and Organisations, Kings College London
• Ms. Deborah K. Holmes, Global Director, Corporate Responsibility, Ernst & Young, LLP
• Ms. Saadia Zahidi, Director and Head of Constituents, World Economic Forum

First Respondents

• Ms. Cecily Joseph, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Symantec Corporation
• Ms. Amy D. Augustine, Manager of Diversity & International Labor Relations, Calvert Asset Management Company, Inc.

Changing Attitudes, Engaging Leaders

This session explored how businesses can and do lead by example, highlighting innovative corporate initiatives and programmes aimed at changing cultures within the organization and beyond.

Moderator

• Dr. Linda Basch, Ph.D., President, National Council for Research on Women

Lead Discussants

• Ms. Susie C. Pontarolli, Aide – Environment and Corporate Citizenship Division, COPEL
• Ms. Kathy O’Brien, Vice President US Personal Care, Unilever (video)
• Ms. Connie Wong, Managing Director, CSW Associates Inc.
• Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi, Global Compact Local Network Representative, Gulf States, and Member of the Global Compact Board

First Respondents

• Dr. Meryle Mahrer Kaplan, Ph.D., Vice President, Advisory Services, Catalyst
• Ms. Stephanie Quappe, Manager, Global Diversity and Inclusion, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Workplace Practices to Empower Women

There is much that is being done – and much more that can be done – to empower women in the workplace.  This panel examined how to make the goals of the Women’s Empowerment Principles a reality in the workplace.   It highlighted existing workplace policies, practices and programmes aimed at empowering women and explored how the WEPs can serve as a tool to maximize impact.

Moderator

• Dr. Bama Athreya, Ph.D., Executive Director, International Labor Rights Forum

Lead Discussants

• Ms. Nuria Latorre Claudio, Equality Officer, Agbar
• Ms. Anamaria Ballard, Consultant on Corporate Social Responsibility, Petrobras
• Ms. Cynthia Trudell, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Personnel Officer, PepsiCo
• Dr. Maya Morsy, Ph.D., Country Coordinator, UNIFEM Egypt

First Respondents

• Ms. Elena Gastaldo, External Relations Officer, ILO
• Ms. Erica Christensen, Director, Community Affairs, CA, Inc.
• Ms. Jody Mahoney, VP Business Development/Strategic Partnerships, Anita Borg Institute for Women & Technology

Empowerment Along the Value Chain

Procurement practices and the value chain are another key opportunity for business to empower women, yet gender is often overlooked in value chain analyses.  This session discussed the significance of gender in value chains and looked at the application of the Women’s Empowerment Principles in this context.

Moderator

• Dr. Radhika Balakrishnan, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, Rutgers University

Lead Discussants

• Ms. Willa Shalit, CEO, Fair Winds Trading
• Mr. Daniel Lee, Executive Director, Levi Strauss Foundation
• Ms. Amanda Ellis, Lead Specialist, Gender and Development, World Bank Group
• Ms. Pamela Eason, Vice President of Worldwide Procurement, Pfizer

First Respondents

• Ms. Letty Chiwara, Cross Regional Programmes Manager, UNIFEM
• Dr. Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., Dean, College of Business Administration, Fordham University

On the Record – Transparency and Reporting

Reporting on progress towards gender equality requires transparent processes and data--this session drew attention to recently developed tools and resources designed to help business with this process, make more accessible information about progress, and help drive further efforts to empower women.

Moderator

• Ms. Joanne Sandler, Deputy Executive Director for Programmes, UNIFEM

Lead Discussants

• Ms. Katherine Miles, Project Manager, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• Ms. Srimathi Shivashankar, Senior Lead, Diversity, Infosys
• Ms. Annie Tennant, Global Diversity Manager, Lend Lease
• Ms. Miriam Filella, Diversity Manager, Endesa

First  Respondent

• Ms. Christina Zimmerman, Manager of Investor Engagements,  UNPRI
• Ms. Mary Jane McQuillen, Director & Portfolio Manager, Socially Aware Investment Program, ClearBridge Advisors, a Legg Mason Company

Reception with Government Representatives hosted by the Government of Finland

Welcome and remarks by H.E. Ambassador Jarmo Viinanen, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations