Empowering women to participate in full and productive employment is essential to expand economic growth, promote social and sustainable development and enhance business performance. However, the positive impacts of women-focused employment practices on firms, communities and the economy are often under appreciated. Co-hosted by the UN Global Compact, the International Finance Corporation, and the International Labour Organization, this webinar presents the latest research on the business case for gender diversity in the workplace. The discussions highlight the key challenges and opportunities for advancing women’s employment and retention and present key engagement opportunities to further promote gender equality including the Women's Empowerment Principles and WINvest.

There is a strong business case for improving the rates of female representation on boards and at senior executive levels. This brief provides guidance on integrating gender equality into all management selection processes and calls on companies to assure sufficient participation of women – 30% or greater – in decision-making and governance at all levels and across all business areas.

Learn about how companies in the UN Global Compact are taking action to advance corporate sustainability around the world.

Held in observance of International Women's Day, the 2016 WEPs Annual Event, Business Partners for Gender Equality: Multipliers for Development, brought together inspirational business leaders, including innovative female entrepreneurs, with civil society, the UN and Government, to scale-up business action and unleash the full potential of women and girls. Through high-level panels and interactive sessions, participants dove into how diverse companies around the world are implementing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and helping to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles for business offering guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

Held in observance of International Women's Day, the 2016 WEPs Annual Event, Business Partners for Gender Equality: Multipliers for Development, brought together inspirational business leaders, including innovative female entrepreneurs, with civil society, the UN and Government, to scale-up business action and unleash the full potential of women and girls. Through high-level panels and interactive sessions, participants dove into how diverse companies around the world are implementing the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and helping to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Companies and investors alike have been paying increasing attention to the business case for having robust diversity and gender equality policies and practices. This webinar brings together Global Compact participants and signatories of Principles for Responsible Investment to take stock of the growth and impact of the Women's Empowerment Principles initiative to date. To highlight the investment opportunity of gender equity, Catalyst, a leading nonporfit organization working to expand opportunities for women and business, presents research that supports the business case and Pax World Investments and Calvert Investments, investment management companies, discuss how the investor community can help advance gender equality and women's empowerment by encouraging companies to embrace the WEPs.

Co-convened by the UN Global Compact, the International Trade Centre, WEConnect International and BPW International, this webinar explores the "why" and "how" of sourcing from women-owned businesses. The Women's Empowerment Principles, in part, encourages companies to expand their business relationships with women-owned businesses and provides the foundation to explore why inclusive sourcing makes good business sense and is a key pillar of sustainable procurement.

Investing in women’s health not only benefits employees and surrounding communities, but it can also have a positive social and economic effect on the private sector. In ensuring that workers have safe working conditions and available health services, companies establish healthier staff, better relationships, and in many cases higher Return-on-investment (ROI). This call to companies to invest in women's health highlights Principle 3 of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, which encourages companies to ensure the health, including sexual and reproductive health, of all workers.

Calls upon Governments to bring down legal barriers restricting economic opportunities for women, and by doing so, help create an enabling environment for inclusive economic growth. Open for membership-based organizations to add their logo in support.

Identifying the importance of gender equality to the business case, companies around the world have taken steps to advance and empower women.

Provides an overview of how developing gender inclusive climate strategies can help businesses strengthen resilience and uncover new opportunities.