The UN Global Compact and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) conducted a landmark survey of men and women across five major African economies (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa). The survey found there is a significant expectation-reality gap with many believing there was gender parity in spite of empirical evidence and men and women’s own experiences in Africa showing otherwise. The survey outlined steps private sector companies must take to drive forward gender equality in business.

Women and girls remain highly underrepresented in public life, the economy and the workforce worldwide; in the Middle East, participation scores well below the global rate. This special spotlight report identifies the challenges companies in Arab societies may face in advancing gender equality and outlines the economic and business opportunities for the private sector when engaging in male allyship to advance gender equality. Download this report today to explore the most recent data and learn from case studies from large companies in the Middle East.

The ILO Helpdesk is a service from the International Labour Organization that provides a one-stop-shop to help company managers and workers understand the application of international labour standards.

This report examines the aggregate results of companies using the Women's Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool with an aim to provide insights on global and regional corporate performance on gender equality and showcase the efforts of partners and other stakeholders to drive women's empowerment around the world. The report concludes that while some progress has been made on advancing gender equality across regions and across issues, there is a need for more accelerated, urgent, impactful action across the board. This report is available in English, French, German, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese.

Guides companies around the world to better understand and address human rights impacts in their operations and supply chains. Users can access in-depth analysis of key human rights issues, due diligence recommendations, as well as case studies illustrating how other businesses have responsibly addressed human rights impacts.

Description: Part of the UN Global Compact SDG Ambition Accelerator Initiative, the Living Wage Ambition is one of ten SDG Ambition Benchmarks aiming at challenging organizations to set more ambitious targets and accelerating integration of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into core business management. This ambition is encouraging companies to provide and promote a living wage as an essential aspect of decent work to ensure all workers, families and communities can live in dignity. The guide “Achieving the Living Wage Ambition: Reference Sheet and Implementation Guidance” provides illustrative details regarding the steps to take to successfully implement a living wage programme in a company’s business system which will lead to all employees being provided with wages and benefits that are sufficient to cover at least their basic needs. For more information on the SDG Ambition Accelerator Initiative please visit here.

Through the Target Gender Equality Newsletter, stories of action and impact across the globe are shared, featuring Global Compact companies and the individuals that are driving change within their organizations and beyond. Read more about the companies moving the needle to advance gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. Sign up to future newsletter here.

 Through the Target Gender Equality Newsletter, stories of action and impact across the globe are shared, featuring Global Compact companies and the individuals that are driving change within their organizations and beyond. Read more about the women moving the needle to advance gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. Sign up to future newsletter here.

The Improving Wages to Advance Decent Work in Supply Chains microsite highlights lessons learned and best practices from companies and organizations on tackling low pay in supply chains. The microsite is not a blueprint for living wages in global supply chains but provides a strategic logic to support companies’ decision making, to devise their own realistic, integrated strategy on tackling low pay in supply chains and chart their way forward with a plan of concrete implementation actions that enable their commitments. For more resources on living wage, please refer to our living wage webpage. (https://www.unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/our-work/livingwages)

Developed by the United Nations Global Compact, UNICEF and Save the Children – the Children’s Rights and Business Principles are the first comprehensive set of principles to guide companies on the full range of actions they can take in the workplace, marketplace and community to respect and support children’s rights. While the business and human rights agenda has evolved significantly in recent years, a child rights perspective has not yet been explicitly addressed. (https://childrenandbusiness.org/)

Examines the aggregate results of companies using the Women's Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool with an aim to provide insights on global corporate performance on gender equality and and showcase the efforts of partners and other stakeholders to drive women's empowerment around the world. The report concludes that while corporate support for gender equality is strong, businesses have yet to introduce measurable targets and robust accountability mechanisms to ensure progress. 

The Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement will enable companies, procurement professionals and suppliers to develop a common understanding on how to advance decent work through purchasing decisions and scaling up efforts to improve lives around the globe. With a focus on trust and transparency, the Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement is publicly available to all and contains real-life examples of buyers and suppliers jointly addressing decent work concerns in global supply chains.