While data shows closing the gender gap would increase the GDP of countries around the world and advance sustainable development globally, there are still significant legal barriers to women's economic empowerment. To realistically achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, governments are encouraged to remove legal barriers restricting women’s participation in the global economy and to unlock the full potential of women and girls around the world. This webinar introduces the findings of the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2016 report which found that approximately 90% of 173 countries have at least one legal barrier restricting economic opportunities for women. The discussion highlights the business opportunity and imperative to promote good governance and the equal rights of women and men required to create an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable business growth.

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

Explores the business case for inclusive sourcing and opportunities such as the upcoming Women Vendors Exhibition and Forum that facilitates establishing business relationships between global supply chains and women entrepreneurs. The discussion links Principle 5 of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which encourages companies to expand on their business connections with women-owned enterprises, to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular regard to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The webinar addresses socially responsible sourcing practices. Business and supplier representatives present their experiences and programmes.

Illustrates the philosophical and practical connections between the UN Global Compact Ten Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals. This white paper draws an important philosophical line in the sand in relation to the crucial importance of principles, especially the UN Global Compact Ten Principles. We welcome your input.

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.

Companies and organizations are making tremendous strides in creating policies that support inclusive and diverse environments; however data shows that women, as well as other minority groups such as ethnic and/or racial minorities, persons with disabilities etc. continue to be underrepresented and face barriers to achieving their full potential. While there are several factors that contribute to this global reality, one factor that is often overlooked is the need to address unconscious biases and implicit associations that can form an unintended and often an invisible barrier, restricting a company’s gender equality policies and programmes from reaching their intended mark. To achieve truly inclusive business environments the Women's Empowerment Principles call on companies to take steps to uncover, raise awareness about, address and reduce unconscious biases throughout their organization, including at the management and leadership levels.

Business In Society (BIS) reports on how the private sector can have an influential effect on our lives through sustainable and responsible business. This programme features the Women's Empowerment Principles and interviews with Ms. Anne-Marie Slaughter, President of The New America Foundation, Ms. Barbara Krumsiek, CEO of Calvert Investments, and Ursula Wynhoven, Chief, Governance and Social Sustainability and General Counsel of the United Nations Global Compact by John Paluszek of BIS. In these interviews, a spotlight is put on the Women's Empowerment Principles and the tipping point for women’s empowerment in business, government, civil society and other institutions

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.

This brief explanatory note explains the relationship between the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the UN Global Compact and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

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.

This webinar introduces examples of innovative approaches to empowering women in the workplace, marketplace and community by focusing on women's health initiatives in the private sector. These inspirational examples illustrate some of the concrete ways in which companies can and are taking action to implement the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs).