The Business Case for Women’s Economic Empowerment: An ...

1 The Business Case for women 's Economic empowerment : An Integrated Approach The Business Case for women 's Economic empowerment : An Integrated Approach Growing momentum In recent years, amidst increased awareness Headlines from the research include: that empowering women yields a high return on investment'1, a growing number of - While there are a lot of corporations investing in companies have collectively invested more women 's Economic empowerment , there is little than $300 million2 and launched dozens of available data about what's working and what's programs to support women 's Economic not. More data could help improve program empowerment . outcomes and increase return on investment. The majority of these programs aim to expand - Most programs focus on access to education, women 's employment opportunities, training financial support, training and employment and access to finance. However, for a woman opportunities rather than a more integrated to be economically empowered, she needs approach based on a human rights framework both the ability to succeed economically and that delivers the broader conditions necessary the power to act on Economic decisions.

2 For women to thrive. Oak Foundation hence commissioned - There is an opportunity and desire to increase Dalberg Global Development Advisors collaboration and improve communications (Dalberg) and the International Center for between the women 's rights sector and Research on women (ICRW), integrating corporations working in women 's Economic findings from communications research by empowerment programs. WITTER ventures, to understand in more detail corporate-funded women 's Economic empowerment programs. Programs included in this study by launch year3. Companies Corporate Foundations 6. 5. 4 4. 3 3. 4 5. 2. 3. 2. 2. 1 1 1 1. 2. 0 1 1 1 1. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013. 1 La Pietra Coalition, 2011; McKinsey, The Business of Empowering women , 2010. 2 ICRW and Dalberg analysis of 31 corporate-funded programs. Based on publicly available data. Represents current pool of funding including multi-year projects.

3 Not all programs provided investment data. 3 Dalberg and ICRW analysis of 31 corporate-funded programs. The Evidence The evidence base for this report consists analyzed in this study. This analysis reviewed of a representative sample of 31 of the each of the companies engagement with largest corporate-funded women 's Economic the eight building blocks. The majority of empowerment programs run by 28 companies programs studied utilized three or four of the and corporate foundations. The table below lists eight building blocks. Only three company's the 28 companies and corporate foundations completed full, rigorous impact evaluations. Primary areas of focus for corporate-funded programs Company Suppliers Employees Customers Communities General Impact Coca-Cola DANONE. Diageo Gap Inc. Kellog MAS Holdings McDonalds Nestl . Vodafone Walmart Bank of America Calvert Foundation Chevron Credit Suisse DKNY. ExxonMobil General Mills Goldman Sachs H&M Conscious Foundation HSBC.

4 Intel Kraft Levi-Strauss Foundation MetLife Foundation MTN Foundation Nike Foundation Nokia Qualcomm Strategic Benefits of an Integrated Approach Why an integrated approach? An integrated approach delivers higher return on investment (ROI) across the corporate value chain, as well as bringing social returns. It is also an opportunity for a company to demonstrate leadership in the growing women 's Economic empowerment movement and to contribute to larger efforts for the improvement of women 's status globally. What is an integrated approach? An integrated approach addresses the underlying structural barriers to women 's Economic empowerment . It utilizes all of a company's potential levers to create impact: people, investments, brand, customers, purchasing power and partnerships. How can companies implement an integrated approach? Companies can put this approach into action by implementing eight building blocks for achieving women 's Economic empowerment .

5 Eight Building Blocks for an Integrated Approach4. 1 Access to equitable 2 Education and training 3 Access to and control over 4 Voice in society and safe Economic and policy employment resources and influence opportunities Sustainable, Impactful Economic empowerment for women 5 Freedom from the risk 6 Freedom of movement 7 Access to and control over 8 Social protection of violence health and and childcare family formation 4 These building blocks are based in a human-rights framework developed from interviews with various rights experts and review of relevant literature including: A Rights-based Approach to Development. (AWID, 2002), Introduction to a Rights-based Approach (Replace Campaign), Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework (UN OHCHR, 2011). The Opportunity More than ever before, Business leaders Business leaders are now in a unique position to are stepping forward to advance women 's drive even greater impact and stronger growth for Economic empowerment .

6 Their efforts position their firms by adopting an integrated approach them as a very powerful ally in the broader effort in their efforts to support women 's Economic to ensure that all women can fully participate empowerment . in and benefit from rising global prosperity. Applying Business levers for more effective change Companies and corporate foundations can apply an integrated approach by: 1. Funding or creating integrated programs themselves;. 2. Asking funding recipients or their implementing partners to adopt an integrated approach; or 3. Partnering with women 's rights organizations or women 's funds. In all cases, companies and corporate foundations should consider leveraging the wide range of Business assets available to them. The Business case framework: leveraging all Business assets People Companies can empower female staff, leaders, and board members by making internal policies, systems, norms, and beliefs more gender equitable.

7 Employees can provide expertise or act as volunteers for external programs. Investments Companies can use their investments, CSR programs, and/or grant-making to support women at every stage of the value chain in which they operate. Brands Companies can use their reputation and relationships with peers and customers to influence policy in the communities where they operate. Partners Companies can work with NGOs, governments, foundations, advocacy groups, and businesses to address specific barriers and to advance women 's rights. Programs can leverage external knowledge and experience to incorporate best practices. Purchasing power Companies can source inputs from businesses that directly empower women as suppliers, contractors, and distributors and establish policies encouraging this practice. Higher Impact, Higher Efficiency, and Higher ROI. An Integrated Approach Across the Corporate Value Chain Building blocks and activities for an integrated approach to women 's Economic empowerment Roles of women in the Corporate Value Chain Building Blocks for women 's Economic empowerment women as suppliers, women as employees women as consumers women as members contractors/distributors of communities 1 Pursue and expand Business with women - Actively recruit and retain women Use packaging, marketing, and brand Train local leaders and institutions on value of Access to owned suppliers ( within company ( materials that represent recruiting and retaining equitable Danone Egypt's MCC McDonald's Global women as valued women employees and safe Project) women 's Initiative)

8 Employees Support right to equal employment Encourage industry Enact and enforce Provide information pay for equal work to pursue Business corporate policies for on employment Support right to with women suppliers, right to equal work, opportunities at sales equal employment contractors, and equal pay touch points opportunities distributors ( Diageo's Plan W) Advocate for stronger Contract only with Enact and enforce laws and enforcement businesses using non- corporate policies for for safe workplaces for discriminatory policies maternal and women paternal leave Ensure safe work environments 2. Support programs Ensure equal access to Offer communications Create or support that train women as education and vocational products tailored to education, training, and suppliers, contractors, training programs women connectivity programs Education and distributors ( Provide equal oppor- Offer education tailored to women ( and training Nestl s work with tunities for continued financing products Intel's She Will Connect).)

9 women in Cocoa Supply higher education ( tailored to women Support entrepreneurial Chain, Gap's scholarships,part- time Provide information skill programs for women initiative) work and study) on schools, education, ( Coca-Cola's 5by20). Provide equal training, and Create or support opportunities for connectivity programs programs to recruit and networking and at sales points retain women educators mentorship, especially Support rights to primary with women leaders and secondary school 3. Contract with Provide financial Offer financial products Support programs businesses who literacy programs for tailored offering financial support financial women employees to women ( services, advising, Access literacy and financial Provide women -tailored ExxonMobil's Business and training tailored to to and stability among women financial advisory women ) women ( HERF inance, control over employees services Provide information Qualcomm's Mentoring Economic Assist female on women 's rights to women in Business ).

10 Resources employees to credit, capital, land and Provide credit or capital and oppor- obtain asset property at sales points to female-run businesses tunities documentation ( Goldman Sachs's 10,000 women ). Support women 's right to credit, capital, land and property Contract with Enact and enforce Use packaging, Support programs that 4 businesses who have and promote women corporate policies for equal marketing and brand materials that respect promote women leaders ( Bank of America's Voice in leaders promotion and empower women Mentoring women in society and Contract with Provide equal access to and promote female Business ). influencing businesses with equal management training leadership Support right to equal policy promotion rules and leadership skill Provide information promotion rules & rates and gender-friendly development on women 's rights to Support right to leadership cultures Encourage women to promotion, leadership, equal participation in seek out leadership and decision-making at discussions and decision- positions inside and sales points making ( H&M.)