Investing in Women

#DYK: In Indonesia, 50% of entrepreneurs are women. Yet, only 10-20% of women entrepreneurs have access to the finance they need to scale and grow their businesses. According to the World Bank, Indonesia's economy could unlock over US$428 million annually if women-owned businesses achieved revenue parity with those owned by men. Since 2016, Investing in Women has worked with gender lens investors in Indonesia to expand access to finance and other support that women-owned businesses need to thrive. Watch this video for insights from our previous phase of gender lens investing in Indonesia!

INVESTING IN A HEALTHIER WORKFORCE A healthy workforce brings several benefits to businesses - fewer sick days, reduced turnover & replacement costs, and increased productivity. With an aim to build a culture that values both performance and well-being, the Philippine National Bank (PNB), a member of the PBCWE (Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment) , introduced various gender-sensitive support programs to help employees, especially women employees, cope with increased stress and anxiety. The programs contributed to a more inclusive workplace environment as well as strengthened organisational resilience during the COVID-19 crisis, leading to PNB being recognised by their peers. Read the case study to learn more: https://buff.ly/3zCgUz8 Launched in 2017 with support from Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government, PBCWE works with influential businesses on shifting workplace cultures, practices and policy barriers to achieve workplace gender equality in the Philippines. # internationalselfcareday

Selamat Hari Anak Nasional! Sudahkah perusahaan Anda berkomitmen dalam menyediakan dukungan pengasuhan dan perawatan anak? Dalam panduan yang kami kembangkan bersama IBCWE (Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment) dan Prospera , perusahaan dapat mempelajari berbagai jenis dukungan pengasuhan dan perawatan anak, meninjau langkah-langkahnya, serta memahami bagaimana dukungan tersebut dapat memberikan manfaat bagi karyawan dan bisnis. Panduan ini tersedia dalam Bahasa Indonesia dan dapat diakses melalui tautan berikut: buff.ly/3S75c6e Happy National Children's Day! Has your company committed to providing employer-supported childcare? Together with IBCWE (Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment) and Prospera we’ve developed a guide for companies to explore various types of employer-supported childcare, delve into implementation steps, and learn how both employees and companies benefit from childcare provision within the workplace. This guide is available in Bahasa Indonesia and can be accessed through the link: buff.ly/3S75c6e #HariAnakNasional #PerawatanAnak #EmployerSupportedChildcare

The UN Women WEPs Awards is accepting applications until 31 July. UN Women Asia and the Pacific

Media has the power to propagate and reinforce stereotypes and social expectations, including those related to gender. How can we, as consumers of media, reshape and change this public narrative? Supported by Investing in Women (IW), Magdalene’s #FTW Media (For the Women) podcast series tackles how damaging gender portrayals are often produced by media and how consumers have the power to critically choose and influence the products created for their consumption. The podcast series, available in Bahasa Indonesia, not only raises awareness on gender stereotypes in media but also pushes for a shift to more positive perspectives. Read to explore more about #FTW Media: https://buff.ly/3y51enD In 2024, IW is strengthening our partnership with Magdalene to launch a new campaign which aims to promote gender-equal sharing of care and economic roles in popular media and other shapers of public discourse. Watch this space to learn more about their upcoming activities!

ICYMI: UN Women Asia and the Pacific recently published the outcome report of the 2023 UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Forum held in the Philippines. At last year’s Forum, representatives from Investing in Women, PBCWE (Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment) and their member organisations led discussions on pathways to achieve workplace gender equality (WGE), such as fostering inclusive corporate cultures, addressing gender stereotypes through marketing, convening industry alliances, and strengthening the business case for WGE through quality data.   Ready to get started on your WGE journey? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g4hXBGXE

What is the state of women in leadership and business in 2024? What are our opportunities to accelerate progress toward gender parity? We’ve made it easier to find the latest resources from across the web at our Knowledge Hub: ➡️ Women, Business, and the Law 2024 by The World Bank Group https://buff.ly/3vaqPdw ➡️ Women in the Boardroom: A Global Perspective by Deloitte https://buff.ly/3WgYcGj ➡️ Women in Business 2024 by Grant Thornton https://buff.ly/2PGkY99 ➡️ Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia by OECD https://www.oecd.org/ Explore our Knowledge Hub: https://lnkd.in/g5-9raQw

GEAR UP FOR SUCCESS Equal economic opportunity continues to be a challenge for Filipino women. Despite the country’s achievement in narrowing the workforce gender gap as reported in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, the Philippines’ female labour force participation rate remains one of the lowest in the region at 47.3%. Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government, supports the PBCWE (Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment)’s work with influential businesses on shifting workplace cultures, practices, and policy barriers to achieve workplace gender equality (WGE). One of PBCWE’s successful case studies is their engagement with Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) to advance the company’s WGE agenda. Using the Gender Equality Assessment Results and Strategies (GEARS) tool allowed AEV to identify gaps and develop a comprehensive action plan to improve WGE policies and gender balance at the board level. By ensuring equal opportunities for both women and men in the workforce, businesses benefit significantly through increased staff motivation, better talent management, higher productivity and performance, and improved reputation. Learn more about AEV’s journey towards gender equality with PBCWE: https://buff.ly/4eAlYUO Interested to learn more about the GEARS tool? Find out at: https://buff.ly/43mhDzm

#RFP: IW is seeking the submission of a proposal by a suitably qualified, Philippine-based travel management company to undertake the management of IW’s business travel portfolio and assist in the various functions of travel booking, reporting, policy management and account management. The request for proposals will close at 5:00 pm Philippine Standard Time, 19 August 2024. IW will host an online information session tentatively scheduled prior to 31 July 2024 to provide a live platform for clarifying questions. Interested parties who wish to attend this online meeting should register not later 19 July 2024. For more information about the RFP, the information session and the proposal submission process, visit: https://buff.ly/4bE7Ff6

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024, the ascent to the C-suite is steeped in deeply entrenched inequalities, resulting in an overall –21.5 percentage point drop from the base to the top. While women worldwide occupy nearly half of entry-level positions, they fall short of representing even one quarter of C-suite roles. Collecting data on women in leadership roles and other gender gap indicators is the first step in advancing an organisation’s workplace gender equality (WGE) journey. The Gender Equality Assessment Resources and Strategies (GEARS) tool offers a valuable resource for businesses seeking to gain insights into their current WGE strategies. Based on resources developed by Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency and adapted by Investing in Women-supported business coalitions for the Southeast Asian market, GEARS empowers companies to make informed decisions and act towards their WGE goals. Learn from the GEARS experience of companies from Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Philippines: https://buff.ly/3zhP3nS Ready to get started with GEARS? https://buff.ly/43mhDzm