New Web-Based Platform Highlights Gender Equality and Business
(3BL Media) Rio de Janiero - June 18, 2012 - A new web-based platform was launched today to advance business efforts to empower women and integrate gender equality into the corporate sustainability agenda. The website will provide a 'one-stop-shop' for business and other stakeholders to access information related to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact which provides a roadmap for business to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
The website (www.WEPrinciples.org) features key tools, resources and guidance materials, engagement opportunities for business and other stakeholders, and information about WEPs-related events taking place around the world. Further, the portal will increase visibility of business efforts to implement the Principles, including policies, practices and initiatives developed by the more than 420 companies whose top leadership has signed the CEO Statement of Support for the WEPs.
“At Deloitte member firms, gender equality is not only a key driver of business success, but a core belief that allows each member firm professional the opportunity to realize their full potential," said Barry Salzberg, Global CEO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. "As an original signatory of the CEO statement of support, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited is pleased to support the new platform and is confident the site will not only help advance the Women’s Empowerment Principles further but help businesses worldwide make the crucial connection between gender parity and sustainable business.”
“I believe that building the pipeline for gender diversity in our workforce begins with making it clear that we are committed to the empowerment of women worldwide. That is why I signed the CEO Statement of Support for the UN Women-UN Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which champions equality between women and men in the workplace,” said Enrique Salem, CEO of Symantec Corporation, also one of the first companies to sign. “We are particularly excited about the launch of the new WEP website and see it as an important platform for raising awareness and building support for the WEPs.”
The new Women’s Empowerment Principles website will be featured as part of the Gender Equality for Sustainability session of the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, on 18 June at 2:00 p.m. Watch the webcast live at www.webtv.un.org, or on demand at http://bit.ly/CSFwebcast.
About the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum:
Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want
The United Nations Global Compact will organize the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want from 15-18 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. Held in cooperation with the Rio+20 Secretariat, the UN System and the Global Compact Local Network Brazil in the days leading up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the Forum’s objective is to bring greater scale and quality to corporate sustainability practices. As a showcase for innovation and collaboration, the Forum is designed to be a launching ground for widespread action. Over 2,000 participants are expected at the Forum, representing business as well as investors, governments, local authorities, civil society and UN entities. www.compact4rio.org.
About the Women’s Empowerment Principles
The Women's Empowerment Principles – Equality Means Business is a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact. The Principles outline seven steps for business on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. The Principles highlight that empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors and throughout all levels of economic activity is essential to build strong economies; establish more stable and just societies; achieve internationally agreed goals for development, sustainability, and human rights; improve quality of life for women, men, families and communities; and propel business' operations and goals.
Lauren Gula
Project Manager
Human Rights & Women's Empowerment
UN Global Compact Office
gulal@unglobalcompact.org
+1 212-963-1566
