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The Business Case forWomen’s EconomicEmpowerment:An Integrated Approach

The Business Case forWomen’s Economic Empowerment:An Integrated ApproachGrowing momentumIn recent years, amidst increased awarenessthat empowering women yields a ‘highreturn on investment’1, a growing number ofcompanies have collectively invested morethan 300 million2 and launched dozens ofprograms to support women’s economicempowerment.Headlines from the research include:The majority of these programs aim to expandwomen’s employment opportunities, trainingand access to finance. However, for a womanto be economically empowered, she needsboth the ability to succeed economically andthe power to act on economic decisions.- Most programs focus on access to education,financial support, training and employmentopportunities rather than a more integratedapproach based on a human rights frameworkthat delivers the broader conditions necessaryfor women to thrive.Oak Foundation hence commissionedDalberg Global Development Advisors(Dalberg) and the International Center forResearch on Women (ICRW), integratingfindings from communications research byWITTER ventures, to understand in moredetail corporate-funded women’s economicempowerment programs.- There is an opportunity and desire to increasecollaboration and improve communicationsbetween the women’s rights sector andcorporations working in women’s economicempowerment programs.- While there are a lot of corporations investing inwomen’s economic empowerment, there is littleavailable data about what’s working and what’snot. More data could help improve programoutcomes and increase return on investment.Programs included in this study by launch year3CompaniesCorporate 922102002231112010201120121 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. Not all programs provided investment data.3 Dalberg and ICRW analysis of 31 corporate-funded programs.22013

The EvidenceThe evidence base for this report consistsof a representative sample of 31 of thelargest corporate-funded women’s economicempowerment programs run by 28 companiesand corporate foundations. The table below liststhe 28 companies and corporate foundationsanalyzed in this study. This analysis reviewedeach of the companies engagement withthe eight building blocks. The majority ofprograms studied utilized three or four of theeight building blocks. Only three company’scompleted full, rigorous impact evaluations.Primary areas of focus for corporate-funded programsCompanyCoca-ColaDANONEDiageoGap Inc.KellogMAS HoldingsMcDonaldsNestléVodafoneWalmartBank of AmericaCalvert FoundationChevronCredit SuisseDKNYExxonMobilGeneral MillsGoldman SachsH&M ationMetLifeFoundationMTN FoundationNike FoundationNokiaQualcommSuppliersEmployees Customers Communities General Impact

Strategic Benefits of an Integrated ApproachWhy an integrated approach?An integrated approach delivers higher return on investment (ROI) across the corporatevalue chain, as well as bringing social returns. It is also an opportunity for a company todemonstrate leadership in the growing women’s economic empowerment movement and tocontribute 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 economicempowerment. 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 forachieving women’s economic empowerment.Eight Building Blocks for an Integrated Approach41Access toequitableand safeemployment2Educationand training3Access to andcontrol overeconomicresources andopportunities4Voice insocietyand policyinfluenceSustainable, Impactful EconomicEmpowerment for Women5Freedomfrom the riskof violence6Freedomof movement7Access to andcontrol overhealth andfamilyformation8Socialprotectionand childcare4 These building blocks are based in a human-rights framework developed from interviews with various rights experts and review of relevantliterature 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 OpportunityMore than ever before, business leadersare stepping forward to advance women’seconomic empowerment. Their efforts positionthem as a very powerful ally in the broader effortto ensure that all women can fully participatein and benefit from rising global prosperity.Business leaders are now in a unique position todrive even greater impact and stronger growth fortheir firms — by adopting an integrated approachin their efforts to support women’s economicempowerment.Applying business levers for more effective changeCompanies 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; or3. Partnering with women’s rights organizations or women’s funds.In all cases, companies and corporate foundations should consider leveraging the wide rangeof business assets available to them.The business case framework: leveraging all business assetsPeopleCompanies can empower female staff, leaders, and board members by making internalpolicies, systems, norms, and beliefs more gender equitable.Employees can provide expertise or act as volunteers for external programs.InvestmentsCompanies can use their investments, CSR programs, and/or grant-making tosupport women at every stage of the value chain in which they operate.BrandsCompanies can use their reputation and relationships with peers and customersto influence policy in the communities where they operate.PartnersCompanies 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 powerCompanies can source inputs from businesses that directly empower women assuppliers, contractors, and distributors and establish policies encouraging this practice.Higher Impact, Higher Efficiency, and Higher ROI

An Integrated Approach Across the Corporate Value ChainBuilding blocks and activities for an integrated approach to women’s economic empowermentRoles of Women in the Corporate Value ChainBuilding Blocks for Women’s Economic Empowerment1Access toequitableand safeemployment2Educationand training3Accessto andcontrol overeconomicresourcesand opportunities4Voice insociety andinfluencingpolicyWomen as suppliers,contractors/distributorsWomen as employeesWomen as consumersWomen as membersof communities·  Pursue and expandbusiness with womenowned suppliers (e.g.Danone Egypt’s MCCProject)·  Encourage industryto pursue businesswith women suppliers,contractors, anddistributors·  Contract only withbusinesses using nondiscriminatory policies·  Actively recruitand retain womenwithin company (e.g.McDonald’s GlobalWomen’s Initiative)·  Enact and enforcecorporate policies forright to equal work,equal pay(e.g. Diageo’s Plan W)·  Enact and enforcecorporate policies formaternal andpaternal leave·  Ensure safe workenvironments·  Use packaging,marketing, and brandmaterials that representwomen as valuedemployees·  Provide informationon employmentopportunities at salestouch points·  Train local leaders andinstitutions on value ofrecruiting and retainingwomen employees·  Support right to equalpay for equal work·  Support right toequal employmentopportunities·  Advocate for strongerlaws and enforcementfor safe workplaces forwomen·  Support programsthat train women assuppliers, contractors,and distributors (e.g.Nestlé‘s work withwomen in Cocoa SupplyChain, Gap’s P.A.C.E.initiative)·  Ensure equal access toeducation and vocationaltraining programs·  Provide equal opportunities for continuedhigher education (e.g.scholarships,part- timework and study)·  Provide equalopportunities fornetworking andmentorship, especiallywith women leaders·  Offer communicationsproducts tailored towomen·  Offer educationfinancing productstailored to women·  Provide informationon schools, education,training, andconnectivity programsat sales points·  Create or supporteducation, training, andconnectivity programstailored to women (e.g.Intel’s She Will Connect)·  Support entrepreneurialskill programs for women(e.g. Coca-Cola’s 5by20)·  Create or supportprograms to recruit andretain women educators·  Support rights to primaryand secondary school·  Contract withbusinesses whosupport financialliteracy and financialstability among womenemployees·  Provide financialliteracy programs forwomen employees·  Provide women-tailoredfinancial advisoryservices·  Assist femaleemployees toobtain assetdocumentation·  Offer financial productstailoredto women (e.g.ExxonMobil’s BusinessWomen)·  Provide informationon women’s rights tocredit, capital, land andproperty at sales points·  Support programsoffering financialservices, advising,and training tailored towomen (e.g. HERFinance,Qualcomm’s MentoringWomen in Business)·  Provide credit or capitalto female-run businesses(e.g. Goldman Sachs’s10,000 Women)·  Support women’s right tocredit, capital, land andproperty·  Contract withbusinesses who haveand promote womenleaders·  Contract withbusinesses with equalpromotion rulesand gender-friendlyleadership cultures·  Enact and enforcecorporatepolicies for equalpromotion·  Provide equal access tomanagement trainingand leadership skilldevelopment·  Encourage women toseek out leadershippositions inside andoutside company·  Use packaging,marketing and brandmaterials that respectand empower womenand promote femaleleadership·  Provide informationon women’s rights topromotion, leadership,and decision-making atsales points·  Support programs thatpromote women leaders(e.g. Bank of America’sMentoring Women inBusiness)·  Support right to equalpromotion rules & rates·  Support right toequal participation indiscussions and decisionmaking (e.g. H&MConscious initiative)