Positive Purchasing’s Post

🏭Introducing our latest investor guidance on human rights and gender equality🤱🏾  Companies have a responsibility to ensure that human rights are respected and gender equality is promoted; both within their four walls and in their supply chains.     As public and political awareness of the need to hold companies accountable to this responsibility grows, so does the call for institutional investors to challenge companies on the speed of progress and decisions taken.     We are pleased to share two new guidance documents, designed to support investor action in this space:    📕Investor guidance that elaborates on the key findings of our 2023 Gender Benchmark: https://lnkd.in/d9YYsvnx     📕Investor guidance that elaborates on findings from our 2022 and 2023 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark: https://lnkd.in/dxuaGfE7   Both documents contain a series of assessment questions supported by our findings that investors can use to engage companies in meaningful discussion.     #bizhumanrights #SDG5 #genderequality #corporateaccountability #assetmanagers #humanrights #GenderBenchmark #CHRB #ESG The Generation Foundation

Translating evidence from our benchmarks into actions is as crucial for us as developing our benchmarks. Many rightsholders, particularly those vulnerable to negative impacts, lack the means to hold powerful corporations accountable for gaps in their commitments and actions on human rights and gender equality. Investors have a unique and very important role in addressing this power imbalance ⚖ that exists in our socioeconomic ecosystem. We have been privileged to have the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated individuals and organizations in the financial sector who share our commitment to corporate accountability. We've recently released two investor guidance documents, shaped by key findings from our Gender Benchmark and Corporate Human Rights Benchmark. Our aim is to assist investors in their efforts to engage companies on these critical issues. Thanks to my colleagues Sanjini Jain Talya Swissa Jill van de Walle Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee and others for their hard work to make this happen. Tell us how this supports your work, where we can improve, and if you're interested in collaborating with us.

Gender equality at the corporate level isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s sound business practice. Studies consistently demonstrate the connection between gender diversity in leadership and a company’s financial performance, innovation and decision-making. What should gender equality mean in practice? Is equality in representation, pay and opportunity enough? An inclusive workplace culture is vital, of course, and it’s important to have policies to ensure both men and women can successfully balance work and family responsibilities. But should companies go further? In my view, gender equality at corporate level also means understanding the issues that women face – things like gender-based violence, single-income households and family responsibilities – then digging deep to ensure the company provides support mechanisms that speak to these real-life challenges. It’s also important to be proactive and organised: collect and analyse data on pay gaps, representation and promotion rates; establish measurable targets to fix areas where there are disparities; develop formal programmes to connect women with mentors and allies; and hold leaders accountable for creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Gender equality doesn’t happen by accident or because people think it’s a good idea. It takes careful planning and determined execution by every leader in the organisation. For even more inspiration, see this list of phenomenal firsts across the African continent: https://lnkd.in/dHjbG8W8 #InternationalWomensDay #KFCRecipeforGood #Diversity #Inclusion

AGM season is all-consuming for many working in the investment industry at the moment and increasingly many are grappling with how to approach voting whilst considering systemic risks in their (or their manager's) portfolios. There are some great resources already out to support investor on this (such as Portfolio on the Ballot from our allies The Shareholder Commons and the Proxy Preview being delivered by As You Sow Sustainable Investments Institute and Proxy Impact). 📢 These two new short Investor Guides focus on gender and human rights, both catalytic topics that represent systemic risk. For example, according to WEF’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, gender parity is being increasingly recognized as critical for financial stability and economic performance (https://lnkd.in/d9Y2emhf). And the PRI's articulates here "why investors should act on human rights" (https://lnkd.in/dhptSjwH). 🔦 So, if you and/or others you are know are looking for practical guidance on: - which sectors/ companies/ topics to prioritise based on most risk/ impact; - on what questions to ask companies/ what to look for in company reporting; - best practice examples showing there are companies who are doing this already... then this is the place to look!

Gender equality isn’t a big deal. If companies still think this, they are definitely moving backward. Did you know that women still only hold around 28% of management positions globally? That's a lot of untapped potential and missed perspectives. Here at Elixr Labs, we're big on building a diverse and inclusive environment. That means creating a space where everyone feels welcome and supported, regardless of gender. Why? Because research shows that diverse teams are more creative and solve problems better. We're working on getting more women on board, and we've been lucky to recruit some amazing female engineers recently. Our HR department is an all-women team right now, led by a super-talented senior HR exec. But even though we strive for balance, the most important thing is finding the best person for the job, whoever they are. So, what do you think? Does gender equality matter in workplaces? #EqualityMatters #DiverseWorkforce #InclusiveCulture #WomenInLeadership #BreakingTheGlassCeiling

🚺💼 Women's Equality in the Workplace: Still a Work in Progress! #Despite significant strides toward gender equality in recent years, it's clear that women still face obstacles in the workplace. From the gender pay gap to underrepresentation in leadership roles, there's much work to be done to level the playing field. It's disheartening to see that in 2024, women are still not afforded the same opportunities and recognition as their male counterparts. We need to acknowledge and address the systemic biases and discrimination that persist in many industries. As leaders and professionals, it's our responsibility to actively promote gender equality in our workplaces. This means implementing fair hiring practices, providing equal pay for equal work, and creating environments where all employees feel valued and respected. Let's continue to advocate for change and work together to build a more inclusive and equitable future for all. #GenderEquality #WomeninBusiness #Inclusion #WOMENEMPOWERMENT #girlpower   #genderequality #Womensareinspiration I'd love to hear from fellow LinkedIn members - what are your thoughts on this issue? Have you experienced or witnessed gender inequality in your workplace? Share your insights and let's keep the conversation going. Together, we can drive meaningful change. 👩💼💬 #DiversityInclusion #WorkplaceEquality #ShareYourVoice

🚀 No Limits on Talent – A Powerful Message for Gender Equality! 💪   Huseyin Gelis, President and CEO of Siemens Turkey, makes a remarkable assertion: There is no job that a woman cannot do. This progressive viewpoint reflects the egalitarian ethics of Simone de Beauvoir, who advocated for a world free of gender-specific role assignments. Gelis' conviction is a beacon of hope at a time when we are seeking ways to make the workplace more inclusive and just. 🌍   In his commitment to gender equality, Gelis challenges us all to reconsider our own notions and practices. How can we actively contribute to breaking down gender-specific barriers and create an environment where talents and abilities count, regardless of gender? 🚧   This challenge poses an important question for every workplace: How do you contribute to overcoming gender-specific barriers? What concrete actions and initiatives have you implemented in your company to achieve this goal? 🤝   Let's discuss in the comments: How does your workplace promote equality and inclusion? Share your experiences and ideas! 💬 #GenderEquality #HüseyinGelis #SimoneDeBeauvoir #BreakingDownBarriers

There is an important message from the CEO of Siemens Türkiye 📧 We as GROW2GLOW - Siemens coaching initiative for women contribute to overcoming gender-specific barriers ✨ #growthmindset #genderequity #employability #diversityequityinclusion #GROW2GLOW #GROW2GLOWTuerkiye

Much of my work at the World Benchmarking Alliance consists of engaging with investors, through Allies such as the Investor Alliance for Human Rights, but also one-on-one engagements, guiding investors on how to look at the CHRB scorecards, datasets and highlighting gaps and opportunities for engagement with companies in their portfolios. Investors play a key role in advancing corporate respect for human rights and gender equality. That's why I worked with my wonderful colleagues Sanjini Jain Jill van de Walle Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee and Annabel Mulder to translate our key findings from our CHRB - Corporate Human Rights Benchmark and Gender Benchmark into practical, easy and accessible questions investors could ask companies on key human rights and gender topics. 💡 The guidance documents also include leading practice examples from our benchmarks to demonstrate what good disclosure looks like! 📕Investor guidance that elaborates on findings from our 2022 and 2023 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark:https://lnkd.in/dxuaGfE7 📕Investor guidance that elaborates on the key findings of our 2023 Gender Benchmark: https://lnkd.in/d9YYsvnx

Today we celebrate #InternationalWomensDay! World Wise Foods are committed to ensuring gender equality in our own business and our supply chain. So, what better day to share what we've been up to? Our Human Rights Policy recognises women workers as a key stakeholder and we are committed to creating gender sensitive employers within our supply chain. In 2023 we introduced a gender ambition for at least 30% of supervisory and managerial roles to be occupied by women at our supplier partner sites within the next 3 years. To support our suppliers to meet the expectations, our key priorities this year are: - Completing gender analysis across worker, supervisory and management levels at all sites - Conducting gender focus groups at our priority sites to understand the experience and barriers faced by women in the workplace - Developing action plan to address any identified gaps Together, let’s continue striving for gender equality! #GenderEquality #IWD2024