SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Businesses can now describe themselves in Google Maps listings as being owned, led or founded by women, the Alphabet Inc <GOOGL.O> unit announced Wednesday.
The feature would roll out this week in celebration of International Women’s Day, on March 8, Google said in a blog post.
Users would see the new descriptor alongside details in business listings that say whether shops have offerings such as kosher food, outdoor seating and Wi-Fi.
An icon with the female gender symbol would appear prominently on the listing, according to a screenshot in the blog post.
Google employee suggestions led to the women-led attribute as well as one launched last year that identifies businesses as friendly to gay, lesbian, bisexual queer and transgender individuals.
"We strive to organize the world’s information in a way that is inclusive of all people," Google spokeswoman Liz Davidoff said by email. "We’ve added the women-led attribute to empower women-led businesses to succeed online and help people find places to visit using Google Maps and Search."
(Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Susan Thomas)
