The cause of gender equality is more important now than ever:
- Research shows that 66% of the world’s work is done by women, yet they earn just 10% of the world’s income.
- A recent UN study of Fortune 500 companies found that companies with the highest representation of women in management positions delivered 34% greater returns to shareholders than their counterparts with lower representation.
- According to Goldman Sachs, if the female employment rate in the developed world rose to match that of men, the overall level of GDP could be boosted by over 12% on average.
Unilever has pledged its global support for UN Women, HeForShe, IMPACT, 10x10x10, and Lean In movements to raise awareness of the challenge of gender inequality.
Women’s empowerment and their role within the economic cycle has an ever increasing positive impact on economic growth and on the health and progress of those around them. As part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, ambitious targets have been set to be able to address these issues and deliver positive change in the communities and markets that they serve. This is not only the right thing to do, it also makes business sense with over 70% of Unilever’s consumers being female.
Unilever has committed to empowering 5 million women by 2020 through:
- Building a gender-balanced organisation with a focus on management.
- Promoting safety for women in the communities where we operate.
- Enhancing access to training and skills for women across our value chain.
- Expanding opportunities for women in our value chain.
Marcela Manubens, Unilever global VP for social impact said:
“Whilst making up a third of the global workforce, on current trends, it will be 2096 before women have the same economic power and opportunities as men. We can’t and shouldn’t wait that long. As part of Unilever’s commitment, we are promoting women’s rights across our organisation and global supply chain, embedding the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, building skills and creating job opportunities. Women must have equality of opportunity and this work is what gets me up in the morning every day. Our brands play an active role too - the Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached 13 million women and girls since 2005.”
To learn more about women’s empowerment at Unilever, click here.
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