Can you really afford not to invest in diversity and inclusion?

Each year, discrimination at work around gender identity, ethnicity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation cost millions of dollars to our national economies and companies. At the same time, the COVID-19 crisis has also demonstrated that inclusion and diversity matter more than ever. Therefore, embracing it as a core value is a must for a sustainable future of work.

But what can be done to make this ideal a reality for millions of workers and employers worldwide?

Tune in and listen to the Podcast to find out more!

There was a significant addition made in the latest IPCC report; for the first time, the word "colonialism" was added as well as listed as a driver of the climate crisis.

This addition carries numerous implications in how gender equality and its intersecting fields within sustainability are understood.

My name is Jane Anyango, from Kibera Slums in Nairobi Kenya, working with women and girls living in slum communities

Making the Most of Gender-Lens Investing

Although investment in gender-diverse organizations, women-owned businesses, and companies catering to women’s preferences has grown substantially in recent years, it is still nowhere close to reaching its full potential. It is being held back by common misconceptions that fly in the face of a mounting body of evidence.

"The global labor force participation rate for women is just over 50% compared to 80% for men [...]. Emerging evidence from recent household survey data suggests that these gender gaps are heightened due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

The gender gap is narrowing in some regions, but not necessarily from increased female participation, but falling male participation. Of all the income groups surveyed, the gender gap in labor force participation is largest in lower middle-income countries:

Gender-responsive sustainable finance recognises that green financing instruments can be used to address gender inequalities. Despite progress, women worldwide have less access to finance and related decision making, and sustainable finance frameworks often fail to integrate gender responsiveness, metrics, and data.

Next Tuesday, 15 March at 3PM CET, join the Green Finance Platform for "Gender-Responsive Sustainable Finance: Towards Inclusive Market Economies." An official Side Event for the 66th Commission on the Status of Women, this webinar will feature inputs from experts at the OECD, IFC, EBRD, GGGI, Climate Investment Funds, and UNDP Finance Sector Hub.

The discussion will focus on practical knowledge, including:

▶️ Measuring gender-responsive financing: Incorporation of gender in investors’ financial analysis (intangible asset) and ESG selection criteria, with focus on metrics and monitoring impact, business case for gender-sensitive green credit lines.

▶️ Encouraging international climate finance mechanisms to use gender-disaggregated data: Gender policy in climate funds and incentives to access those funds.

▶️ Catalysing gender-responsive sustainable finance: Investment incentives that governments may use to address gender equity, including subsidies, grants, tax incentives, blended finance, and procurement incentives.

Learn more and register ? ggkp.org/grf

? If you have any thoughts on this topic or questions you would like us to ask the panelists during the event, please share them in the comments below.

Land and property rights are crucial in delivering strengthened food security and lower rates of deforestation, among many. Securing women's land rights to promote gender equality and an inclusive transition is often met with significant challenges. How can we recognise gender equality through sub-Saharan Africa's land tenure systems?

The theme for International Women's Day, 8 March, 2022 is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow."

What are some gaps you see in the discussions around gender and sustainability? How does your work help promote women's empowerment?