BPW International

BPW France launched a communication campaign to raise awareness on Women’s Empowerment Principles. Targeted companies are international groups. This permitted BPW France to find new partners for the 2012 Equal Pay Day (Bouygues, Danone, Sodexo). BPW organised five internal events to present the WEPs and use BPW International communication tools as well as the slides created in France.

Christiane Robichon (Responsible for WEPs implementation within BPW France) christianerobichon@hotmail.com)

On 9-10 March 2011, one year after the launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles – Equality Means Business (WEPs), the UN Global Compact and UN Women convened stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, Government and the UN at the SUNY Global Center in New York City to take stock of how the companies are putting WEPs into practice to empower women. The event also observed the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

Complete report

The call for the advancement and empowerment of women in the workplace was enhanced by the launch of the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles, at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg on 4 July, 2011.

This was done jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), and Business and Professional Women, South Africa. (BPW). The Women’s Empowerment Principles provides a set of considerations to help the private sector focus on key elements integral to promoting gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. The Women’s Empowerment Principles, forged through an international multi stakeholder consultative process led by UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), provide a “gender lens” through which business can survey and analyse current initiatives, benchmarks and reporting practices.   (Read more)

Watch the video : BPW WEP interviews CEO Breakfast

• Equality Means Business: Putting Principles into Practice, March 9 - 10, 2011
  
• Vice-President Freda Miriklis participated in the discussions about  the collaboration of UN, government, civil society and business to realize the Principles’ empowerment agenda 
  
• President BPW Ankara Club Arranges Turkish Translations of the WEPs
  
• BPW South Africa successfully launches the WEPs.

Equality Means Business: Putting Principles into Practice, March 9 - 10, 2011

One year after the launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the Global Compact and UN Women will convene representatives from the private sector, Government, civil society and the UN. The event, held on the occasion of the 100th Annual International Women’s Day, will take stock of how the WEPs have been operationalized to advance company efforts to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community and identify areas for improvement.

BPW International as the leading NGO spearheading the initiative was invited to participate in the interactive session ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS, BUILDING COALITIONS

	President Liz Benham has joined the discussions regarding the global and national stakeholders effort to put the Women’s Empowerment Principles into a practice involving business, government, civil society, UN and the implications for advancing the WEPs in other countries.
	Vice-President Freda Miriklis participated in the discussions about  the collaboration of UN, government, civil society and business to realize the Principles’ empowerment agenda - What does each community see as essential to its mandate – what will the collaboration achieve and how will women benefit?

Launched on International Women's Day, the Women's Empowerment Principles-Equality Means Business suggests seven steps for companies to take to empower women in the workplace and the market place. They were launched by the United Nations Development Fund For Women (UNIFEM, part of UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact on March 8th, 2010 based on a multi-stakeholder consultative process.
The Women’s Empowerment Principles are subtitled Equality Means Business because the full participation of women benefits business and by signing the Statement of Support, CEOs will demonstrate leadership on gender equality and women’s empowerment and will encourage fellow business leaders to do the same.

The 7 Principles are:

1.    Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality.

2.    Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and nondiscrimination.

3.    Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men worker

4.    Promote education, training and professional development for women.

5.    Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women.

6.    Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy.

7.    Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality.