Companies unite for gender equality

Ecuadornews:

Public and private institutions will be part of the program endorsed by the UNDP that seeks the eradication of differences between men and women. Increasing the participation of women in the workplace and reducing the wage gap with men are two of the goals that public and private companies in the country aim to achieve.

To achieve this, the institutions will be part of an initiative supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). This is the ‘Seal of Gender Equality’, which has been implemented in several countries in the region and will now be adapted in Ecuador.

The initiative was presented on Monday, March 11 by the Ministry of Labor in conjunction with the Public Company Coordinator of Public Enterprises (EMCO) and the Ecuadorian Business Committee (CCE). The initial phase of the program includes the training and training of gender equality advisers that will help companies to obtain the badge.

Public and private institutions must undergo a process of reconfiguring their internal policies and adapting to international standards, such as the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. During the training of the advisors, the UNDP together with the Ministry of Labor, the EMCO and the CCE will create a normative base that responds to the characteristics of the country.

According to a study by the international consultancy firm McKinsey, labor equity would increase the global gross domestic product (GDP) by around $ 28 billion trillion, said Patricio Alarcón, president of the Business Committee. He added that “gender equality is good business”.

Diana Gutiérrez, global coordinator of the program, said the initiative takes about a decade and involves corporate transformation. In Ecuador, only 9% of women hold the position of president in private companies, concluded a recent survey prepared by the consultancy Deloitte. 86% of the companies participating in the study consider that gender equity policies contribute decisively to the competitiveness of their organizations.

Carolina Pesantes, general manager of the EMCO, highlighted that of the 21 existing public companies, in just three the position of general manager is occupied by a woman. It’s about eradicating discrimination, she said. (I)

Source:  https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/economia/4/pnud-empresas-igualdad-genero-ecuador