1. BPW International
Empowered Women Leading Business
5th BPW Leadership Summit
Harmonie Club New York City, New York
DAY 1: 1 March 2013

2. Strategic Partnerships
Bringing the voice of women to business
1. CBW - Commonwealth Business Women
2. IOE - International Organisation of Employers
3. The World Bank & IFC
4. ITC - International Trade Centre
5. WEConnect International
6. UN Global Compact Office, NY

3. IOE
International Organisation of Employers
Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland; established
in 1920
‣151 national employers’ organisation members in
144 countriesNational peak business and industry
groupsBPW International partnered as “Gender
Expert”

4. IOE
International Organisation of Employers
‣ Two organisations bringing the voice of women to business.

5. ‣ Meetings with Secretary General in Rio during RIO+20 and at
ILO HQ in Geneva; MOU now in place to consider:
‣ 1. Jointly conducting research and developing policy guidance
material, aligning resources and intelligence from our member
networks with the aim to:
‣ develop gender-sensitive workplace policies and measures
‣ Provide sound and relevant policy guidance for employers
around the world
‣ Becoming a strong and representative network at the
international level

6. ‣ 2. Jointly providing communication platforms to share best
practices and create global awareness on emerging issues
based on identified regional needs and gap areas:
‣ Webinars ‣ workshops
‣ forums ‣ training material
‣ business networking ‣ training sessions
‣ associations

7. The World Bank Group consists of five organizations which includes
the International Finance Corporation.
‣The Director of Global Indicators & Analysis, Dr. Augusto Lopez-
Claros oversees the project: Women, Business, and the Law.
‣The report shows that economies with greater legal differentiation
between men and women have, on average, lower female
participation in the formal labor force.
‣It measures such things as a woman’s legal capacity to sign a
contract, travel abroad, manage property, and interact with public
authorities and the private sector.

8. ‣ finds that while 36 economies
reduced legal differences
between men and women,
103 out of 141 economies
studied still impose legal
differences on the basis of
gender identifies 41 law and
regulatory reforms enacted
between June 2009 and
March 2011 that could
enhance women’s economic
opportunities.

9. MOU with the IFC to:
‣explore and leverage opportunities to partner in support of linking
women business enterprises to new markets and business
opportunities and financial institutions. discuss issues facing
women in business, law and trade at national, regional and
international BPW meetings
‣share IFC reports of significance to women in the workplace and
advise the BPW International President on any new developments in
research and policy regarding gender equity. collaborate in
conversations, meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences
alongside the World Bank.

10. RIO+20 Alliance
‣ New strategic alliance between the UN Global Compact, the
International Trade Centre (ITC), WEConnect International and
BPW International
‣ Reaffirms existing commitment to GPFA

11. South East Europe
Leadership Centre
Collaboration between BPW
International and UNESCO
Women & Peace Centre
‣Use of UNESCO networks
‣Work for the interests of all
women
‣First meeting scheduled for
2013 with Women in the
Balkan region

12. UAE & GCC
BPW International realises founder’s vision
New clubs being formed in the Middle East – the UAE:and GCC.

13. UAE & Middle East
BPW International realises founder’s vision
‣ Strengthening the Arab Region.
‣ Building Businesses. Advancing Women

14. The business of BPW:
Leading on all fronts

15. Equality Means Business
‣ Takes the economic arguments for change to the heart
of the corporate world.
‣ Sharing best practices from companies that really
understand what motivates women in the workplace
and the marketplace.
‣ Optimising women’s talents to boost the bottom line.
‣ Taking action to achieve this will require sustained
courage and conviction from today’s corporate leaders.

16. WEPs
Vision for business in the 21st Century
‣ Increase number of women in top management positions so
that women and men work together
‣ Show companies how to make the transition from awareness
of the existing situation to the implementation of change
‣ Integrate gender equality into companies’ core business and
strategy
‣ A universal framework that empowers women in the
workplace and by extension, in all areas of their lives by
changing a predominantly male-oriented way of thinking

17. ‣Solid foundation with strong vision and focus
‣Integrated and improved reporting
‣Leveraging global alliances
‣Bringing New Opportunities to Members