A roadmap for Thailand’s journey to gender equality in business was presented at an event in Bangkok. It lays out a guideline for policies and business practices to improve woman’s empowerment in the workplace and, by extension, the country’s progress towards sustainable social and economic development as a whole.
Titled “Inclusive Policy means Sustainable Growth,” the event was organized by WeEmpowerAsia, a UN Woman program funded by the European Union, in collaboration with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Office of small and Medium-sized Enterprise Promotion (OSMEP), and the regional non-profit Kenan Foundation Asia.
The event is one of the milestones for women in Asia and around the world. It presented the idea of “Building Pathways to Gender Equality and Sustainability” through the “Women’s Empowerment Principle: Thailand Policy Brief” which is a guide for businesses to strengthen gender outcomes. The roadmap lays a crucial foundation for the implementation of policies and initiatives to: 1) advance accountability and reporting of gender indicators for listed companies; 2) promote woman’s corporate leadership; and 3) advance the participation of women’s owned and women-led business in the national and global supply chains of governments and corporations.
Sarah Knibbs, Officer-in-Charge, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, hopes the “Women’s Empowerment Principle: Thailand Policy Brief” will serve as a guide for policymakers, and other sectors to incentivize and regulate gender-responsive business conduct. Gender equality does not only mean good business but inclusive and sustainable growth where all groups of society can contribute. (NNT)